Latest news with #GrandPrismaticSpring
Yahoo
5 days ago
- Yahoo
Bystander confronts tourist over thoughtless act in national park: 'You broke a federal law'
Bystander confronts tourist over thoughtless act in national park: 'You broke a federal law' Most people know the basics before visiting a national park: don't feed the animals, stay on the trails, and definitely don't fly drones. Still, someone at Yellowstone either missed the memo or chose to ignore it. In a video posted by Tourons of Yellowstone (@touronsofyellowstone) on Instagram, a bystander confronts a tourist flying a drone over the Grand Prismatic Spring — one of Yellowstone's most iconic and delicate areas. "Do you have permission to do that?" the bystander asks twice. The response? "I don't, but I didn't know." That didn't land well. "You broke a federal law," the bystander shoots back. Since June 2014, the National Park Service has banned drones in all national parks, citing visitor safety, noise disruption, and wildlife protection. The ban falls under federal law 36 CFR § 1.5, and breaking it can lead to fines up to $5,000 or even six months in jail. The Instagram post noted: "This video and the details were sent to NPS authorities." People who commented didn't mince words. "There are No Drone signs everywhere, they knew. I see this all the time," one person commented. Another added: "The dude's lucky he didn't crash his drone in the spring ... necessitating expensive removal and damage to the spring's chemistry." Besides the legal issues, drone flights put park ecosystems at risk. Startle a herd of bison, and someone might get hurt. That's not just a hypothetical — bison have injured or killed people before. And when wildlife lashes out, even if provoked, animals often get euthanized. One reckless moment can cost more than a fine. Do you think America does a good job of protecting its natural beauty? Definitely Only in some areas No way I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Drone problems like this aren't rare. One visitor flew a drone at Yosemite from a scenic overlook. In another case, someone disguised themselves to sneak a drone into Yellowstone. And globally, other protected areas are tightening the rules too. Some commenters say calling it out is the right move. "Report to rangers and they can get police involved. Happened in Arches a few years ago and I reported them." Another added, "It disrupts wildlife and others enjoyment of the parks and nature." Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the the daily Crossword
CNBC
5 days ago
- CNBC
10 must-see national parks around the world—from Yellowstone to the Galapagos
The world is full of many natural wonders. In the United States, national parks draw in millions of visitors all year round. While places like Yellowstone boast famous geysers such as Old Faithful and the vibrant colors of Grand Prismatic Spring, that is just a fraction of what the rest of the world has to offer. Here are a few of the most beautiful — and most visited — national parks around the globe. Located in California, Yosemite National Park has over 750 miles of trails for travelers to explore. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in the 1980s and is recognized for giant sequoia, glaciers and granite cliffs. The park is home to famous spots like Tunnel View and Valley View and famous landmarks like Half Dome and El Capitan. The Galapagos National Park is made up of volcanic islands hundreds of miles off the coast of Ecuador. The park encompasses an area of 3,040 square miles and is the country's first national park. The government of Ecuador declared 97% of the Galapagos Islands area as protected and it was named a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The Galapagos Islands are home to world-renowned wildlife like marine iguanas, giant tortoises, and marine iguanas, according to the Global Alliance of National Parks. Banff National Park was established as Canada's first national park in 1855. The park originated as a hot springs reserve and is now comprised of thousands of acres in the Canadian Rockies. The Canadian national park is home to three world-class ski resorts, over 2,000 campsites, over 1,000 glaciers and thousands of miles of hiking trails. The Yellowstone National Park is located in the northwest of the U.S. and extends across the states of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. It was designated a national park in 1872, is made up of 2.2 million acres and attracts more than 4 million visitors every year, according to U.S. News and World Report. The park is renowned for its diverse wildlife and several geothermal features, including the popular Old Faithful geyser. It is also home to Yellowstone Lake, one of the largest high-elevation lakes in North America and covers part of the Yellowstone Caldera, the largest supervolcano on the continent. Aside from the popular Yellowstone Lake and Old Faithful, the national park is also home to the Mammoth Hot Springs, the West Thumb Geyser Basin, and the Lewis River Channel. The Serengeti National Park is located in Tanzania and is the world-renowned home of The Great Migration, a once-a-year event where about two million blue wildebeest and hundreds of thousands of zebras and gazelles cross the park. The park spans across 5,700 square miles in East Africa, giving visitors the chance to see animals like the Big Five: leopards, elephants, lions, rhinoceroses and buffalo. It is home to the largest lion population in Africa. Located in the Surat Thani province of southern Thailand, Khao Sok National Park is part of one of the world's oldest and largest evergreen rainforests. The park is home to over 200 types of plants, hundreds of bird species and lots of reptiles and insects. It was established in 1980 and is just a few hours north of the popular destination of Phuket. Khao Sok is also bordered by three other national parks: Kaeng Krueng, Sri Phang Nga and Khlong Phanom. The Torres del Paine National Park is located on the edge of the Chilean Patagonia. It is one of the most visited parks in Chile and the best time to visit is between the months of November and March. The park is made up of more than 445,000 acres The park is home to the Grey Glacier and popular hiking trails like the W Trek and O Circuit, which both take several days to finish. The park is named after the three granite peaks of the Paine mountain range and is one of the 11 protected areas of the Magallanes Region and Chilean Antarctica. The Plitvice Lakes National Park is one of the oldest and largest national parks in Croatia. It was designated a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1979 and is primarily covered in forest vegetation. The park is known mainly for its extensive lake system, comprising 16 named lakes and several smaller, unnamed lakes. The park is open to visitors all year round and offers seven different routes to tour the lake system and four hiking trails. The Kruger National Park is one of the most iconic parks in South Africa, spanning approximately 5 million acres. It offers access to animals such as the Big Five as well as Nile crocodiles, hippos, and rare birds. The park offers visitors the opportunity to explore it in their own cars, stay at public rest camps, or in private lodges. The Kruger National Park also works to preserve historic things like the archaeological sites Masorini and Thulamela and Bushman rock paintings. The Guilin and Lijiang River National Park is located in the northeastern region of Guangxi Zhuang, China. It also features the Li River, which flows for over 100 miles. The scenery along the river between the cities of Yangshuo and Guilin City even serves as the artwork for the Chinese 20 yuan note, according to the Global Alliance of National Parks. One of the most iconic features of the park is the Nine Horses Fresco Hill, which are the natural rock formations that resemble horses. The park is also home to the Reed Flute Cave, a cave filled with several different stalactites and stalagmites.
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
Photos of the incident show the man casually walking across the park's delicate protected bacterial mats to collect fallen hatsNEED TO KNOW A man in flip-flops recently walked across a protected off-limits zone in Yellowstone National Park, per a July 30 post in a public Facebook group Photos of the incident show the man collecting hats that had blown onto the ground The man was trespassing on delicate bacterial mats near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring, an offense that is punishable by lawYellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified when an anonymous tourist walked across a protected off-limits zone in flip-flops. The incident occurred on July 28, according to a July 30 post in the public Facebook group 'Yellowstone: Invasion of the Idiots,' where park lovers can share incidents of visitors defying park rules and common-sense safety protocols. Photos of the incident included within the post show the unknown man stepping out onto a bacterial mat near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate living organisms and give the landscape its signature colorful appearance, per the National Park Service. The organisms — called thermophiles — grow and thrive in the intense heat of the park's thermal basin, and are incredibly sensitive to outside disturbances. The man, who appeared to be picking up hats that had blown onto the mats, was seen walking on the nearby boardwalk with a woman when he exited the boardwalk and 'illegally and repeatedly' walked 'all over the bacterial mats,' per the post. PEOPLE reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment on Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not receive an immediate response. Walking on the mats is considered 'thermal trespassing,' and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time. In 2024, a 21-year-old tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail and was banned from the park for two years after he walked off a designated visitor area to get closer to Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, according to The New York Times. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In 2020, two men were each sentenced to 10 days in jail, a fine of $540, five years of unsupervised probation and a five-year ban from the park for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from the National Park Service. 'Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource [is] and illegal,' Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said in a statement at the time, per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features,' Davis added. Read the original article on People
Yahoo
03-08-2025
- Yahoo
Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops
Photos of the incident show the man casually walking across the park's delicate protected bacterial mats to collect fallen hatsNEED TO KNOW A man in flip-flops recently walked across a protected off-limits zone in Yellowstone National Park, per a July 30 post in a public Facebook group Photos of the incident show the man collecting hats that had blown onto the ground The man was trespassing on delicate bacterial mats near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring, an offense that is punishable by lawYellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified when an anonymous tourist walked across a protected off-limits zone in flip-flops. The incident occurred on July 28, according to a July 30 post in the public Facebook group 'Yellowstone: Invasion of the Idiots,' where park lovers can share incidents of visitors defying park rules and common-sense safety protocols. Photos of the incident included within the post show the unknown man stepping out onto a bacterial mat near the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate living organisms and give the landscape its signature colorful appearance, per the National Park Service. The organisms — called thermophiles — grow and thrive in the intense heat of the park's thermal basin, and are incredibly sensitive to outside disturbances. The man, who appeared to be picking up hats that had blown onto the mats, was seen walking on the nearby boardwalk with a woman when he exited the boardwalk and 'illegally and repeatedly' walked 'all over the bacterial mats,' per the post. PEOPLE reached out to Yellowstone National Park for comment on Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not receive an immediate response. Walking on the mats is considered 'thermal trespassing,' and is punishable by fines, park bans and even jail time. In 2024, a 21-year-old tourist was sentenced to seven days in jail and was banned from the park for two years after he walked off a designated visitor area to get closer to Steamboat Geyser, the world's tallest active geyser, according to The New York Times. The PEOPLE Puzzler crossword is here! How quickly can you solve it? Play now! In 2020, two men were each sentenced to 10 days in jail, a fine of $540, five years of unsupervised probation and a five-year ban from the park for trespassing on the cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from the National Park Service. 'Visitors must realize that walking on thermal features is dangerous, damages the resource [is] and illegal,' Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said in a statement at the time, per the release. Never miss a story — sign up for to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories. 'Law enforcement officers take this violation seriously. Yellowstone National Park also appreciates the court for recognizing the impact thermal trespass can have on these amazing features,' Davis added. Read the original article on People
Daily Mail
02-08-2025
- Daily Mail
Outrage as idiotic Yellowstone tourist trespasses onto iconic colorful ecosystem near hot spring
A tourist has sparked outrage after wandering off a trail at Yellowstone National Park and trampling over a hot spring's delicate eco system. The visitor ventured off designated boardwalks to retrieve baseball caps blown onto the iconic bacterial mats near the Grand Prismatic Spring. Yellowstone's bacterial mats are delicate ecosystems composed of thermophiles, or heat-loving microscopic organisms. They flourish in the Montana park's thermal basins, creating Yellowstone's famously colorful landscapes. Disturbing these mats, whether intentionally or accidentally, is classified as thermal trespassing. Images of the the tourist's reckless behavior on Monday quickly circulated on social media, where it was widely slammed. It comes after a 17-year-old tourist was left with scalding burns after his foot went broke through the crust near a geyser at the park. 'Darwinism at its best,' one user said of the thermal mat trespasser. 'They need to start hitting these stupid people where it hurts the most…their wallets. Minimum $5k fine and ban from all National Parks,' said another. 'Maybe they need to give a standard IQ test before you are allowed entry into the park,' one person said. 'Ban him from all National Parks for life. He can't read or follow directions and obviously has no regard for the importance and fragility of the area,' said yet another. Discarded items such as hats, water bottles, and other personal belongings occasionally end up on these sensitive ecosystems due to wind gusts or carelessness. Jeff Henry, a lifelong Yellowstone employee, emphasized that while the bacterial mats have a degree of resilience, repeated foot traffic could cause significant harm. 'The impact of a large number of people stepping on the bacterial mats is obviously something that can't be tolerated,' he told Cowboy State Daily. Yellowstone authorities urge visitors to respect and adhere to protective guidelines, emphasizing that the continued beauty and health of these natural wonders depend on responsible visitor behavior. This latest case comes just days after a 17-year-old tourist suffered 'significant thermal burns' near Yellowstone National Park's Lone Star Geyser. According to park officials, the teen was hiking Monday morning in the Lone Star Geyser Basin, about three miles southeast of Old Faithful, when his foot broke through the thin crust surrounding a thermal area. His foot plunged into scalding water, which can reach temperatures between 160 and 200 degrees, causing severe burns to his foot and ankle. And celebrities aren't exempt from the public scrutiny. Last year, James Bond star Pierce Brosnan pleaded guilty to illegally hiking into a protected thermal area at Yellowstone National Park and agreed to pay a $1,500 fine. The actor initially pleaded not guilty after he was cited for venturing off-trail near the park's Mammoth Terraces in November 2023. According to court documents filed last March, Brosnan admitted to one of two charges for straying into the restricted hot spring zone to get a closer look at the thermals.
