Teen suffers 'significant thermal burns' near Yellowstone geyser
A 17-year-old boy has suffered “significant thermal burns” near a geyser close to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, officials said.
The incident occurred on Monday morning when the teen was on a hike in the thermal area of the park in the vicinity of the Lone Star Geyser near Old Faithful when his foot broke through the thin crust and he suffered significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
Emergency medical staff responded and took the patient to a hospital for further treatment following the incident, officials said.
“Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations. Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs,” the National Park Service warns. “Always walk on boardwalks and designated trails, keep children close and do not let them run on boardwalks and do not touch thermal features or runoff.”
Swimming or soaking in hot springs is prohibited in the park and more than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone’s hot springs, according to NPS.
This is the first known thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2025, according to the park service.
The last incident took place in September 2024 when a 60-year-old woman suffered second and third-degree burns to her lower leg while walking in a thermal area near Mallard Lake Trailhead at Old Faithful when she went walking off-trail with her husband and leashed dog in a thermal area, the NPS said.
The National Park Service has not released any further information on the victim and the incident is currently under investigation.
