Another Yellowstone Touron: Woman Walks Up to Old Faithful Geyser
It just doesn't end. The amount of stupidity that flocks to Yellowstone National Park is astounding. At first, seeing stories of people being dumb in the park was funny. Now it is starting to get sad. It is almost a weekly thing now. Every day you can scroll through the web and find a story of people behaving badly in our first national park. This week is no exception.
Just this recently, the fine folks that brought us the internet gem known as "Tourons of Yellowstone" posted another video showing what NOT to do while visiting the park. The video features a woman walking up to the geothermic vent and world-famous geyser we know as "OLD FAITHFUL." Getting near something that spews boiling hot water is something you think anyone with brain cells would keep their distance from. Granted the show is fun to watch from a safe distance. Getting near the geyser could spell disaster. Yet, one tourist decided she needed a closer look at what makes "Old Faithful" tick.
Notice in the following video how many signs are scattered around the geyser. Signs warning people to not walk past a certain point. In this case, signs tell tourists to stay on the boardwalk that surrounds the geyser. Using the excuse "I didn't know" is not acceptable in this scenario.
No word on whether or not this woman was issued a citation for not obeying the rules. However, just as recently as 2021, a Connecticut woman spent time behind bars after approaching a geyser in Yellowstone.
According to Justice.gov
Acting United States Attorney Bob Murray announced today that MADELINE S. CASEY, age 26 of New Hartford, Connecticut was sentenced to seven days in jail for walking on thermal ground at Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park. In addition, she was ordered to pay a $1,000 fine, $40 in fees and a $1,000 community service payment to the Yellowstone Forever Geological Resource Fund. Casey was with two other people as they made their way up to a thermal pool and geyser at Norris Geyser Basin. She and one other person got off the boardwalk and were walking on thermal ground.
There are plenty of other TOURONS that have risked being hurt around geothermic parts of the park this year. For example, watch footage of a woman thinking it would be a good idea to dip her hand in boiling water earlier this summer.
The hist just keep coming. My only wish as that these people start getting fined and booted from the park. Make an example of them, so that other people visiting will know to respect the park and to stop treating it like it is some sort of drive-thru safari park.