Death At A Yellowstone Park Hot Spring: Safety in National Parks

A male in his early twenties is assumed dead after he was seen falling into Yellowstone Park's hottest and oldest hot spring, Norris Geyser Basin.

According to park officials, witnesses have seen the man was about 209 meters off from the boardwalk at 3 pm, Tuesday. Boarldwalks are made to protect camp visitors and the gentle thermal formations. It is illegal for guests to wander off boardwalks.

Park officials are treating the case as death since the body of the man has not been found despite thorough search. In the meantime, Norris Geyser Basin is closed to the public.

Hot Springs are one of the causes of injuries and fatalities to Yellowstone Park visitors. According to its website, Norris Geyser Basin is the oldest, hottest, and most dynamic of the park's thermal regions. Most of the Basin's areas are above boiling point.

The incident is just one of the few unfortunate events that have happened in the park due to visitors' disobeying park rules.

In May, park officials have to euthanize an orphaned bison calf after its herd rejected it because well-intentioned tourists "interfered" by trying to rescue it. Days later, Canadians stomped on ecologically sensitive areas at the park's Grand Prismatic Spring. In early June, an elk attacked a woman who was walking towards it in the hopes of getting a better picture. Then last Saturday, a 13-year-old fell into the Upper Geyser Basin.

To avoid untoward incidents during visits, guest must follow all the directions given by its park rangers. Guests must understand that these rules are meant for their safety.

They must also keep track of the marked tracks and assigned guest areas. These are made to know the limitations of human interaction.