Yellowstone Visitors Horrified After Tourist Walked Across Forbidden Off-Limits Zone in Flip-Flops

Yellowstone visitors were shocked and horrified erstwhile an anonymous tourist walked crossed a protected off-limits area successful flip-flops.

The incident occurred connected July 28, according to a July 30 post successful nan nationalist Facebook group “Yellowstone: Invasion of nan Idiots,” wherever parkland lovers tin stock incidents of visitors defying parkland rules and common-sense information protocols.

Photos of nan incident included wrong nan station show nan chartless man stepping retired onto a bacterial mat adjacent nan park’s Grand Prismatic Spring. These mats are comprised of delicate surviving organisms and springiness nan scenery its signature colorful appearance, per nan National Park Service.

The organisms — called thermophiles — turn and thrive successful nan aggravated power of nan park’s thermal basin, and are incredibly delicate to extracurricular disturbances.

The man, who appeared to beryllium picking up hats that had blown onto nan mats, was seen stepping connected nan adjacent boardwalk pinch a female erstwhile he exited nan boardwalk and “illegally and repeatedly” walked “all complete nan bacterial mats,” per nan post.

PEOPLE reached retired to Yellowstone National Park for remark connected Saturday, Aug. 2, but did not person an contiguous response.

Walking connected nan mats is considered “thermal trespassing,” and is punishable by fines, parkland bans and moreover jailhouse time.

In 2024, a 21-year-old tourer was sentenced to 7 days successful jailhouse and was banned from nan parkland for 2 years aft he walked disconnected a designated visitant area to get person to Steamboat Geyser, nan world’s tallest progressive geyser, according to The New York Times.

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In 2020, 2 men were each sentenced to 10 days successful jail, a good of $540, 5 years of unsupervised probation and a five-year prohibition from nan parkland for trespassing connected nan cone of Old Faithful Geyser, per a press release from nan National Park Service.

“Visitors must recognize that stepping connected thermal features is dangerous, damages nan assets [is] and illegal,” Chief Ranger Sarah Davis said successful a connection astatine nan time, per nan release. 

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“Law enforcement officers return this usurpation seriously. Yellowstone National Park besides appreciates nan tribunal for recognizing nan effect thermal trespass tin person connected these astonishing features,” Davis added.