A woman who visited Yellowstone National Park is now in recovery after she sustained burns from scalding water near the Old Faithful geyser.
The National Park Service (NPS) announced in a press release that a 60-year-old New Hampshire woman who was visiting the park with her husband and leashed dog is reportedly suffering from second and third-degree burns to her lower leg, marking the first thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2024.
According to the NPS, the woman, from Windsor, N.H., was walking off-trail in a thermal area near Mallard Lake Trailhead at Old Faithful on Monday, Sept. 16, when she "broke through a thin crust" and slipped below the surface of the land, causing her to come into contact with scalding water.
The woman and her husband went to a Yellowstone park clinic for medical assistance after she was burned, and rangers later transported her to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center via helicopter for treatment, the NPS said. The incident is still under investigation.
The NPS also reported that the scalding water in Yellowstone's thermal areas can result in"severe or fatal burns," and many hot springs and geysers such as Old Faithful have extremely hot water — as hot as 199°F, more than the boiling point of water — just under their "thin, breakable crusts."
In July, other Yellowstone visitors were startled by a high-powered hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin, about 2 miles north of Old Faithful.
Although no one was injured, the NPS reported that the explosion — which was caused by water underneath Black Diamond Pool suddenly turning to steam — sent steam and debris flying "hundreds of feet above the ground, destroyed a nearby boardwalk and ejected grapefruit-sized rocks tens to hundreds of feet from the source."
Since the large explosion, the shape of Black Diamond has changed. The water in the area has seen rising levels leading to overflow which sent dark, muddy water into the nearby Firehole River. The basin will remain closed until the end of the 2024 season, Yellowstone officials said.
Never miss a story — sign up for PEOPLE's free daily newsletter to stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.
Although the park service notes that thermal explosions such as these are common, they often go undetected by humans because they take place in the back country "where they may not be immediately detected."
In its news release on Monday, the National Park Service warned Yellowstone visitors to take precautions when visiting thermal areas such as geysers and hot springs. Pets are not allowed in thermal areas on boardwalks, hiking trails or in the backcountry in the park, and visitors are asked to stay on trail at all times.
"Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in hydrothermal areas and exercise extreme caution," the NPS wrote. "The ground in these areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface."
Related Articles
Follow Us
