YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo. — A woman from New Hampshire has sustained severe burns after hiking off-trail in Yellowstone National Park. The incident occurred in a thermal area near the Old Faithful geyser, according to park officials.
The 60-year-old woman, accompanied by her husband and their dog, was walking away from designated paths near the Mallard Lake Trailhead on Monday afternoon when she fell into scalding water after breaking through a fragile surface. She suffered second- and third-degree burns to her lower leg, while her husband and dog remained unharmed.
The woman was subsequently airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls for urgent medical treatment.
Park officials are urging all visitors to adhere strictly to designated boardwalks and trails in hydrothermal areas and to exercise extreme caution, as the ground in these locations can be unstable with hot water lurking just beneath the surface.
While pets are permitted in certain developed areas of Yellowstone, they are banned from boardwalks, hiking trails, the backcountry, and thermal zones.
This incident is currently under investigation, and the woman’s identity has not been disclosed.
Notably, this marks the first recorded thermal injury in Yellowstone for 2024. The park has had 3.5 million visitors through August this year.
The National Park Service highlights that hot springs in Yellowstone have caused more injuries and fatalities than any other natural feature, with at least 22 people having died due to hot spring-related incidents since the park’s establishment in 1890.
