Park rangers aren't the only people who help to enforce rules at Yellowstone National Park.
When one tourist decided to ignore guidance that calls for visitors to stay on designated boardwalks around the park's hot springs, fellow visitors had to intervene and loudly warn them of the danger they had put themselves in.
Jerry Kromer (@jfkromer) posted a picture of the incident on Instagram, noting that it took place on Firehole Lake Drive.
"It took yelling and screaming at this touron to get him back on the boardwalk," they captioned the post. "So dangerous what he was doing."
A "touron" is a portmanteau of "tourist" and "moron," and while slightly harsh to make a point, it's hard to argue that what this individual did was particularly smart.
According to the National Park Service, Yellowstone has more than 10,000 hydrothermal features, including over 500 geysers. The water in these features can exceed the boiling point, and some are even acidic.
That's why Yellowstone requires visitors to stay on designated boardwalks and trails and pleads for tourists not to touch the thermal features or runoff. Sadly, more than 20 people have died from burns or after falling into hot springs at the park.
The geological features surrounding them are also extremely delicate, and walking on them can lead to unnecessary destruction of formations that have developed over millions of years.
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It shouldn't have to be the responsibility of parkgoers to ensure fellow visitors are following rules. Taking time in nature should be a relaxing experience, and having to essentially police other parkgoers can lead to a lot of stress.
If more people can't seem to follow necessary guidance, it's likely Yellowstone could restrict viewing access to others in the interest of safety.
"You can see that thermal behind him literally boiling," said one stunned Instagrammer.
"Follow the rules, Americans!" added another.
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