The vast majority of visitors to Yellowstone National Park heed warning signs to stay on the boardwalks that cross geothermal areas.
And then there are the visitors — like those who appeared in a viral Reddit post on the forum r/mildlyinfuriating — who ignore the signs and go right into the dangerous areas.
The post shows two hikers, one standing on the ground next to the boardwalk and another with one foot on the ground and one foot nonchalantly perched on the boardwalk's rail.
"So many signs so [sic] stay on the boardwalk in Yellowstone," says the Redditor. "Then there are these people."
Yellowstone goes to great lengths to keep visitors, wildlife, and natural resources safe in a park filled with geothermal features. Old Faithful gets most of the press, but there are more than 10,000 of them in the park. In fact, there are more geysers within Yellowstone than anywhere else on earth.
The ground beneath the boardwalks is a crust of thin soil, often concealing scalding hot water and mud below. If you step in the wrong place, you could suffer a serious injury or worse.
"Stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas," according to the official Yellowstone website. "Hot springs have injured or killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature."
Yellowstone's geothermal areas are also incredibly fragile and already suffer from the thoughtlessness of some visitors. Drones could crash into geysers, and coins and garbage are often thrown in them. If rocks and logs are tossed into the boiling cauldrons, there's also the risk of the geysers being plugged and damaged.
When visiting national parks, it's important to respect the environment and use your voice to help ensure others are mindful of their surroundings.
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"Isn't there a hefty fine if they're caught off the boardwalks?" said one Redditor. "The ground could fall out from under them at any location."
"This drove me crazy when we were there a few years ago," said another. "SO many people walked off the path, especially in thermal areas. It's a disaster waiting to happen for some of them."
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