On Friday, October 9, 2020, a 3-year-old boy was walking along a trail near Midway Geyser Basin, on the western side of Yellowstone National Park. According to park officials, he ran off the path, slipped, and fell into a small thermal area. He was airlifted to the burn unit at Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center, with severe injuries and second-degree burns to his lower body and back.
Earlier that year, a woman fell near Old Faithful while backing up to take photos.
Sadly, it was not known what happened to the little boy’s eventual condition, but the accident left an especially stark warning for those visiting the park with children. Yellowstone has more than 10,000 hydrothermal features near the boiling point.
The ground around these springs can look completely solid, when in reality a thin crust may be the only thing separating your feet from boiling water. That’s why Yellowstone asks visitors to keep children close and not let them run in these areas.