Tour Group Fined for Walking Right Up to Old Faithful

A group of 30 or so individuals were spotted by a Webcam viewer standing on the cone of the geyser, snapping photos. The Webcam viewer called the Park, and a ranger was dispatched to herd the group back to safety.  Members of the group told the ranger they had not seen any of the numerous and prominent signs they walked past which warn visitors of the dangers found in thermal areas and of the requirement to stay on boardwalks and designated trails.

Yeah, right.

The tour group leader, the bus driver, and one member of the first group of four visitors who walked off the boardwalk were cited for being off trail in a thermal area, a violation of federal law with a $125 fine.

Now, it’s pretty much impossible to go anywhere near a Yellowstone National Park thermal area and not see a sign warning visitors to stay on the boardwalk. Despite the many warnings, you’ll find fools wandering close to geysers. And Old Faithful is a magnet: as you’ll recall, in May 2009 visitors were spotted by a Webcam viewer urinating in the geyser cone. They were found guilty of a variety of charges, with one of the six fined $750, placed on three years of probation, and banned from the park for two years.

RELATED STORIES: Two fired for Old Faithful defacement; one fined

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