Teen suffers severe thermal burns to foot during hike along Yellowstone National Park geyser

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MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, Wyo.– A 17-year-old boy badly burned his foot and ankle during a hike Monday in Yellowstone National Park.

The National Park Service said the teenager was hiking near the Lone Star Geyser when the thin crust underfoot broke and his foot stepped into scalding-hot waters, leaving him significantly burned. 

Medics responded and took the boy to a hospital for further treatment. Officials haven't given an update on the boy's condition. 

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Wyoming, Yellowstone National Park, Lone Star Geyser erupting.

(Universal Images Group / Getty Images)

Yellowstone National Park reminds visitors to always stay on boardwalks and trails when in thermal areas of the parks. 

The areas are designated to keep people safe, as the crust in thermal areas is very thin and can break easily, causing severe and sometimes fatal burns. 

Other safety reminders include: 

• Do not touch thermal features or runoff.
• Swimming or soaking in hot springs is prohibited. More than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone’s hot springs.
• Pets are prohibited in thermal areas.
• Do not throw objects into hot springs or other hydrothermal features.
• Toxic gases may accumulate to dangerous levels in some hydrothermal areas. If you begin to feel sick while exploring one of our geyser basins, leave the area immediately.

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The national park said this is the first reported thermal injury of 2025. The last incident happened in September when a woman was badly burned in a thermal area while walking off-trail with her husband and dog. 

At the beginning of July, a bison in the park died after being caught in the scalding waters of a hot spring in Yellowstone.