Teen Suffers Thermal Burns, Injured Near Yellowstone's Old Faithf

A teenager suffered significant thermal burn injuries while hiking in the vicinity of Lone Star Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. That location is near Old Faithful, according to a press release from YNP officials.

The 17-year-old male reportedly suffered significant thermal burns to his foot and ankle. The incident happened Monday morning.

YNP: "The juvenile was on a hike in the thermal area when his foot broke through the thin crust and he suffered burns to a lower extremity. Emergency medical staff responded and transported the patient to a hospital for further treatment. This incident is under investigation and there is no additional information to share."

A spokeswoman for the park tells us that "there is no boardwalk in that area. Visitors access the geyser via the Lone Star Geyser Trail. Rangers are investigating the events leading up to the incident and we do not have additional information to share."

This is reportedly the first known thermal injury in Yellowstone in 2025. The last reported incident occurred in September 2024.

Park officials are reminding the public to remain cautious in thermal areas.

Boardwalks and trails protect you and delicate thermal formations. Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.

Always walk on boardwalks and designated trails. Keep children close and do not let them run on boardwalks.
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.