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A visitor at Yellowstone National Park found out exactly how hot the spring’s steaming waters really are, in the most painful way possible.
Every year, thousands visit the attraction for a number of nature-related reasons, and it's an unspoken rule that you should really be keeping a safe distance from the hydrothermal pool.
Some may even argue that it's common sense, but it didn't stop a woman from quite literally testing the waters.
The viral video first surfaced in 2023, with the tourist defying laws and shocking herself into a painful surprise, alongside a clueless man.
The video, which went viral on social media, showed the pair dismounting a park boardwalk at Silex Spring on the Fountain Paint Pot Nature Trail in Wyoming.
The pair could be seen making their way down a grassy embankment, going up to the 174-degree hydrothermal pool, as the man recording the video can be heard calling them "stupid."
Crouching on the ground, the woman can be seen rolling up her sleeves, dipping her right fingers into the pool while also putting the tip of her shoe in the scalding water.
She was holding onto the man's hand while doing so, before swiftly getting to her feet, walking towards the boardwalk, shouting: “It’s hot! It’s very hot!”
People could be heard laughing at the absurdity of the situation.
An eyewitness said he would have reported the odd behavior to authorities, but there was no park ranger around at the time.
It is prohibited for visitors to touch, swim or soak in hot springs, as the Yellowstone safety page warns: “Water in hot springs can cause severe or fatal burns, and scalding water underlies most of the thin, breakable crust around hot springs.”
There are other horror stories linked to Yellowstone National Park, as a recent trip turned fatal for 23-year-old Colin Scott, who tragically died after falling into a volcanic hot spring.
The young man had reportedly been attempting to “hot pot,” which is a dangerous and illegal activity that involves briefly dipping into a natural hot spring, as per the National Park Service, when he slipped and fell into one of the park’s near-boiling geothermal pools.
The incident occurred in an area known for its extreme geothermal activity, where temperatures and mineral content make the water fatally hazardous to humans.
According to official park reports, Colin had been testing the temperature of a spring when he slipped and fell in. Despite immediate rescue efforts, the scalding water proved fatal, according to The Guardian.
Rangers rushed to the scene, but a severe thunderstorm forced them to temporarily halt recovery efforts. When they returned the next day, Colin’s body was gone, leaving behind only his sandals and wallet floating in the acidic pool.
Deputy Chief Ranger Lorant Veress later detailed the horrific conditions in his incident report, writing: “In a very short order, there was a significant amount of dissolving.”
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A man who was looking for somewhere to relax dipped his finger into a Yellowstone hot spring and was killed after he fell in.
Yellowstone National Park is one of the most popular tourist spots in the country, with people flocking from all over the world to see the natural beauty.
But with the sightseeing, comes danger, as Yellowstone is a dormant volcano, which still holds one of the world's largest magma chambers, resulting in incredibly hot water on the surface.
Although the water might look inviting, it is of such a high temperature that it is impossible for a human to withstand.
As reported by the Daily Mail, 23-year-old Colin Scott met a tragic end as he sought to hot pot - a term for soaking in the park’s natural thermal features. What was meant to be an adventurous experience turned into a fatal misstep.
Scott was inquisitively testing the water's temperature by dipping his finger when a sudden slip sent him plummeting into the scalding spring. His lifeless body was discovered later that same day, floating on the water's surface.
Rescue efforts were thwarted by adverse weather conditions, as a thunderstorm forced officials into retreat. When they returned the following day, they found little more than remnants of the 23-year-old, his wallet and flip-flops.
Deputy Chief Ranger Lorant Veress, noted in his incident report that the water's acidity and temperature on the fateful day were exceptionally high, rendering any chance of survival bleak, per KULR-TV.
Veress chillingly described the grim outcome, stating: "In a very short order, there was a significant amount of dissolving."
Yellowstone's geothermal features, including ponds, pools, and geysers, boast surface temperatures averaging around 93°C (199°F), with even more searing temperatures lurking beneath the surface.
Due to this, these scalding attractions are securely fenced off and adorned with prominent warning signs.
Scott's sister, Sable Scott, informed investigators that he had left a boardwalk and she had filmed him falling into the pool.
The footage showed Scott checking the temperature of the pool with his finger when he accidentally slipped and fell in, and the pool at this point was already scalding hot.
Yellowstone, spanning across Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, attracts more than four million visitors each year. According to Forbes, an online publication advocating responsible nature exploration, Yellowstone has recorded 52 deaths since 2010.
A man passed away after he accidentally fell into a hot spring in Yellowstone.
Colin Scott, from Portland, was only 23 years old when he lost his life after he and his sister went on a walk in Yellowstone National Park.
The pair were looking for a place to "hot pot" which is a term that's used to refer to soaking in the park’s natural thermal features Yellowstone has the largest hot spring in the United States.
What was supposed to be a fun day out between two siblings instead turned into a tragedy.
Speaking to investigators, Colin's sister Sable said that she and her brother left the boardwalk near Pork Chop Geyser on June 7 when he reached down to check the water temperature but accidentally "slipped and fell" into the scalding pool.
His body was later recovered by authorities when it was discovered floating on the surface of the pool
Sable was recording the haunting moment on her phone, and due to the graphic nature of the footage, authorities refused to release or even describe the contents of the clip.
Deputy Chief Ranger Lorant Veress called the area where the accident happened - the Norris Geyser basin – "very dangerous" as it contains boiling acidic waters. He also added that there is a closure in place to prevent people from soaking in the pools for their own safety as well as to protect the park’s resources.
But it was reported by the Daily Mail that both Colin and Sable "left the boardwalk and walked several hundred feet up a hill."
"They were specifically moving in that area for a place that they could potentially get into and soak. I think they call it Hot Potting," Veress added.
The temperatures of the spring have been recorded to hit up to 400 degrees, which can be hot enough to dissolve flesh. It was later confirmed by the ranger that: "There was a significant amount of dissolving" when the body was analyzed.
As per the official Yellowstone website, "more than 20 people have been killed in the past by some of Yellowstone's 10,000 geothermal pools, geysers, mudpots, steam vents and hot springs."
However, officials for the park also stated that "you should keep in mind how many visitors the park gets" per year, which can see numbers up to four million.
Prior to Scott's death, on July 31, 2022, a California man died after he entered the Abyss hot springs pool at Yellowstone Lake’s West Thumb Geyser Basin. He was not discovered until days later when a shoe and part of a foot were found floating in the 140-degree hot spring.
It was later confirmed that 70-year-old Il Hun Ro was the victim thanks to DNA testing.
Our thoughts are with Scott's family during this difficult time.
If you plan on visiting the park, please do familiarize yourself with the guidelines before embarking on your journey.
A visit to Yellowstone National Park turned fatal for 23-year-old Colin Scott, who tragically died after falling into a volcanic hot spring.
The young man had reportedly been attempting to “hot pot” (a dangerous and illegal activity that involves briefly dipping into a natural hot spring, as per the National Park Service) when he slipped and fell into one of the park’s near-boiling geothermal pools.
The heartbreaking incident occurred in an area known for its extreme geothermal activity, where temperatures and mineral content make the water fatally hazardous to humans.
Yellowstone is home to the largest concentration of geothermal features on Earth, including thousands of hot springs, geysers, and mud pots. These pools are heated by a massive underground supervolcano, which fuels temperatures that can easily reach 199°F (93°C) at the surface, and even hotter below, the BBC details.
While the mineral-rich waters might appear inviting, they are filled with corrosive chemicals and extreme heat capable of destroying human tissue within moments. “Hot potting” in Yellowstone is not only strictly prohibited, but deadly; a lesson that, tragically, cost Colin his life.
According to official park reports, Colin had been testing the temperature of a spring when he slipped and fell in. Despite immediate rescue efforts, the scalding water proved fatal, according to The Guardian.
Rangers rushed to the scene, but a severe thunderstorm forced them to temporarily halt recovery efforts. When they returned the next day, Colin’s body was gone, leaving behind only his sandals and wallet floating in the acidic pool.
Deputy Chief Ranger Lorant Veress later detailed the horrific conditions in his incident report, writing: “In a very short order, there was a significant amount of dissolving.”
The combination of boiling temperatures and acidic volcanic minerals effectively dissolved Colin’s remains overnight, a chilling reminder of the raw power of Yellowstone’s geothermal landscape.
While the vivid colors and bubbling pools of Yellowstone are breathtaking, they conceal some of the most dangerous natural environments on Earth.
The combination of sulfuric acid, heat, and volcanic minerals makes these pools extremely corrosive. Only a few species of heat-resistant bacteria can survive in these waters; humans certainly cannot.
More than 20 people have died in Yellowstone National Park's 10,000 geothermal pools, according to reports. While the number may seem small given the millions of visitors each year, the park consistently warns tourists to stay on designated boardwalks and never approach geothermal features.
Colin Scott’s story serves as a haunting reminder of the dangerous allure of Yellowstone’s hot springs. Though stunningly beautiful, the park’s geothermal features are not meant for swimming or bathing.
Park officials continue to stress that safety barriers and warnings exist for a reason; and that ignoring them, even for a moment, can have devastating consequences.
A terrifying simulation has revealed what happened to the man who suffered a fatal fall into a hot spring at Yellowstone National Park.
On June 7, 2016, Colin Scott, and his sister Sable, from Oregon, broke the rules and hiked into the park's Porkchop Geyser to find a place to “hot pot," which is the illegal practice of swimming in one of the park’s thermal features.
The 23-year-old was reportedly walking off Norris Geyser Basin's boardwalk when he dipped his finger in to check the water temperature and then unintentionally "slipped and fell" into the scorching hot spring, as reported by The Guardian.
Sable, who had no service on her phone, ran towards a nearby museum to inform the park warden about the accident. But by the time she returned, all that was left in the hot spring was her brother's head, upper torso, and hands.
A YouTuber, who goes by the handle Zack D. Films, has uploaded a horrific simulation that shows what may have happened to Colin when he fell.
In the clip, the content creator explains: "The hot water caused severe burns as soon as he fell in but the water also contains acid which immediately began to eat away at his skin.
"After five minutes the heat would have caused him to go into shock," he added.
Watch the video below:
The YouTuber said that the water was "too hot" to reach Colin's body, however, it was reported that the late man's body could not be recovered safely due to the "volatile" nature of the thermal area and an incoming lightning storm.
"The acid and heat had completely caused his body to dissolve leaving nothing but his wallet and his shoes," the video concluded.
Usually, the water temperatures at the basin are around 199F, but during the attempt to retrieve the victim's body, the pool was measured at a scorching 212F, which is the boiling point, per The Mirror.
Yellowstone's deputy chief ranger Lorant Veress told KULR 8, which broke the story, that the whole area is "geothermally active," adding: "There's a closure in place to protect people from doing that for their own safety. It's a very unforgiving environment."
US park ranger Phil Strehle wrote in a report that Colin was determined deceased "due to the report of the individual not previously visible, a lack of movement, suspected extreme temperatures, and indications of several thermal burns".
Strehle reported spotting a V-neck T-shirt and "what appeared to be a cross was visible and resting on the subject's face" in a separate account.
According to BBC News, it is suspected that the man had been completely dissolved overnight, with the report adding: "The consensus among the rescue/recovery team...was that the extreme heat of the hot spring, coupled with its acidic nature, dissolved the remains."
Colin's sister unintentionally filmed the moment he fell in and her efforts to rescue him. Officials chose not to release this footage.
A dramatic video shows the moment a geyser explosion in Yellowstone National Park sent dozens of visitors running.
Biscuit Basin, which is about 2 miles northwest of the famous Old Faithful Geyser, erupted at around 10:19AM on Tuesday (July 23).
One woman was visiting the national park with her mother and captured the moment the shocking event unfolded and left many visitors running for their lives off a boardwalk.
"@Biscuit basin at Yellowstone National Park Montana just exploded right in front of us. Boardwalk destroyed, my mom got some of the debris but everyone is safe. Unbelievable and grateful to be alive," she penned in the caption.
Watch the video below:
As the hydrothermal explosion began to shoot steam, water, and dark-colored rocks and dirt dozens of feet into the sky, many began yelling “Back up!" and “Holy cow!"
The parkgoer posted a clip of the aftermath, revealing the damaged boardwalk - which is an elevated wooden walkway that keeps people off the park's delicate and often risky geothermal areas. The area was also flooded with water.
A few users have shared their reactions online, with one person writing: "I worked there last year… the entire Yellowstone national park is an active volcano that’s why they have hot springs and geysers like old faithful…. It’s waiting to erupt at anytime."
Another said: "You guys are too brave to go back.. I’d be driving out of the park!" while a third commented: "This shows how fragile life can be… Thank God you all are safe!!
Thankfully, there were no injuries, and the extent of the damage from the explosion was unknown, the National Park Service shared in a statement.
The agency added that it has not detected any other changes in the Yellowstone region, explaining: "Today’s explosion does not reflect a change in the volcanic system, which remains at normal background levels of activity."
The United States Geological Survey (USGS) said in a previous article that this type of explosion happens where "shallow interconnected reservoirs of fluids with temperatures at or near the boiling point underlie thermal fields," adding: "These fluids can rapidly transition to steam if the pressure suddenly drops."
USGC also explained that "hydrothermal explosions like that of today are not a sign of impending volcanic eruptions, and they are not caused by magma rising towards the surface," per Washington State Standard.
The Biscuit Basin has been temporarily closed while geologists investigate the event.
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