The ground in Yellowstone is prone to cracking due to a thin crust that covers hot springs and other thermal features. (Image credit: Moonstone Images/Getty Images)
A teenager who wandered off a trail in Yellowstone suffered severe burns to his foot and ankle on Monday (July 28) after breaking through a brittle crust and falling into scalding water.
The incident occurred in a thermal area near Lone Star Geyser, a 12-foot (3.6-meter) high cone-shaped formation southeast of Old Faithful that shoots jets of steam 45 feet (14 meters) into the air.
In this area, as in other parts of Yellowstone, the soil is thin and fragile due to the action of hot water and steam, which soften it from below. Thermal areas may seem safe to walk on, but many are covered with a thin crust, hiding dangerous pools of boiling water or mud.
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