Tourists Walk on Yellowstone's Grand Prismatic Spring for Photos, Sparking Outrage

Two women trespassed onto the Grand Prismatic Spring in Yellowstone National Park on July 20, 2026, to take selfies, ignoring warning signs and risking death from the 188°F water. Witness Tanya Saueressig saw them at 7 P.M. from the boardwalk and reported the incident to Cowboy State Daily. The women trampled microbial mats that give the spring its rainbow colors, causing ecological damage. Previous fatalities include a bison that fell in about a year ago. Penalties for thermal trespass include park bans, fines, and jail time. Greg Jackson, former deputy chief of enforcement at the National Park Service, noted that some people disregard infrastructure designed for the 99.9% of compliant visitors. The women were not identified or reported to rangers.