It can be easy to lose yourself in nature while walking through a majestic national park like Yellowstone. However, it is vitally important to always be aware of your surroundings and heed the warnings of posted signs.
As The Street reported, one Yellowstone visitor was caught venturing off the established trails to get a closer look at Old Faithful. Her brief adventure cost her a small fine and a trip to jail.
Despite many previous instances of people being severely burned by the iconic geyser, 44-year-old Angela Flaherty of Seattle, Washington, was captured on camera getting dangerously close to the natural feature.
The U.S. National Park Service noted that Old Faithful can vent extremely hot water at temperatures exceeding 200 degrees Fahrenheit. To prevent visitors from getting too close to the geyser, laws have been put in place to penalize those who skirt park warning signs.
According to 36 CFR 7.13(j) in the Code of Federal Regulations, certain areas inside Yellowstone, such as fragile and potentially dangerous hydrothermal areas, are strictly closed to protect both the public and the natural resource.
Flaherty was subsequently charged with purposely ignoring those warnings.
In a press release from the U.S. Attorney's Office, District of Wyoming, it was revealed that Flaherty received a seven-day sentence for her actions as well as being required to pay $40 in mandatory court costs.
"Ms. Flaherty left the boardwalk and viewing area surrounding Old Faithful geyser and walked approximately 10 feet onto the cone of Old Faithful," the press release detailed. "Some of her conduct was captured on video by another park visitor."
Visiting national parks can be a great way to connect with nature and really appreciate what our planet has to offer. But a level of respect is required in order to preserve it.
As seen in Yellowstone, failing to do so may result in some unwanted consequences.
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