Texas man gets jail time for walking off boardwalk in Yellowstone National Park

A Texas man will have to spend some cold hard time in prison for what he did to a hot spring in Yellowstone National Park.

Eric Bedient, 50, of Frisco, Texas, pleaded guilty to walking off the boardwalk in the Mammoth Hot Springs area. On March 31, he was sentenced to five days of incarceration by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick.

According to court documents, Bedient walked directly on several fragile and dangerous hydrothermal features, including Canary Spring, Mound Terrace, Palette Hot Spring and Jupiter Terrace. The sentence reflected the extensive nature of violation, the damage Bedient’s footprints left behind and his failure to educate himself about Yellowstone National Park’s regulations.

“Yellowstone’s thermal areas are among the most dangerous natural features in the world. Mr. Bedient’s disregard for the law could have cost him his life," U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said in a press release. "Prosecuting crimes like this deters others from similar conduct — and from risking becoming thermal soup."

This crime was investigated by Yellowstone National Park law enforcement officers and prosecuted by Assistant U.S. Attorney Ariel Calmes.

For travelers planning to visit YNP this year, the U.S. Attorney’s Office reminds the public to stay safe and adhere by all park regulations.

• Stay on boardwalks
  • Always walk on boardwalks and designated trails. Keep children close and do not let them run on boardwalks.
• Don't touch thermal features or runoff
  • Even thermal runoff can be extremely hot and cause burns. Hot springs also contain algae, bacteria, and fungi found nowhere else in the world, and coming in contact with these life forms can destroy them. Resist the temptation to touch.
• 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. For your safety and for the protection of thermal features in Yellowstone, it is illegal to swim or bathe in any water that is entirely of thermal origin.
• Pets are prohibited in thermal areas
  • Pets are not allowed in thermal areas or on boardwalks, even if they're on a leash or carried in arms, strollers, or backpacks. This policy exists to protect our pets from being burned or killed in hot springs. Trained service animals that perform tasks directly related to a person's disability are allowed throughout the park and in all park facilities. They must be leashed at all times.