Man Gets Jail Time, Yellowstone Ban for Breaking Key Rule

A Colorado Springs man will serve jail time and be banned from Yellowstone National Park, the U.S. Attorney's Office for the District of Wyoming recently announced. His crime: leaving the trail in a thermal area of the park. 

According to a press release, Joseph Aita, 62, "entered the protected area of Canary Spring in Mammoth Hot Springs in the north area of the park" along with his wife, Celia Aita, and their two minor children. He pleaded guilty to the charge of destroying a mineral resource, and received a sentence of seven days in jail and five years of probation. He will be banned from Yellowstone National Park for the duration of that period, and will also pay a fine of $3,000.

Although the sentence may seem severe, Aita actually got off on the lighter side thanks to his guilty plea. Going off-trail in thermal areas of Yellowstone is strictly prohibited, and park officials take this regulation incredibly seriously. This is both due to the fragile nature of the ecosystem and the danger that guests face from the unique geological formations of the area. 

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Back in 2019, a man was boiled to death in a Yellowstone hot spring attempting to "hot pot," or soak in one of the naturally heated pools of water. That same year, a man was severely burned when he tripped and fell into a thermal pool. Back in September of this year, a woman who intentionally left the trail suffered second- and third-degree burns in the same area. 

Needless to say, visitors should stay on official trails at all times. It is required by law where "Stay on Trail" is clearly marked, and heavily encouraged in all other areas of the park.