Yellowstone National Park’s geothermal wonders are among the most spectacular on Earth—but also among its deadliest. One of the park’s most harrowing tragedies occurred in June 2016, when 23-year-old Colin Nathaniel Scott from Portland, Oregon, fell into a hot spring and was entirely dissolved within a day.
Colin and his sister, Sable, ventured off the designated boardwalk near the Norris Geyser Basin—an area strictly off-limits due to dangerously high temperatures and fragile ground.
Seeking to “hot pot”—a prohibited practice of soaking in the geothermal waters—Colin leaned over to feel the water’s temperature and slipped into a pool heated well above 93 °C (199 °F), often reaching a boiling 100 °C.
Rangers later found fragments of his body and personal items, like his wallet and flip-flops. Attempts to recover him were halted by a sudden storm and the extreme, acidic heat of the pool. By the next morning, nothing remained—only evidence that the thermal and chemical potency of Yellowstone’s hot springs is truly lethal.
This was not an isolated incident. Since 1890, Yellowstone’s thermal areas have accounted for over 20 fatalities—more than any other hazard in the park. The spring water is often both scalding hot and acidic, due to sulfuric acid produced by heat-loving microorganisms breaking down underground rock.
The tragic case of Colin Scott stands as a deadly reminder: Yellowstone’s geothermal features demand respect. Always stay on designated boardwalks and heed warning signs. Some natural wonders are too dangerous to touch.
