Yellowstone National Park is home to more than 500 geysers. On Thursday, a car with five tourists inadvertently drove off the road and into the Semi-Centennial Geyser, located between Mammoth Hot Springs and Norris Junction.
The geyser contains acidic water that has a surface temperature of around 105 F. All five occupants were able to exit the vehicle on their own and were transported to a nearby hospital. None sustained life-threatening injuries.
The day after the incident, Park Services closed the roadway for about two hours to remove the car, which was submerged in about nine feet of water. The extraction was performed with the help of Hanser’s Automotive; US Water Rescue Dive Team; HK, Contractors; Resource Technologies Incorporated and Yellowstone Park Service Stations.
According to a Yellowstone NP news release, “This incident is under investigation and the park has no additional details to provide at this time.”
Currently, Yellowstone is in the height of their busy season, with 914,612 recreation visitors being reported in June 2024. With increased traffic on roadways, Yellowstone’s Safety Page urges visitors, “Don’t let the scenery distract you: drive cautiously and watch for animals. If you need to stop for any reason, use a pullout: do not block traffic. Pack your patience: winding roads and traffic often make drive times much longer than expected.”
