Posted on 04/10/2026 12:25:26 PM PDT by xxqqzz
YELLOWSTONE, Wyo. — The U.S. Attorney’s Office recently announced that a Texas man was sentenced after pleading guilty to walking off the designated boardwalk in a thermal area in Yellowstone National Park.
A release from the U.S. Attorney’s Office says that Eric Bedient, 50, of Frisco, Texas, was sentenced to five days’ incarceration on March 31 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick.
According to court documents, Bedient left the boardwalk and walked directly on several fragile and dangerous hydrothermal features in the Mammoth Hot Springs area.
Those features included Canary Spring, Mound Terrage, Palette Hot Spring and Jupiter Terrace.
The release states that the sentence reflects the extensive nature of the 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,” said U.S. Attorney Darin Smith. “Mr. Bedient’s disregard for the law could have cost him his life. Prosecuting crimes like this deters others from similar conduct — and from risking becoming thermal soup. We will continue to hold individuals accountable to protect lives and preserve this unique, irreplaceable landscape when their actions threaten these national treasures for future generations.”
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I recall a story some years back where a couple went down to one of these thermal pools and was treating it like their own private Jacuzzi.
What they didn’t know was that something had changed and the temperature of the water was no longer just warm or reasonably hot, it was superheated and they leaped into the water and were boiled alive.
Several people doing this have dies falling in the hot springs. They are doing this to save lives.
From what I understand, it is also very acidic and bodies can just dissolve.
Maybe we can take advantage of another natural feature - La Brea Tar Pits. I say we erect a steel building around it, with no floor. Put a sign outside: California Benefits Sign Up - no ID required.
Who brings a dog to a place where one misstep can parboil you? Moron probably didn’t put the pup on a leash either. I know it’s terrible to say, but I’m glad this owner expired in such a hideous way given what fate he gave his dog.
22 people have died from burns from the springs and about 10 killed by animals. A total of about 200 fatalities at Yellowstone. Think most are from traffic accidents or falls.
Yellowstone is a supervolcano and might kill a high percentage of the earth’s population when it erupts.
My truck is warming up. All I lack is GPS co-ordinates.
Good! I had a similar incident on my first trip to the Grand Canyon in 2009 on my Harley. I paid my fee and entered the park and started around the loop of observation points. Everyone moves in kind of a loose herd, same cars in the parking lots, the same faces at the observation points. I was busy doing the tourist thing, taking dozens of photos like I was the first human to ever see the place and had to record it for posterity. I began to notice this skinny little hipster in cargo shorts, raw cotton blouse (it was NOT a man’s shirt), sandals, with a pony tail and wispy beard that looked like he stolen from Master Po. The Navajo warriors would still be jealous. Moving from one point to another I saw he was in a faux VW Beetle with Peace sign, Save the Whales, and CoExist stickers and California plates. The only thing missing was the “Empty Scrotum On Board” bumper sticker.
I began to notice him more and more because he had the habit of stepping over the low walls and guard rails and wandering out onto the rock outcrops to commune with nature. During a particularly lengthy period of meditation, as dozens of us tourists were waiting for a clear shot of the scenery I finally broke. “Hey, Bud, what’s your name” I called to Mr No Huevos. “Who, me? Why do you want to know?” he called back. “Because when I go home and show my pictures of the Grand Canyon to all of my friends and family and they ask “Who is that asshole in all of your pictures” I want to be able to tell them.” I called back. “Not cool, man” he said. “So I hear” I said, blank stare was all I got back from Mr No Huevos. Then an evil grin crossed his smug face “I might just stay out here, then what are you going to do?” I put one foot over the wall and said clearly and loudly “I’m going to tell the Park Ranger I tried to stop you from jumping”. He hurried past me with one last “not cool, man”, hopped in his faux bug and sped away. None of my co-tourists would make eye contact with me except for one little old lady of about 80. She grabbed my arm and said “Thank you, young man, I didn’t think that asshole would ever leave.”
In 2021 we left Sturgis and went through Yellowstone on the way home. Big open prairie and there were 8-10 cars stopped. Got closer, they were petting wild donkeys, My buddy and his wife stopped so I did, too. Little girl about 10-12 feeding crackers to a Jenny, who laid her ears back. I said “Sweetheart, when they put their ears back it means they’re thinking and that’s rarely a good thing.” Her dad came our way, I made a hand like fisting and started scratching inside the Jenny’s ear. She followed my hand to the ground and I sat on her scratching inside her ear. It drew quite a crowd and the Dad said “What, are you the F’n donkey whisperer?” I got up and said “No, but we raised them for 20 years and I never saw one that didn’t like that.”
Thanks. Excellent story.
I see our judges are lightening up. Should have just put him back where he was apprehended, told him “keep walking” and let nature take its course.
Picking up stray bison is pretty badass actually.
I’m glad to hear they’re multiplying.
I had a neighbor they owned a cockapoo dog , a cocker spaniel poodle mix. Short , sort of chunky dog with black curly fur .
On their visit to Yellowstone, while walking the dog , a woman started screaming that they had a bear on a leash . This probably would have been around 1971-72 time frame.
I can picture Mrs. Kravitz screaming , Look, a bear on a leash !
A few years ago one selfie moron thought he’d take a swim in a thermal pool there.
He’s still in that pool, somewhere.
What if he had walked off track onto some molten lava?
Did he wind up on “Free Parking”?
This clown is lucky he didn’t step INTO a thermal pool and wind up like “human lobster” cooked in seconds. It does happen rarely to some bison- again rarely and usually immature ones who don’t know better (the smell keeps them away from the water, but in winter they can step off.
What an idiot. They put wooden walkways so people can “walk out” and then idiots want to what— “go on the beach” which is a crust of calcite that breaks off easily and oopsie— poached human (really horrific post mortems, can tell you, usually censored for decency to the victim and for people made sick from the sight.
It is acidic (plus hot).
Illegal aliens don’t get 5 days in jail for trespassing on United States soil.
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