A Michigan man was arraigned in a federal court on Wednesday, August 23, 2023. According to information released by Yellowstone National Park (YNP) he was booked on charges of “off-trail travel in a Yellowstone National Park thermal area and being under the influence of alcohol or drugs to the degree he was a danger to himself or others.”

Jason D. Wicks, age 49, of Hillman, Michigan was burned while walking on a thermal feature at the park. As part of the conditions for his release, Wicks will be banned from Yellowstone and Grant Teton National Parks until these criminal charges are resolved. The incident remains under investigation and a trial date has yet to be set. 

The thermal features at Yellowstone are unique, fragile and dangerous. A year ago a foot was all that was found from a man who supposedly dissolved upon falling into the Abyss Pool. 

According to YNP, officials said that the “ground in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is scalding water just below the surface. Therefore, everyone must remain on boardwalks and trails and exercise extreme caution around Yellowstone’s thermal features.” 

You can learn more about safety in thermal areas here: https://www.nps.gov/yell/planyourvisit/safety.htm.