The Surprising Dangers Of Ignoring Yellowstone’s Safety Guidelines

When some people visit Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park, they feel there aren't rules they need to follow. Because national parks are treasures and are federally protected, rules and regulations are put in place to keep them in the best possible shape.

Many rules and regulations pertain to everything under the National Park Service (NPS), which manages all national parks, monuments, and other natural, historical, and recreational properties across the United States and beyond.

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We regularly see many of these rules broken, and the rulebreaker is shocked that they would be punished for breaking the rule.

For example, when someone walks off the trail, through a restricted area, or tries to pet a bison or bear, these rules aren't just put in place to protect the features, surroundings, or wildlife; they're also put in place to protect the park visitor.

According to the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), the fourteen most commonly cited infractions in Yellowstone National Park are:

• 18 USC §930(a): Bringing firearms into certain facilities in this park (such as visitor centers and government offices): those places are marked with signs at all public entrances.
• 36 CFR §1.5(f); SC p.18: Launching, landing, or operating unmanned aircraft (drones) on lands and waters.
• 36 CFR §1.5(f); SC p.24: Willfully remaining near or approaching wildlife, including nesting birds, within any distance that disturbs or displaces the animal.
• 36 CFR §1.5(f); SC p.24: Using electronic equipment capable of tracking wildlife
• 36 CFR §2.21(a); SC p.44: Smoking is prohibited in geyser basins or on trails. There is no smoking in buildings or within 25 feet of building entrances.
• 36 CFR §2.1(a)(1): Removing or possessing natural or cultural resources (such as wildflowers, antlers, rocks, and arrowheads).
• 36 CFR §2.1(a)(3): Throwing anything into thermal features.
• 36 CFR §2.2 (a): Hunting or feeding wildlife.
• 36 CFR §2.2(e); SC p.34: Spotlighting wildlife (viewing with lights).
• 36 CFR §2.10(b)(10): Camping outside of designated areas.
• 36 CFR §4.10(a): Traveling off-road by vehicle.
• 36 CFR §4.30(h)(1): Traveling off-road by bicycle.
• 36 CFR §7.13(j): Traveling off boardwalks or designated trails in hydrothermal areas.
• 36 CFR §7.13(m): Swimming in hot springs.