Yellowstone rangers pulled 20,100 items from geysers, including 280 hats
Yellowstone National Park rangers have removed over 20,000 items of trash, including hundreds of hats and coins, from geothermal features in 2026. Officials warn that such litter can permanently damage the park's delicate hydrothermal systems.
Why it matters
Human impact on protected natural landmarks poses a significant threat to ecological preservation and geological stability.
Cleaning up litter may be one of the less glamorous parts of working as a national park ranger, but at Yellowstone National Park, the job is particularly important because trash can pose a serious threat to the park’s geothermal features.With more than 4.5 million visitors each year, Yellowstone rangers regularly remove litter from some of the park’s most popular areas, including Old Faithful and Midway Geyser Basin. While food wrappers, tissues and water bottles are among the common items found, strong winds can also send visitors’ belongings into the park’s hydrothermal features.According to the United States Geological Survey (USGS), Yellowstone’s geology team has removed more than 20,100 pieces of trash from geothermal areas so far in 2026.
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