Pierce Brosnan Busted for Going Off Trail at Yellowstone’s Thermal Area
The famous former 007 actor Pierce Brosnan Busted for Going Off Trail at Yellowstone’s Thermal Area when he took an unauthorized stroll into restricted geothermal areas of Wyoming’s Yellowstone National Park, according to newly revealed court records.
The Irish-born star now faces charges for straying off park trails and trespassing into hazardous thermal zones marked off-limits to tourists. Brosnan’s misadventure spotlights the very real dangers of leaving Yellowstone’s boardwalks and highlights why visitors must follow park rules to avoid accidents in the park’s picturesque yet volatile thermal areas.
Park rangers issued Brosnan a citation underscoring the need for tourists to carefully heed all restrictions when enjoying Yellowstone’s many natural wonders like geysers and hot springs.
On January 23, 2023, Brosnan must appear before a judge at Yellowstone Justice Center. He faces accusations of “thermal trespass” and violating closures in the iconic national park. The incident allegedly occurred on November 1, 2022 near delicate geothermal features. Many are found nowhere else except Yellowstone, which contains over half the world’s active geysers and hot springs.
What are the exact charges against Pierce Brosnan?
Court documents accuse him of “foot travel in all thermal areas and [within] Yellowstone Canyon.” He also faces allegations of “violating closures and use limits.” While not criminal offenses, these are classed as petty misdemeanors under national park regulations.
The maximum penalty carries fines up to $5,000 and six months jail time. Brosnan’s rep has not commented publicly on the Yellowstone citations.
Why are Yellowstone’s thermal areas dangerous?
Despite their beauty, the park’s renowned hot springs, steam vents and mud pots are extremely hazardous. Boiling waters lurk just below thin earthen crusts in many locations. Some thermal features reach scorching temperatures exceeding 200°F, capable of causing instant severe burns.
Since 1890, 22 people have died after accidentally falling into hot springs at Yellowstone. Many suffered horrific injuries, including one man who dissolved in acidic waters in 2016.
What are the park rules about thermal areas?
Boardwalks, trails and fences help protect people and fragile geothermal formations. Visitors must stay on them and are prohibited from touching thermal features or throwing objects into them.
Yellowstone regulations require people to remain on marked trails and boardwalks when moving through geyser basins and geothermal areas. Thermal trespassing and entering closed zones risks hefty fines.
Why does Yellowstone have so many geothermal wonders?
Two words: super-volcano. About 600,000 years ago, one of the earth’s largest volcanic eruptions formed the Yellowstone Caldera and created the surrounding landscape.
The 48-mile wide, 30-mile long cauldron lies over a gigantic magma chamber – essentially a reservoir of molten rock and hot gases deep underground.
Heat from this geological “hotspot” powers Yellowstone’s 500 geysers, 10,000 thermal features and 290 waterfalls. They comprise over 70% of all known geysers on the planet.
What are some iconic thermal areas in Yellowstone?
Yellowstone hosts a smorgasbord of hydrothermal attractions showcasing nature’s raw elemental forces. Top sights include:
Old Faithful & Upper Geyser Basin – Containing the world’s most famous geyser erupting every 60-90 minutes since the 1870s. Its 10,000 hydrothermal features outnumber any place on earth.
Midway & Lower Geyser Basin – Thermal wonders include Grand Prismatic Spring, the USA’s largest hot spring at 370 feet wide in rainbow colors.
West Thumb Geyser Basin – Boasts famous Fishing Hole Geyser, lakeside eruptions and geothermal pools, located along Yellowstone Lake’s southwest bay.
Mammoth Hot Springs – Minerva Terraces are travertine limestone stairs created by physical and chemical geothermal processes.
Norris Geyser Basin – The park’s oldest and hottest thermal area with fumaroles, mudpots and Steamboat Geyser, the world’s tallest.
What is Brosnan’s background and what was he doing at Yellowstone?
The Irish-born Brosnan, 70, is most famous for playing James Bond in four films from 1995 to 2002. Prior to that, he starred in the 1980s TV show Remington Steele.
Brosnan was reportedly filming scenes for an upcoming Western movie called “The Last Rifleman” in areas near Yellowstone when the thermal trespass allegedly occurred.
Shooting took place at the Yellowstone Film Ranch located just outside the park’s northwest boundary.
What are the best practices for safely visiting Yellowstone’s thermal areas?
Yellowstone rangers emphasize that leaving boardwalks and marked trails in thermal zones puts visitors in grave danger. They offer safety tips for viewing hydrothermal features:
Always remain on designated boardwalks and trails
Keep children close so they don’t run on walkways or venture off-trail
Be cautious around thin breakable crust surrounding geysers and springs
Pay attention to warning signs and steer clear of closed zones
Never touch thermal features or throw foreign objects into them
Prepare for changing weather conditions like rain and snow
Ask rangers for guidance and clarification when uncertain
The takeaway on Pierce Brosnan’s Yellowstone Incident
Pierce Brosnan now faces legal consequences after allegedly leaving Yellowstone’s safe boardwalks and trails to enter prohibited thermal areas. Park rangers take such violations seriously given the extreme risks.
For visitors, it serves as a teachable moment about exercising caution around the park’s many boiling springs, steaming vents and bubbling mudpots. Staying on marked paths preserves both safety and Yellowstone’s many natural wonders for future generations. One unwise step off the beaten track can prove devastating.
