What was found among 20K pieces of trash pulled from Yellowstone hydrothermal areas

descriptions off, selected

captions settings, opens captions settings dialog

captions off, selected

This is a modal window.

Beginning of dialog window. Escape will cancel and close the window.

End of dialog window.

Today's Top Stories - September 15, 2026

Today's Top Stories - September 15, 2026

YELLOWSTONE, Wyo. (KTVX) — Where can you find hundreds of hats, dozens of camera lens covers, and a handful of Pokémon cards all left behind in the same place? That’s right! The hydrothermal areas at Yellowstone National Park.

According to a press release from the Yellowstone Volcano Observatory, 2026 has already been a record-setting year in terms of trash removal. As of early September, the geology team has removed over 20,100 pieces of trash, 5,600 rocks and sticks, and over 280 hats from hydrothermal areas.

Removing the trash doesn’t just beautify the park and its environment, but it’s important to the hydrothermal areas’ function and longevity.

“Foreign material of any kind can damage or permanently alter a hydrothermal feature, whether from clogging its water supply, blocking or diverting its runoff channel, or polluting it with chemicals and sediment. Morning Glory Pool, in Upper Geyser Basin, famously changed its color in the twentieth century as a result of trash and items thrown in by visitors,” the national park’s geology team explained.

In the past, Yellowstone National Park staff have gone as far as partially........

© The Hill