Geologists at Yellowstone National Park have pulled more than 300 hats from its picturesque hot springs this year, including a baseball cap labeled with the phrase “I PEE IN THE LAKE.”
The wide-brimmed sun hats, visors, and Dad and trucker hats left by some of the western park’s more than four million annual visitors are estimated to be worth a total of more than $6,000.
“This immense amount of visitor traffic combines with the area’s intense winds to create a near-constant stream of trash and hats that blow into delicate hydrothermal areas,” the U.S. Geological Survey said in a statement alongside a photo of the hats.
But while the lost hats may only be worth a few thousand dollars, the damage they often cost the Montana and Wyoming hot springs can be irreversible, the scientists cautioned.
For example, they can change the color and temperature of hot springs or alter or stop eruptions entirely. However, the Ear Spring hot spring was able to erupt in 2018 while clogged with decades of human garbage.
The Morning Glory pool hot spring — one of 10,000 other active hydrothermal features located near the internationally famous geyser Old Faithful — used to be a stunning crystal blue color before people started throwing coins, handkerchiefs and other objects in it a century ago. The litter has since turned the pool a rich emerald hue, and the debris that’s embedded in the spring has reduced the water’s circulation and temperature.
Even after draining the pool in the 1970s, rangers could not reverse the change.
“There is a chance that Morning Glory Pool will not ever appear in its clear blue state again,” the National Park Service said.
Cleaning the hot springs provides its own challenges. It is both labor intensive and dangerous for Yellowstone teams, because the debris is “literally floating in boiling water.” They sometimes need 30-footlong grabber poles to be able to remove items safely.
The crew has collected more than 13,000 pieces of trash and 4,000 rocks and sticks from hydrothermal areas since January.
And they’ve also found items wackier than hats and trash, driving across more than 11,000 miles across the park.
This summer, they retrieved a single Birkenstock sandal, a pizza box with slices still inside, a stuffed koala toy, and a Polaroid picture of Excelsior Geyser — which was found within the geyser itself.
After retrieving these items, the geologists have a warning they hope visitors will heed for the rest of the year.
“When you visit the park, hold on tight to your hats, stay on marked boardwalks and trails, and make sure all your trash (even the food!) ends up in a trash can,” they said.
