Yellowstone Collects Record Trash From Thermal Features
Park staff recovered over 23,000 pieces of debris, including unusual items, from geysers and hot springs in a record-setting year.
Yellowstone National Park's geology team has collected more than 23,000 pieces of trash from its iconic thermal pools, geysers, and surrounding areas, marking a record year for debris removal. The unusual items retrieved include international coins, golf tees, an inhaler, AirPods, camera lens caps, and rubber ducks.
In addition to standard litter like paper and plastic, the team recovered approximately 10,700 rocks and sticks, over 360 hats, and numerous personal items such as hair ties and pacifiers. This year's collection effort surpasses previous records.
With over 4.7 million visitors in 2025, according to the National Park Service, high-traffic areas like Old Faithful and the Midway Geyser Basin experience significant accumulation of debris. While some items may be lost unintentionally, swept away by wind, officials believe many are deliberately discarded.
Foreign materials, including natural elements like rocks and sticks, can harm hydrothermal features by clogging water supplies, polluting the water, or blocking runoff. This debris can alter the water's chemistry, potentially affecting the microbes that give the springs their distinctive colors. The Morning Glory Pool, for example, changed from its original blue hue in the 20th century due to trash being thrown into it, which cooled the water and allowed different colored bacteria to flourish. Park rangers attempted to restore the pool's original color in the 1970s by draining it and removing debris, but its color did not fully return.
The Yellowstone Volcano Observatory has stated that any foreign material poses a risk to the delicate hydrothermal ecosystems within the park.