Yellowstone rangers remove 20,100 pieces of trash from geothermal areas in 2026

Yellowstone rangers uncover 20,100 pieces of trash in geothermal areas. (Photo: NPS) 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. They have also collected more than 5,000 rocks and sticks and, surprisingly, 280 visitor hats.More than 280 visitor hats were collected across Yellowstone in 2026. (Photo: NPS)“No matter the type of debris, it needs to be removed,” the USGS said, explaining that foreign material can damage or permanently alter hydrothermal features by clogging water supplies...