Why is Abyss Pool closed?

— Yellowstone National Park said on Friday it's investigating a death related to part of a foot, in a shoe, found floating in a hot spring in the southern part of the park this week. Tuesday's discovery at Abyss Pool led to the temporary closure of the West Thumb Geyser Basin and its parking lot.



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A hole in the ground fifty-three feet deep, Abyss Pool is one of the deepest pools in Yellowstone National Park. It may look like an inviting place for a swim, but at temperatures reaching 180 degrees Fahrenheit you'd best keep your toes out of this water.

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Despite its unique nature, National Geographic has described it as an entirely natural feature: a non-volcanic, geothermal feature flowing at anomalously high rates. The predominant theory for the source of this heat is from the geothermal gradient of the Earth.

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Bring your suit and swim in the Boiling River There is a little known secret in Yellowstone... there are only two places in the park that you are allowed to swim and one of them is just 2.5 miles north of Mammoth Hot Springs. It is a truely unique experience and one not to be missed.

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Drownings have resulted in five known deaths in the park. Looking at all national parks, the survey indicated that falls were by far the most common way to die, accounting for a total of 245 deaths.

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The hottest springs in the deepest part of the lake, at 125 m (410 ft) below the water, have a temperature of 174 °C (345 °F). Hot springs in the ocean are even deeper and under more water pressure and, therefore, they have temperatures of up to 400 °C (750 °F)!

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