Pierce Brosnan, the actor most famous for his roles in the "James Bond" movies and other films, has pleaded not guilty to a charge of illegal hiking in Yellowstone. Brosnan is accused of violating closure and use limits, according to court records. All foot travel in all thermal areas in Yellowstone Canyon is confined to trails; however, photos purporting to show Brosnan hiking in the snow in the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces area were posted to the @touronsofyellowstone Instagram page.
Brosnan's not-guilty plea was entered Jan. 4 in the U.S. District Court for Wyoming by his attorney, Karl Knuchel. In addition, Knuchel requested that Brosnan's in-person hearing be canceled and shifted to a virtual meeting. That request was granted Jan. 10 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie A. Hambrick, who set a virtual conference for Feb. 20.
This comes after Brosnan was cited by the U.S. attorney for Wyoming with two infractions that allegedly occurred on Nov. 1, including walking in a thermal area and walking in the Mammoth Terraces while the feature was closed to the public. Walking in the area is a violation of federal law, which states, "Foot travel in all thermal areas and within the Yellowstone Canyon between the Upper Falls and Inspiration Point must be confined to boardwalks or trails that are maintained for such travel and are marked by official signs."
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The thermal areas are closed to the public for two reasons: Tourists can get hurt or killed by the scalding water in the hot springs and the natural geothermic features are delicate and easily damaged by people walking on them. More than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone's hot springs.
The National Park Service offers visitors these tips to stay safe around the thermal basins in Yellowstone:
- Always walk on boardwalks and designated trails.
- Keep children close and do not let them run on boardwalks.
- Do not touch thermal features or runoff.
- Do not throw objects into hot springs or other hydrothermal features.
- If you begin to feel sick while exploring one of the geyser basins, leave the area immediately.
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