The incident happened on Tuesday when a park employee discovered part of a foot in a shoe floating in the Abyss Pool located in the West Thumb Geyser Basin in the southern part of Yellowstone National Park. “The evidence from the investigation so far suggests that an incident involving a person likely occurred on the morning of July 31, 2022, at Abyss Pool,” Yellowstone National Park said in a statement. “At this time, the park believes there was no foul play.” It’s unclear who the leg belonged to, but the park has suggested there may have been a death connected to the body part found, though this has not been confirmed by Yellowstone or any authorities. Abyss Pool at West Thumb Geyser Basin. NPS / Diane Rankin Abyss Pool is more than 50 feet deep and, according to Yellowstone National Park, is one of the park’s deepest hot springs with an average temperature of approximately 140 degrees. “Visitors are reminded to stay on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas and to be extra cautious about thermal features,” the park said in a statement. “The soil in hydrothermal areas is fragile and thin, and there is boiling water just below the surface.” After the attachment was discovered, the West Thumb Geyser basin and parking lot were closed to park visitors, but have since reopened. An investigation by Yellowstone National Park rangers is ongoing.
