Canary Spring, Mammoth Hot Springs / NPS

The United States Attorney’s Office of Wyoming has charged Joseph Aita, 62, of Colorado Springs, CO, with walking off a designated trail or boardwalk within Yellowstone National Park. 

According to the U.S. Attorney's Office, Aita left a designated trail near Canary Spring, a protected area of Mammoth Hot Springs on the northern side of the park. Aita was with another adult, a co-defendent in the charge, and two children at the time. It's unclear if the co-defendent is facing the same penalties. 

Yellowstone and the U.S. Attorney's Office take off-trail violations in protected thermal areas of the park quite seriously. For leaving the trail and walking in a restricted area, he'll serve 7 days in jail. 

Aita also pleaded guilty to destroying a mineral resource. That carries a stiff sentence of 7 days in jail, plus a fine of $5,000, 5 years of probation, and a lifetime ban from Yellowstone. 

Park rangers were alerted to the violation by other visitors who witness Aita leave the trail. For his part, Aita told authorities he wasn't aware he was committing a violation as he didn't see signage labeling the zone as restricted in the immediate area. 

Many areas in Yellowstone, particularly in places with hydrothermal features, are restricted from off-trail use and carry heavy penalties for people who leave boardwalks and trails. For a list of park regulations, see here.