Tourists Jump Barrier to Take Photo at Edge of 317ft Waterfall in Yosemite Park

Jun 25, 2024

Pesala Bandara

A pair of tourists jumped over a barrier at the top of a waterfall in Yosemite National Park and took a photo at the edge of the 317-foot drop.

In the footage, two tourists climb over a safety fence at Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park in California and pose dangerously close to the cliff edge to take a photograph.

The video shows one visitor crouching for a photo with their back to the 317-foot drop of the waterfall. Meanwhile, the other tourist is filmed taking a photo of his friend with a smartphone.

Later on in the clip, the tourist is even seen pretending to dive off the edge of the cliff for a funny photo.

Vernal Fall is among the most powerful waterfalls in Yosemite. Although it is not the highest waterfall in Yosemite National Park, it poses serious dangers due to the rocks and fast-flowing water below.

According to Active Norcal, the tourist’s perilous behavior not only endangered themselves but potentially damaged the cliff edge by eroding the rock structure.

Photos Over Safety

Barriers and safety fences in national parks are crucial for protecting both visitors and the natural environment. While it is extremely dangerous to jump over a safety fence, individuals have been known to scale protective barriers at U.S. national parks for the sake of a photo.

Four people in winter clothing are facing away from the camera, observing the Steamboat Geyser at Yellowstone National Park. Steam is rising from the geyser, and the ground is covered in snow. The sky is partly cloudy, and trees line the background. — Viktor Pyshniuk can be seen in the upper left corner of the photo walking on thermal ground at the Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park. Four tourists look on from behind a fence on a wooden boardwalk.

Last week, a man was jailed for trespassing near the active Steamboat Geyser in Yellowstone National Park while trying to take photos. 21-year-old American tourist Viktor Pyshniuk was sentenced to seven days in prison for thermal trespass at Steamboat Geyser in the Norris Geyser Basin in Yellowstone National Park.

Pyshniuk, who is based in Lynwood, Washington, was also placed on two years of unsupervised release, fined $1,500 as well as court fees, and banned from Yellowstone National Park for two years.

When Pyshniuk was jailed, Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick said that the sentence imposed was designed to deter him and other members of the public from leaving the boardwalk in the future and disobeying park safety rules to take photos.

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