Tourist Risks Life for Photo at Edge of Powerful Yosemite Waterfall
A terrifying photograph captures a tourist risking his life to take a photo at the top of one of the most powerful waterfalls in Yosemite National Park.
The image was shared on Reddit last month in the r/NationalPark subreddit. The photo, which was first reported by The Cool Down, shows the tourist standing dangerously close to the edge of Vernal Fall in Yosemite National Park after climbing over a safety rail to take a picture on his phone. He leans against rocks just feet from the 317-foot drop.
Vernal Fall is one of Yosemite’s most powerful waterfalls. While it is not the tallest in the Central California park, the fast-moving water and slippery rocks make it especially dangerous.
“Vernal Fall, I guess he needed a better view,” the Redditor captions the photograph of the reckless tourist.
“This gives me anxiety,” one user commented about the photo.
“Funny thing is the photo is probably really bad anyway,” another Redditor writes. “People really risk it all for a below-average phone shot that nobody will care about.”
Another user joked that the safety rail was just for show: “I mean the fences are just ornamental right?”
Photos Over Safety
According to a report by the Fresno Bee, data shows that Yosemite National Park ranks as the third deadliest national park in the U.S. with 125 fatal incidents from 2014 to 2023. Of those fatal incidents, 42 were related to falling, and tourists trying to take selfies near waterfalls have been listed as one of the reasons for deaths in the park.
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.
Last year, a viral video showed a pair of tourists jumping over a barrier at Vernal Fall to take a photo. Meanwhile, 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.
