Tourists Blamed for Ruining Yellowstone's Iconic Morning Glory Pool

Years of debris thrown by visitors have altered the pool's temperature and color, transforming its once-brilliant blue waters.

Morning Glory Pool, once a stunning blue thermal feature in Yellowstone National Park, has been damaged by tourists throwing coins, trash, and other debris into its waters.
The accumulation of foreign objects has blocked the pool's natural thermal flow, lowering its temperature and allowing bacterial growth that changed its color to green and yellow.
Former Yellowstone ranger Jeff Henry led a cleanup effort in 1991, removing thousands of coins and other items, but the damage had already been done.
Historians and scientists explain that the tradition of tossing objects into the pool dates back to the park's early days, driven by superstitions and misunderstandings about geothermal activity.
While public behavior has improved and vandalism has decreased, the National Park Service notes that the pool's altered state is now considered a part of its natural evolution.