Man Earns 5-Year Ban From Yellowstone For “Unacceptable” Behavior

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One man found himself in serious trouble over the way he behaved while visiting Yellowstone National Park a little over a week ago.

According to a report on the For The Win section of USA Today, 31-year-old Kyle F. Campbell of Fairmont, Indiana, is facing consequences for “unacceptable” behavior he displayed at the park on June 21. Yellowstone shared a statement with USA Today describing how Campbell acted on the day in question:

“Campbell was with a group of individuals who had been scheduled for a guided kayak trip at the Grant Marina in YNP. The guide refused to take the group as he thought they were too intoxicated. Campbell and his group became upset and created a disturbance that led the kayak guide to call security officers and park law enforcement rangers.”

The park went on to explain how Campbell reacted after the guide refused to take him and his group on their  kayak trip:

“During the encounter, Campbell made threatening comments and gestures toward the officers. He also exhibited signs of being intoxicated and refused to obey officers’ orders. Campbell continually struggled and kicked at the rangers, resisting arrest, and later injuring himself while banging his head in the patrol car.“

“We understand that people are eager to get out this summer and enjoy our national parks; however, this type of behavior is unacceptable,” Acting U.S. Attorney Bob Murray told USA Today.

After the incident, Campbell stood before U.S. Magistrate Judge Mark L. Carman in Mammoth, Wyoming and pled guilty to the following:

“...disorderly conduct; threatening, resisting and intentionally interfering with a government employee; violating the lawful order of a government employee; being under the influence of alcohol and a controlled substance to a degree that may endanger oneself or others; and contempt of court for refusing to comply with Magistrate Judge Carmen’s warrant to collect a blood sample.”

As a result, USA Today reports that Campbell was sentenced to 60 days imprisonment. He “was also given a five-year term of unsupervised probation and ordered to pay $1,550 in fines and a $50 special assessment fee.”

In addition, Campbell has now been banned from visiting Yellowstone National Park for five years.

Yellowstone and the other National Parks take things seriously when it comes to guest behavior that could harm other guests, staff members, wildlife, or the natural landscape. Back in 2019, a California man was sentenced to serve time in jail for walking off the Grand Prismatic boardwalk in the park.

Watch a news report about that past incident below.