JACKSON (WNE) — A Texas man will spend time in jail after pleading guilty to walking off a designated boardwalk in a Yellowstone National Park thermal area.

Eric Bedient, 50, of Frisco, Texas, was sentenced to five days in federal custody on March 31 by U.S. Magistrate Judge Stephanie Hambrick in the U.S. District Court for Wyoming.

Bedient pleaded guilty to a federal petty offense, thermal trespass, under regulations that require visitors to remain on designated trails in Yellowstone’s geothermal areas, according to court records.

According to court records, Bedient walked directly on fragile hydrothermal features in the Mammoth Hot Springs area, including Canary Spring, Mound Terrace, Palette Hot Spring and Jupiter Terrace.

The violation occurred Nov. 8, 2025.

Bedient initially appeared in court in Mammoth Hot Springs in December and later entered a guilty plea before sentencing.

He was ordered to serve the five-day sentence in a federal facility, according to court records. He must arrange his surrender through the U.S. Marshals Service, with a deadline of Oct. 30.

Hambrick did not impose a fine, or seek other forms of restitution.

Bedient’s original citation was restricted from public access in court records. The public affairs office for the U.S. District Court for Wyoming did not immediately respond to an inquiry from the Jackson Hole Daily about why.

In a news release, prosecutors said the sentence reflected the extent of the violation, damage caused by Bedient’s footprints and his failure to familiarize himself with park regulations.

“Yellowstone’s thermal areas are among the most dangerous natural features in the world,” U.S. Attorney Darin Smith said in the release. “Mr. Bedient’s disregard for the law could have cost him his life. Prosecuting crimes like this deters others from similar conduct — and from risking becoming thermal soup.”