Pierce Brosnan in hot water as he's hit with court date for 'hiking into restricted thermal springs in Yellowstone'

28 December 2023, 10:26 | Updated: 28 December 2023, 12:00

Pierce Brosnan has been hit with a court date after he allegedly hiked into restricted parts of Yellowstone National Park in the US.

The ex-James Bond star is charged with "foot travel" to Mammoth Terraces and a "closure violation" on November 1.

Visitors to the famous park are meant to stay on designated routes and the most serious violations can bring a fine of up to $5,000 (£3,900) and even up to six months in jail.

The allegations against Brosnan were labelled "petty offences" in a court docket. He is yet to enter a plea.

The Mamma Mia! star had been filming Unholy Trinity, which also features Samuel L Jackson, in the area in the weeks before November 1.

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He is due to appear in court in Wyoming on January 23.

The Mammoth Terraces are a series of pools in hot springs in the famously scenic national park.

But visitors have to temper any interest in taking a closer look at some features due to the hefty punishments doled out for deviating from set routes.

A woman from Connecticut was given seven days in jail and fined $2,000 in 2021 for leaving a designated route to walk to the thermal area, then got banned from Yellowstone for two years.

And it can be dangerous, with at least 22 people having reportedly died in the springs and geysers in the park.

Mammoth Terrace springs can be as hot as 80C and get extremely acidic.

Official advice recommends staying on boardwalks and trails in thermal areas, and says hot springs have killed more people in Yellowstone than any other natural feature there.

"Swimming or soaking in hot springs is prohibited. More than 20 people have died from burns suffered after they entered or fell into Yellowstone's hot springs," the US National Park Service says.