In her last journal entry in 1925, 15-year-old Helen Mettler wrote, “God bless Wyoming and keep it wild.” The teen later died in an accident at Taggart Canyon, outside of Jackson Hole.

A simple but powerful statement, Mettler’s words have been quoted many times over the decades.

In light of recent events, this is another good time to recognize that the wildness that makes parts of Wyoming and Yellowstone National Park so breathtaking also is what can make the areas so dangerous.

With a wave of bizarre and even fatal incidents involving visitors at Yellowstone this spring, there’s worry about what could happen to the park in the future.

It’s only June, but we’ve already seen a baby bison loaded in a vehicle and a selfie-crazed Canadian film crew stomp across one of the park’s greatest gems, the Grand Prismatic Spring; the death of a 23-year-old man on June 7 was a tragic reminder that walking off the boardwalk in geothermal areas can have deadly and horrific consequences.

The incidents also raise questions: If visitors keep refusing to obey posted signs to stay off geothermal features and to stay away from wildlife, what will become of Yellowstone? Could access to this incredible, still-wild place be limited?

Tourists misbehaving in Yellowstone is hardly a new phenomenon. Of the many visitors who get too close to bison, five were gored last year — but that’s still fewer than some years. At least 11 people were injured by bison in Yellowstone in 1983, followed by 10 bison gorings two years later, according to the book “Death in Yellowstone” by Lee Whittlesey.

Yellowstone’s 144-year history is full of tourists-behaving-badly incidents. 

For instance, the once-famous Handkerchief Pool became plugged in the 1920s after visitors kept placing their handkerchiefs and other items in the pool’s blue depths.

In the park’s early years, people hand-fed bears and also gathered to watch grizzlies gorge on garbage.

More ridiculous incidents in recent years include tourists who were caught trying to boil eggs in a geothermal feature (ironically named Biscuit Basin) in 2009. That same year, two concession workers were fired for urinating into Old Faithful.

So while 2016 is indeed a bizarre year, it’s certainly not the first time people have done dumb things in Yellowstone. Perhaps the difference is that now, their antics are better documented and more widely distributed thanks to smartphones and social media.

Obviously, park rangers and other Yellowstone employees can’t be everywhere to monitor visitors in the park’s 2.2 million acres.

Even if most tourists respect the rules, the National Park Service must grapple with how to handle soaring visitation numbers. Last month, Yellowstone saw more visits than any May on record. May visits have doubled since 2011.

As the Park Service celebrates its centennial this year, the rest of the summer months likely will see huge crowds and high traffic through the park.

Last year’s visitation topped 4 million for the first time ever, stretching the Park Service’s resources to the limit. With the increased numbers, it’s an even bigger challenge to make sure visitors understand Yellowstone’s inherent dangers and follow its rules.

One option to better monitor and educate tourists is to increase the number of volunteers in Yellowstone. Hundreds already serve in the park throughout the year, and it may be time for the Park Service to call upon more people who are willing to help out at popular attractions. We know many Wyomingites would be happy to tell a tourist to stay off a geyser or scold someone seeking a selfie with a bison.

Another option is to launch a campaign aimed at “if you see something, say something.”

Yellowstone National Park Lodges sent a mass email to guests on Tuesday, in hopes of discouraging and preventing bad behavior.

“If you witness inappropriate behavior, we encourage you to tactfully and courteously intervene, or contact an NPS Ranger,” the email said. “Every time one person gets away with bad behavior, another thinks he/she can as well.”

We can’t say often enough how crucial it is for every visitor to follow safety rules and remember the park deserves their respect.

As the world’s first national park, Yellowstone was established by Congress “for the benefit and enjoyment of the people” in 1872.

We hope future generations will be able to explore and enjoy its natural wonders, as intended by the founders of America’s national parks.

As today’s park leaders deal with record crowds and misbehaving tourists, it’s important to remember that Yellowstone and many places in Wyoming remain wild. No matter how many safety messages and restrictions are put in place, the park is inherently dangerous and can’t be made completely safe — nor should it be.

To paraphrase Mettler, God bless Yellowstone and keep it wild.