‘That was our mistake, and we acknowledge that’: Colorado Springs man speaks after Yellowstone Park ban

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KKTV) - A Colorado Springs man is sharing his story after receiving a several-year ban from Yellowstone National Park late last month after he and his family went off the trail over the summer.

The Department of Justice shared late last week that Joseph Aita, 62, was sentenced to seven days in jail, five years of probation-with a ban from Yellowstone National Park for those five years-and a fine of $3,000 after pleading guilty to destroying a mineral resource.

Aita tells 11 News that while he acknowledges a mistake was made when he and family members went off the path and onto protected land near Canary Spring in July, he said there was no clear signage saying to stay off the land in the area where they parked.

EN ESPAÑOL: Hombre de Colorado Springs habla después de que le prohibieran entrar al parque Yellowstone

"We took this left-hand turn into a crowded parking lot and the only spot was right at the end of the parking lot," Aita explained. "We had to make a three-point turn into this parking spot, right? So by doing so, we avoided all the signs and the boardwalks... and we were facing an area that... was pretty and it looked fun, but it also had no signs and the kids were excited."

Aita said the two young children they were traveling with ran straight into that area from their vehicle instead of using the pathway, adding that he and another adult only traveled onto the land to keep those children safe.

"We stayed up there a little too long, right? That was our mistake, and we acknowledge that," Aita said. "It was about 20 minutes on the park, and we thought we were OK... didn't think we did anything wrong because, again, there were no signs, there were no boardwalks, no fences, so that's what threw us off."

Aita said others had witnessed his family out in the protected area but did not say anything directly to them. He said those witnesses did, however, contact park rangers, who stopped the family about 10 minutes after they left the land.

"I guess in our minds, we didn't think it could be that bad because of the signage. If we had seen the sign or anybody warning us, you know 'hey! hey! hey!'" Aita recalled. "But nothing that I saw gave me that immediate flag."

Aita said his message for others who go to the park is similar to what the judge in the case told him:

"Understand that when you go, you know, they have signage, but it's not just signage... any area that you're not sure about I guess... you shouldn't go on."

Safety tips for Yellowstone Park from the National Park Service can be found here.