Two Hikers Injured in Bear Encounter at Yellowstone

On Monday afternoon, two hikers sustained serious injuries after a confrontation with at least one bear along a popular trail in Yellowstone National Park, prompting officials to restrict access to large sections of the area near Old Faithful.

The incident took place on the Mystic Falls Trail, according to a statement from the National Park Service. While it remains unclear how many bears were involved, officials have yet to identify the species or provide details about the victims, leaving the situation somewhat ambiguous.

Craig Lerman, a hiker from Maryland, described a harrowing scene after the attack. He recalled finding claw marks on the ground, along with a blood-stained hat and a damaged watch. Eventually, he reached one of the injured men, who was in distress and pleading for assistance. Lerman noted that the man was bleeding from his face and back, and rescuers had to provide him with a shirt before he was airlifted to safety. It seemed the second victim was the injured man’s younger brother.

As of Tuesday, a significant number of areas were closed off in the park. The road closures affected territory west of Grand Loop Road between Fountain Flat Drive and Black Sand Basin, including five trails like Fairy Falls and Summit Lake, plus six backcountry campgrounds and parts of the Firehole River. However, Midway Geyser Basin and Grand Prismatic Overlook remained open for visitors.

The Mystic Falls Trail, frequented by many hikers, leads to a 70-foot waterfall and is situated approximately two miles northwest of Old Faithful. This was the first reported bear-related injury in Yellowstone for the year, with the last attack noted near Turbid Lake in September 2025. The park hasn’t seen a fatal bear incident since 2015, when such an event occurred in Lake Village.

Yellowstone draws in over four million visitors annually, and although bear encounters happen infrequently despite the large crowds, their rarity is noteworthy. The Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem is home to more than 1,000 grizzly bears, all of which are federally protected due to their endangered status.

In late April, parts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park faced temporary closures after multiple visitors were chased and bitten by bears, highlighting the ongoing complexities of wildlife interactions in these natural spaces.