With the onset of warm weather, bears are fully out of hibernation, and that’s already spelling trouble in one of America’s most iconic national parks. On May 4, two hikers sustained injuries from a bear in a popular area of Yellowstone National Park.
What Happened
According to a press release from the National Park Service (NPS), two hikers were on the Mystic Falls Trail, a well-known hike near Old Faithful. They had an altercation with one or multiple bears, and emergency services personnel responded. Park staff are actively investigating the incident.
As a result, staff temporarily closed several areas of the park, including the area west of Grand Loop Road from the north end of Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sand Basin. Trail closures include Sentinel Meadows, Imperial Meadows, Fairy Creek, Summit Lake, and part of Fairy Falls. Several backcountry campsites are closed as well.
How Common Is This?
This is the first case of a bear injuring a human in Yellowstone this year; the last time it occurred was September 2025, when a grizzly bear hospitalized a hiker. The NPS estimates that since 2021, the park has averaged five human-grizzly bear incidents per year. While injuries happen, deaths are very rare. Only eight people have died from bears in the park’s history; the last such case was in 2015.
The park is home to both black bears and around 1,000 grizzly bears, the latter of which is listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act. The NPS warns that all of Yellowstone — from the most remote backcountry campsite to the entrance gate — is bear country. Visitors should be prepared for a bear encounter anywhere they go.
Being Bear Safe
The NPS recommends all visitors follow established “Bear Safe” protocol. This list of behaviors includes:
- Stay at least 100 yards from bears.
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it.
- Hike in groups of three or more people. Since 1970, 91% of all people injured by bears in Yellowstone were alone.
- Store all food and scented items in bear-safe containers at least 100 yards from your tent.
Never feed bears. If a bear becomes food-habituated, wildlife management may decide it must be euthanized, as happened in Yellowstone in 2025.
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