A missing hiker was found dead on Wednesday in Glacier National Park, and officials said his injuries were consistent with a bear encounter. Search and rescue crews found the body around noon on May 6, about 2.5 miles up the Mt. Brown Trail. The victim was about 50 feet off the trail in a densely wooded area with downed timber, according to Glacier National Park.
Wildlife and law enforcement personnel are now assessing the area for bear activity and any ongoing public safety concerns.
The National Park Service said it was withholding the victim’s identity until 72 hours after next of kin notification. Earlier this week, Glacier officials said they were searching for Anthony Pollio, 33, of Fort Lauderdale, Fla., who had been missing since Sunday evening.
Pollio had communicated plans to hike toward the Mt. Brown Fire Lookout, and searchers later found his vehicle at Lake McDonald Lodge.
Trail Closures Remain in Place
Park officials temporarily closed the section of the trail where the body was found while the investigation continues.
Staff will determine next steps based on field assessments and wildlife behavior monitoring. Visitors should stay off closed trails and follow posted restrictions while the park continues its work in the area.
The Mt. Brown Lookout hike starts at the Sperry Trailhead. Glacier lists it as 5.2 miles one way, with 4,325 feet of elevation gain. It’s a steep, exposed hike through serious bear country.
Glacier’s Last Fatal Bear Incident Was in 1998
Fatal bear incidents in Glacier are rare, but they’ve happened before. The park said the last human fatality caused by a bear happened in 1998 in the Two Medicine Valley. The last time a bear injured a person in Glacier was in August 2025.
In that 2025 incident, a 34-year-old hiker was injured near Lake Janet after a bear with two cubs charged from the brush. Her hiking partner deployed bear spray, and the bear ran off. Park officials said no action would be taken against the bear because the encounter appeared to be a defensive surprise encounter.
This week’s Glacier fatality also follows a separate bear incident in Yellowstone National Park. On May 4, two hikers were injured by one or more bears on the Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful, according to Yellowstone officials.
Glacier Reminds Visitors to Stay Bear Aware
Glacier is home to both black bears and grizzly bears, and the park reminds visitors that bear safety is part of traveling through the park. Officials advise hikers to make noise, hike in groups, carry bear spray where it’s easy to reach, stay alert in dense vegetation, and avoid hiking very early, very late, or after dark.
Glacier also prohibits visitors from intentionally approaching within 100 yards of bears or wolves.
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