Officials Shut Down a Trail in Yellowstone After Bear Attacks Hiker — the First Instance in 4 Years

The arrival of autumn each year brings a new palette of colors to Yellowstone National Park that attracts flocks of visitors worldwide. Along the trails of cascading waterfalls and backcountry meadows, elk, bison, ungulates, moose, and bears began their rutting ritual. Bears, especially, become excessively aggressive at this time, propelled by their desperate desire for food and to display dominance to attract their mates, per NPS. At this time, it is wise for the visitors they keep a distance from the bears. On Tuesday, September 16, a hiker was brutally attacked by a bear in Yellowstone, according to a report by the National Park Service.

Rising steam from Yellowstone's thermal areas crashes into the rainbow-colored waters bubbling in thermal pools. Groves of aspens turn golden while the grasses and red-leafed shrubs shift into orangish tints. The period of fall becomes an intensive time when the park receives a bounty of visitors eager to immerse themselves in the hues of the park. In the autumn of 2024 alone, the park hosted 852,435 visitors, according to a press release, a 2% increase from the statistics of the previous year. Also, during fall, bears start foraging for nuts and snacks within their dens to fatten up during the winter in a process called “hyperphagia.” But it seems this hiker wasn’t aware that the bears were busy. He likely walked too close to the animal and got mauled.

The attacked hiker was 29 years old, and he was walking along the Turbid Lake Trail on the eastern side of the park, 2.5 miles into the backcountry, when the attack happened. Soon after the park officials caught him and transported him into an ambulance, they shut down the trail, near the Lake Butte Trailhead, to the intersection of Pelican Valley Trail. Park medics rushed to the scene and were relieved to note that the injuries were non-threatening. Except for some significant injuries on his chest and left arm, the hiker was fine.

The hiker had also attempted to use bear spray, but since the animal was in aggressive mode, he couldn’t protect himself. Officials believe the attack was triggered as a defensive reaction by the bear. It is unknown whether the species of the bear was black or grizzly. Park officials are investigating the case thoroughly, using DNA analysis to determine the species. The man believed it was a black bear, but its location, size, and behavior suggested it was grizzly. Meanwhile, officials have decided not to take any relocation or killing action on the bear because it was a surprise encounter.

Since May 2021, this was the first incident of a bear injuring a human in Yellowstone. The last incident was when a grizzly bear injured a solo hiker on the Beaver Ponds Trail in Mammoth Hot Springs. Thankfully, the hiker in the latest case has now been treated for his injuries and released from the hospital, according to an Instagram update. Further investigation into the case revealed a carcass near a trail and confirmed a grizzly’s tracks. Until further notice, the trail in question will remain closed.

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