According to a press release from Yellowstone National Park, a 29-year-old male hiker was attacked by a bear on September 16, sustaining serious injuries.

The man was hiking alone on Turbid Lake Trail at the time of the attack, which is located northeast of Mary Bay in Yellowstone Lake. The specific location of where the attack occurred was 2.5 miles from the Pelican Valley Trailhead.

The man started to deploy his bear spray as the animal made contact, ultimately sustaining significant but non-life-threatening injuries on his chest and left arm. After the attack was reported, medics responded and walked out of the area with the hiker. The hiker was then transported via a park ambulance to the Lake Medical Clinic before being flown to a hospital for treatment.

The species of bear that attacked the hiker is a bit unclear, with the hiker at first thinking the bear was a black bear. That said, the size, location and the behavior of the bear may indicate it was a grizzly. An attempt at confirming the species of the bear via a DNA analysis is set to take place.

This was the first bear attack to take place at Yellowstone National Park in more than four years, with the previously most recent attack taking place in May of 2021 when a grizzly attacked and injured a solo hiker on the Beaver Ponds Trail.

The September 16 attack appears to be a defensive response from the bear in a surprise encounter, according to park officials, thus no sort of management action involving the bear will take place. The Turbid Lake Trail has been closed to hikers until further notice.

Following the attack, the national park published a series of tips that can help prevent future similar scenarios:

1. Bring bear spray and know how to use it. Keeping it close and handy can allow for fast deployment.
2. Be alert of your surroundings. Watch for signs of bears to avoid a surprise encounter. Signs may include paw prints, scat, or the presence of feeding sites.
3. Make noise while traveling to alert wildlife of your presence.
4. Hike in groups of three people or more.
5. Stay at least 100 yards away from bears at all times.
6. Stay on the trail and don’t hike at dawn, dusk, or at night. This tends to be when grizzlies are most active.
7. Don’t run from bears if spotted.

These same tips can apply to Coloradans. While no grizzlies are known to reside in the state, black bears can also be aggressive, especially when threatened or particularly hungry.

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