Hikers injured by bear in Yellowstone National Park
NPS
News Release Date: May 5, 2026
Contact: Yellowstone Public Affairs(307) 344-2015
MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – On the afternoon of May 4, two hikers sustained accidents from a number of bears on the Mystic Falls Trail close to Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.
National Park Service emergency companies personnel responded to the incident, and it stays below investigation. No additional info is offered presently.
This is the primary incident of a bear injuring an individual in Yellowstone in 2026. The final time a customer was injured by a bear in the park was in September 2025. The final human fatality brought on by a bear occurred in 2015 in the Lake Village space of the park.
Temporary closures pending completion of investigation
Visit Backcountry Conditions for standing and situations of park trails and backcountry campsites. Hikers and anglers ought to concentrate on momentary closures.
Areas which might be closed (see map)
- Area west of Grand Loop Road from north finish of Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sand Basin.
- Trails:
- Fairy Falls Trail north of the Grand Prismatic Overlook
- Sentinel Meadows Trail
- Imperial Meadows Trail
- Fairy Creek Trail
- Summit Lake Trail
- Backcountry campsites OG1, OD1, OD2, OD3, OD4, OD5
- Fishing alongside the Firehole River and related tributaries inside the closure space
Areas which might be open
- Midway Geyser Basin
- Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail from Fairy Falls Trailhead to the Grand Prismatic Overlook (path is CLOSED past the overlook)
- Black Sand Basin
- Portions of the Firehole River exterior the closure are open to fishing
Stay secure in bear nation
- Stay 100 yards away from bears always
- Carry bear spray and know tips on how to use it
- Be alert. See the bear earlier than you shock it. Watch for contemporary tracks, scat, and feeding websites (indicators of digging, rolled rocks, torn up logs, ripped open ant hills)
- make noise
- Hike in teams of three or extra folks
- Don’t hike at daybreak, nightfall, or at evening, when grizzlies are most lively
- Don’t run from a bear
About the National Park Service. The National Park Service preserves America’s most treasured pure and cultural locations for the enjoyment, schooling and inspiration of this and future generations. Learn extra at nps.gov.
