Two Hikers Injured in Bear Attack on Yellowstone Trail

Two hikers were injured in a bear attack on Monday on the Mystic Falls trail near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park, park officials said. The National Park Service reported in a statement on Tuesday that the hikers sustained injuries from one or more bears.

Officials did not specify which species of bear. Yellowstone is home to both grizzly bears and black bears. National Park Service emergency services personnel responded to the incident. The matter remains under investigation. No further information is available at this time.

A tourist from Maryland who was hiking the same trail encountered one of the injured hikers after hearing calls for help. The tourist told Cowboy State Daily that he first noticed bear prints in the mud and then a bloody hat with a watch torn off nearby.

The hiker called for assistance and the tourist stayed with him, called 911, provided his T-shirt for warmth, and followed dispatcher instructions until first responders arrived. A helicopter later evacuated the injured hikers to a hospital.

In the wake of the attack, the park service temporarily closed some trails and other parts of the park near Old Faithful. Officials said the incident marks the first time a bear has injured a person in Yellowstone this year. The last time a visitor was injured by a bear in the park was in September 2025.

The last human fatality caused by a bear there occurred in 2015 in the Lake Village area. >"National Park Service emergency services personnel responded to the incident, and it remains under investigation.