This story is part of our Quick Hits series. This series will bring you breaking news and short updates from throughout the state.
Yellowstone National Park announced Friday that evidence collected so far in its ongoing investigation into a bear attack northwest of Old Faithful indicates it was likely a grizzly bear.
A press release from the park said staff believe a female grizzly bear with two or three cubs in their first year of life were involved in the encounter on May 4. Two male hikers, ages 15 and 28 according to the park, were injured before emergency responders arrived on scene and transported them away from the area by helicopter.
The park said the incident remains under investigation, and there are no further details to share at this time.
The area west of Grand Loop Road from the north end of Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sand Basin is temporarily closed, as are the following 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 along the Firehole River and associated tributaries within the closure area
Geyser basin boardwalk areas remain open. There are no known visitors within the closed backcountry areas.
This is the first incident of a bear injuring a person in Yellowstone in 2026. The last was in September 2025 and the last human fatality caused by a bear was in 2015.
With grizzly season upon the region, the park urges the public to stay 100 yards away from bears, hike in groups and make noise, carry bear spray and know how to use it.
Fresh tracks, scat and feeding sites, such as torn up logs and ripped-open ant hills could indicate a bear is nearby, according to the park. Hikers are also discouraged from running from bears or hiking at dawn, dusk or night, when bears are more active.
Visitors can stay up to date by checking the park’s backcountry condition’s website.
