MAMMOTH HOT SPRINGS, WY – On the afternoon of May 4, two hikers sustained injuries by one or more bears on the Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park.
National Park Service emergency services personnel responded to the incident, and it remains under investigation. No further information is available at this time.
This is the first incident of a bear injuring a person in Yellowstone in 2026. 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 occurred in 2015 in the Lake Village area of the park.
Temporary closures pending completion of investigation
Visit Backcountry Conditions for status and conditions of park trails and backcountry campsites. Hikers and anglers should be aware of temporary closures.
Areas that are closed (see map)
Area west of Grand Loop Road from north end 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 along the Firehole River and associated tributaries within the closure area
Areas that are open
- Midway Geyser Basin
- Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail from Fairy Falls Trailhead to the Grand Prismatic Overlook (trail is CLOSED beyond the overlook).
- Black Sand Basin
- Portions of the Firehole River outside of the closure is open to fishing
Stay safe in bear country
- Stay 100 yards away from bears at all times
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it
- Be alert. See the bear before you surprise it. Watch for fresh tracks, scat, and feeding sites (signs of digging, rolled rocks, torn up logs, ripped open ant hills)
- Make noise
- Hike in groups of three or more people
- Don’t hike at dawn, dusk, or at night, when grizzlies are most active
- Don’t run from a bear
Source: National Park Service
Photo: Fan Creek Trail: grizzly tracks in the mud (2)
NPS / Jacob W. Frank
