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The first 2021 Yellowstone bear incident has been reported to National Park Service officials, as a solo hiker was attacked while hiking on Beaver Ponds Trail at Mammoth Hot Springs.
The incident happened yesterday morning (May 28). A 39-year-old male was hiking alone when he encountered what he believed to be two grizzly bears. One bear made contact with the hiker and he sustained significant injuries to his lower extremities but was able to hike out on his own. He was transported to Livingston Hospital by park ambulance.
The 2021 Yellowstone bear incident occurred approximately 1.5 miles from the trailhead originating from Old Gardiner Road.
The Beaver Ponds Trail is closed until further notice. Bear management staff are sweeping the trail to ensure no other hikers are on the trail.
This is the first Yellowstone bear incident reported since June 2020–a little surprising, since visitation to Yellowstone was fairly robust last summer. The usual warnings apply: when hiking in Yellowstone, always be aware of your surroundings, carry bear spray, try not to hike alone, avoid hiking at dawn and dusk when bears are active, and make lots of noise when on the trail.
No, the photo is not of the attacking grizzly; it’s a generic file photo courtesy NPS.
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