A 29-year-old man is recovering after suffering significant but non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and left arm following a bear attack in Yellowstone National Park, authorities said.
The solo hiker was walking on the Turbid Lake Trail, located northeast of Mary Bay in Yellowstone Lake and approximately 2.5 miles from the Pelican Valley Trailhead in the Pelican Valley Bear Management Area, when he encountered the bear and deployed bear spray against it, according to a statement from the National Park Service.
The hiker told officials he thought the bear was a black bear but, based on the location, size, and behavior of the animal, park officials said it was likely a grizzly bear and that bear management staff will attempt to confirm the species through DNA analysis, if possible.
National Park Service medics responded to the incident and walked out with the hiker who was subsequently taken to the Lake Medical Clinic before being flown to a nearby hospital for treatment.
“The Turbid Lake Trail is closed until further notice,” officials said. “Because this incident was a defensive reaction by the bear during a surprise encounter, the park will not be taking any management action against the bear.”
This is the first incident of a bear injuring a person in Yellowstone in 2025 and the first incident in over four years when, in May 2021, a grizzly bear injured a solo hiker on the Beaver Ponds Trail in Mammoth Hot Springs.
This incident currently remains under investigation.
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