Hiker injured by bear in Yellowstone National Park

A hiker was injured by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park last week, the first such injury in the park this year.

The 39-year-old man was hiking alone on the Beaver Ponds Trail in Yellowstone National Park last week, according to a Friday statement from the park.

The hiker, who was not immediately identified, encountered “what he believed to be two grizzly bears,” according to the statement. 

One of the bears “made contact with the hiker and he sustained significant injuries to his lower extremities.” The man was able to continue hiking to seek help. He was taken by ambulance to a nearby hospital.

Officials closed the Beaver Ponds Trail following the incident, and staff swept the trail to protect other hikers, according to the Friday statement. 

The incident marks the first time in 2021 that a bear has injured a person in Yellowstone. The last incident was in June 2020, according to the Friday statement, when a woman was knocked to the ground and scratched by a grizzly. 

The Friday statement also encouraged hikers to stay at least 100 yards away from bears at all time, carry bear spray and hike in groups of three or more people, amid other tips to be “bear aware.”