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A solo hiker was attacked by a bear at Yellowstone National Park, according to a statement from the National Park Service obtained by ABC News on Wednesday (September 17).
The 29-year-old man was reported to be walking on the Turbid Lake Trail when he encountered the bear and deployed bear spray against it, suffering significant but non-life-threatening injuries to his chest and left arm. The hiker said he suspected the bear to be a black bear but, based on its size, location and behavior, is believed to be a grizzly.
The species will ultimately be determined by bear management staff through DNA analysis if possible. National Park Service medics responded to the attack and walked the hiker to the Lake Medical Clinic at the national park prior to being flown to a local hospital for treatment.
“The Turbid Lake Trail is closed until further notice,” officials said via ABC News. “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.”
The incident, which remains under investigation, was the first bear attack injuring a person at Yellowstone in 2025 and the first confirmed since May 2021, when a grizzly injured another solo hiker on the beaver Ponds Trail in Mammoth Hot Springs.