A bear attack on the Mystic Falls trail near Old Faithful in Yellowstone National Park injured two hikers on Monday, marking the first such incident at the park this year. The National Park Service said the attack involved one or more bears but did not identify the species, though Yellowstone is home to both grizzly and black bears.
Park officials closed sections of the park following the Monday attack and said the incident remains under investigation. Emergency responders reached the hikers and evacuated them by helicopter to a hospital for treatment.
Craig Lerman, a tourist from Maryland, came across one of the injured hikers on the trail after the attack. Lerman noticed bear prints in the mud before spotting a bloody hat and a watch that had been torn off. The injured hiker called out for help when he heard Lerman approaching.
"I thought it was a prank at first, but when I got close to him, I knew this was a serious matter," Lerman told Cowboy State Daily. He dialed 911, remained with the hiker, and provided his shirt to keep the man warm while they waited for rescue crews to arrive.
The attack is the first bear-related injury to a visitor at Yellowstone this year. The last visitor injured by a bear in the park occurred in September 2025. A fatal bear attack in Yellowstone last occurred in 2015 in the Lake Village area.
Author James Rodriguez: "Bear attacks at Yellowstone are rare enough that when they happen, they jolt the entire operation into high gear. Lerman's quick thinking and composure likely made the difference in how this story ended."
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