Two injured in Yellowstone Bear encounter near Mystic Falls Trail

YELLOWSTONE, Montana (KIFI) — Two hikers were injured Monday afternoon, May 4, following an encounter with one or more bears near the Mystic Falls Trail. The incident marks the first incident of a bear injuring a person within the park for the 2026 season.

National Park Service emergency personnel responded immediately to the scene. The victims' were airlifted to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center in Idaho Falls, but their current conditions have not been released. The NPS has launched a full investigation.

In the interest of public safety and to allow investigators to work undisturbed, the NPS has implemented a temporary closure of the following areas west of Grand Loop Road from the north end of Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sand Basin:

• Trails:
  • Fairy Falls Trail north of the Grand Prismatic Overlook
  • Sentinel Meadows Trail
  • Imperial Meadows Trail
  • Fairy Creek Trail
  • Summit Lake Trail
• Backcountry Campsites:
  • OG1
  • OD1
  • OD2
  • OD3
  • OD4
  • OD5
• Recreation:
  • Fishing along the Firehole River and associated tributaries within the closure area

While Yellowstone is bear country, the park stresses that bear injuries in the park are rare. The last time a visitor was injured by a bear in the park was in September 2025, and the park has not seen a bear-related fatality since 2015.

The NPS has provided the following guidelines for park visitors to stay safe in bear country:

• Stay 100 yards away from bears at all times
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it
• Be alert. See the bear before you surprise it. Watch for fresh tracks, scat, and feeding sites (signs of digging, rolled rocks, torn up logs, ripped open ant hills)
• Make noise
• Hike in groups of three or more people
• Don't hike at dawn, dusk, or at night, when grizzlies are most active
• Don’t run from a bear