Popular National Park Trail Closed Following Grizzly Attack
Grand Teton National Park in Wyoming has closed a popular mountain trail to the public after a visitor was attacked when they possibly took two grizzly bears by surprise.
According to a National Parks Service press release, emergency dispatchers received a report about a 35-year-old male visitor from Massachusetts who had been "seriously injured" by a grizzly on Sunday afternoon while hiking in the Signal Mountain Summit Road area. Grand Teton park rangers and search and rescue personnel responded to the scene, providing emergency medical care to the victim who was airlifted by helicopter and transported to a local hospital.
The victim is said to be in stable condition and is expected to make a full recovery.
"Based on initial reports from the injured visitor and preliminary information conducted as part of an ongoing investigation of the site, law enforcement rangers and park biologists believe the incident was a surprise encounter with two grizzly bears, with one of the bears contacting and injuring the visitor," the statement read.
As a result of the attack, the Parks Service has closed Signal Mountain Summit Road and Signal Mountain Trail to visitors until further notice.
As the NPS says on the bear safety page on its website, the vast majority of bear attacks occur when a bear is surprised by humans, and the attack may possibly serve as a defensive mechanism. The bear also may be protecting its young or exhibiting territorial behavior around a carcass.
When encountering a bear in the wild, the Parks Service stresses not to run, as bears can easily out run any human and that running could cause even non-aggressive bears to attack. If the bear is aware of your presence and charges, experts say to hold your ground and then back away slowly while avoiding direct eye contact, which a bear may find threatening.
However, fatal bear attacks are rare. In 2023, there were only two deadly grizzly attacks in North America; a 48-year-old woman who was mauled on a popular trail near Yellowstone National Park in July, as well as a couple and their dog who were killed in Canada's Banff National Park in October.