Grizzly MAULS Hikers Near Old Faithful

A grizzly bear peeking from behind a tree in a forest — GRIZZLY MAULS HIKERS

A Maryland hiker’s peaceful afternoon walk turned into a desperate rescue mission when he heard “Help me” and discovered two bloodied victims of a grizzly bear attack on one of Yellowstone’s most popular trails.

Story Snapshot

Two hikers, ages 28 and 14, suffered severe injuries from a grizzly bear attack on Mystic Falls Trail near Old Faithful on May 4, 2026
Craig Lerman from Baltimore discovered the first victim and stayed on scene until rangers arrived, spotting massive bear prints and blood-soaked belongings
The attack marks Yellowstone’s first bear-related visitor injury of 2026 and triggered widespread trail, campsite, and fishing area closures
National Park Service evacuated both victims by helicopter to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center with injuries to face, back, legs, and stomach
The incident occurred in peak tourist season near the park’s most visited attraction, affecting thousands of visitors with ongoing closures

The Desperate Discovery on a Popular Trail

Craig Lerman expected a routine hike when he set out Monday afternoon on the Mystic Falls Trail. Instead, he heard a voice crying for help and found a 28-year-old man severely injured, his phone covered in blood.

The victim’s mother was on the line, listening helplessly from miles away as Lerman called 911 and scanned the surrounding wilderness for any sign the bear might return.

The scene told a violent story: massive bear prints pressed into the earth, a bloody hat and watch scattered nearby, and a second victim—a 14-year-old boy—somewhere close by, equally injured.

2 hikers injured in bear attack at Yellowstone National Park https://t.co/mePopp24i9

— CBS Mornings (@CBSMornings) May 5, 2026

When Wilderness and Humanity Collide

The attack unfolded in the Upper Geyser Basin, a geothermal wonderland west of Grand Loop Road that draws visitors by the thousands during peak season.

The Mystic Falls Trail, a moderate three-to-five-mile loop known for its views, cuts through prime grizzly habitat where meadows and rivers provide ideal conditions for the estimated 4,000 bears that call Yellowstone home.

This marks the first time in 2026 that a bear injured a park visitor, though the previous September saw a 29-year-old hiker mauled on the Turbid Lake Trail.

The Response Machine Kicks Into High Gear

Two National Park Service rangers arrived on foot shortly after Lerman’s 911 call, and a helicopter soon lifted both victims to Eastern Idaho Regional Medical Center.

The victims, possibly brothers based on Lerman’s account, sustained what he described as severe injuries—cuts to the face, back, legs, and stomach that left them “tore up pretty bad.”

By the morning of May 5, the NPS issued a press release confirming the attack and launching an investigation. No bear has been located or killed, and the grizzly remains at large somewhere in the backcountry.

The park immediately closed a swath of trails, including Fairy Falls north of Grand Prismatic Overlook, Sentinel, Imperial, Fairy Creek, and Summit Lake. Campsites OG1 and OD1 through OD5 went offline, as did fishing access along the Firehole River from Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sand Basin.

What This Means for Visitors and Wildlife

The closures disrupt thousands of visitors each week during Yellowstone’s busiest season, rerouting tourists away from some of the park’s most photographed landscapes.

The economic ripple extends beyond inconvenience—Yellowstone generates roughly 500 million dollars in annual economic output for surrounding communities in Idaho and Wyoming, and any dip in visitation hits local jobs hard. More significantly, the attack reignites debates over bear management strategies.

Conservationists stress the importance of habitat protection and coexistence, while some locals and frustrated visitors push for more aggressive measures, including culling problem bears.

The NPS has doubled down on safety reminders: stay 100 yards from bears, carry bear spray, make noise on trails, and remain alert. Bear spray proves effective in roughly 90 percent of encounters, yet many hikers still venture into grizzly country unprepared or overconfident.

A Rare but Stark Reminder

Yellowstone’s last fatal bear attack occurred in 2015 when a grizzly killed 63-year-old Lance Crosby near Lake Village. Since then, injuries have been sporadic but serious, underscoring a fundamental truth about visiting America’s wildest places: you are entering someone else’s home.

The Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team data confirms that attacks remain statistically rare—roughly one per two million park visits—but when they happen, they are brutal and unforgiving.

Lerman’s account of discovering the victims, hearing their cries, and standing watch while the bear’s prints lingered fresh in the dirt captures the primal fear that coexists with Yellowstone’s breathtaking beauty.

The investigation continues, the victims recover, and the grizzly moves through the forest, unaware of the closures and conversations it has triggered.

For now, rangers patrol with heightened vigilance, bear spray sales spike, and visitors weigh the risks of walking trails where nature still holds ultimate authority.