Hiker injured by grizzly bear near Fairy Falls

Town Crier “Briefs from the Region” (1) – 6/25/20

On the morning of June 22, a woman hiking the Fairy Falls Trail near Old Faithful sustained a minor injury from a female grizzly bear. The visitor was hiking alone when she encountered two grizzlies at close range. The female bear knocked the woman down, and she sustained a scratch on her thigh and minor injuries to her face. She did attempt to use her bear spray—it is unknown if it helped deter the bear. Fairy Falls was cleared of hikers and park officials temporarily closed the trail and surrounding area.

“From the injured person’s statements, this appears to be a typical case of a mother grizzly bear protecting her offspring following a close-range encounter,” said bear management biologist Kerry Gunther in a June 24 Yellowstone National Park press release. “Because this bear was displaying natural protective behavior for its cub, no action will be taken against the bear. Several trails in the area will be closed to give the grizzly family group time to clear from the area.”