Yellowstone National Park has lifted the remaining trail, backcountry campsite and fishing closures near Old Faithful that were put in place after a grizzly bear attack injured two hikers in early May.
The National Park Service announced the reopening on July 6th, more than two months after the incident on the Mystic Falls Trail. Park staff surveyed the trail and surrounding area following the attack and reported no recent signs of bear activity, including fresh tracks, scat or feeding sites. Based on those findings, officials determined the bear related risk in the area is now consistent with other Yellowstone trails at this time of year.
Bear Attack Forces Closures In Yellowstone
The attack occurred on the afternoon of May 4th when two hikers, ages 15 and 28, were injured by an adult female grizzly believed to have two or three cubs in tow. Emergency responders airlifted both victims out of the backcountry by helicopter. The attack was the first bear inflicted injury to a visitor in Yellowstone in 2026 and only the second in the park over the previous five years. The last fatal bear attack in Yellowstone took place in 2015 near Lake Village.
In the days following the attack, the park closed a wide swath of terrain west of Grand Loop Road, stretching from the north end of Fountain Flat Drive to Black Sand Basin. That closure included the Fairy Falls Trail north of the Grand Prismatic Overlook, along with the Sentinel Meadows, Imperial Meadows, Fairy Creek and Summit Lake trails. Several backcountry campsites and stretches of the Firehole River were also shut down to camping and fishing.
Those restrictions remained in place for weeks while investigators worked to confirm the animal responsible and while bear management staff monitored the area for continued activity. Popular sites including Midway Geyser Basin, Black Sand Basin and the boardwalk portion of the Grand Prismatic Overlook Trail stayed open throughout the closure.
One closure tied to a separate incident remains active. The area affected by the 2024 hydrothermal explosion at Biscuit Basin is still off limits due to ongoing unpredictable geothermal activity in that zone.
With the Old Faithful area bear closures now lifted, park officials are reminding visitors heading into peak summer season to carry bear spray, know how to use it, stay alert on the trail and hike in groups whenever possible.