Two hikers attacked by a grizzly bear in Yellowstone National Park a week ago were in an area that until 2024 had been closed to springtime hiking because of past bear activity in the area.
The two, a 15-year-old and a 28-year-old who received injuries requiring hospitalization, are believed to have been attacked by a sow grizzly with two or three cubs of the year.
Up until 2024, the area around the Mystic Falls Trail where the two encountered the bears had been closed during the springtime due to the presence of grizzly bears. At the time, park staff said they were lifting the closure, which had run from mid-March until the Memorial Day Weekend, to increase access to the Midway Geyser Basin Overlook, Fairy Falls, and Mystic Falls trails.
Staff justified the lifting of the closure because they had seen fewer ungulate carcasses and wildlife conflicts occurring in that area, which is to the northwest of the Old Faithful complex.
While the area around the Mystic Falls Trail was closed in the wake of last week's mauling, park officials have not said whether the seasonal closure will be implemented again going forward.
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