‘We Heard a Scream’: Bear Attacks Hiker in Montana National Park in Second Incident in Weeks
A hike through one of America’s most iconic national parks turned frightening in an instant after a hiker was reportedly attacked by a bear in Montana’s Glacier National Park—marking the second serious bear incident in the park within weeks.
The attack happened near Lake Josephine on the Grinnell Glacier Trail, a heavily traveled hiking route on the east side of the park. According to reporting from SFGate and The Independent, witnesses described hearing screams before hikers realized something had gone terribly wrong.
“We heard a scream,” witness Devin Dufrene told SFGate, describing the moment panic spread through the trail area after another hiker reportedly came running back yelling, “bear attack.” According to The Independent, Dufrene said a member of a hiking group ahead of him was “running back screaming” after the encounter.
Chaos on the Trail
What followed sounded more like a survival story than an afternoon hike.
According to reporting from SFGate, Dufrene and others attempted to calm the panicked hiker while quickly realizing the danger might not be over. Around 1:30 p.m., Dufrene reportedly used a satellite communication device to contact emergency responders after learning of the attack.
But then the situation escalated.
According to The Independent, hikers soon spotted a bear moving up the trail toward them from the opposite direction.
“Knowing there was an attack up trail and now a bear approaching from the opposite direction, we decided to ascend up the cliff side and wait for the bear to pass,” Dufrene told The Independent.
For several tense moments, hikers reportedly waited above the trail while the animal moved through the area.
Rangers Respond Quickly
After the bear passed, hikers continued back toward the trailhead.
According to SFGate, Dufrene later encountered park rangers moving toward the scene carrying an empty stretcher. Rangers reportedly instructed visitors to leave the area and make as much noise as possible while hiking back—one of the standard recommendations in grizzly country to reduce surprise encounters.
The National Park Service later closed portions of the Grinnell Glacier Trail and the North Shore Josephine Lake Trail as officials responded to the incident, according to SFGate and park alerts referenced by The Independent. Authorities have described the event as a “surprise encounter involving a hiker and a bear.”
At the time of reporting, Glacier National Park had not publicly released the condition of the injured hiker or confirmed additional details surrounding the attack.
Second Bear Incident in Weeks
The timing of the attack has made it especially alarming.
According to Glacier National Park officials, cited by The Independent and Cowboy State Daily, the incident comes just weeks after another fatal bear encounter in the park.
Earlier this month, park officials confirmed that 42-year-old Anthony Pollio of Florida was found dead after what authorities described as injuries “consistent with a bear encounter.”
According to Glacier National Park statements referenced by The Independent, Pollio had planned to hike the Mount Brown Trail on May 3 before being reported missing. Search teams later discovered personal belongings roughly 2.5 miles from the trailhead before locating his body approximately 50 feet off-trail in a wooded area on May 6.
That fatal incident has heightened concerns among hikers as bear activity increases heading into peak summer season.
Why These Encounters Happen
Wildlife experts say most bear attacks are not predatory—they’re surprise encounters.
According to bear safety guidance from the National Park Service, hikers most often run into trouble when bears are startled at close range, especially in areas with heavy vegetation, limited visibility, or loud water sources that reduce noise.
Glacier National Park sits in prime grizzly habitat, and spring and early summer often bring increased activity as bears search aggressively for food after emerging from winter.
Just days before the latest incident, according to ABC News reporting, hikers in Glacier National Park captured video of a close encounter with two young grizzly bears, with one group reportedly deploying a small amount of bear spray after the animals moved near the trail.
Staying Safe in Bear Country
Park officials consistently recommend several precautions for anyone hiking in grizzly habitat:
- Carry bear spray and know how to use it
- Hike in groups when possible
- Make noise on trails, especially in blind areas
- Avoid surprising wildlife
- Stay alert around thick vegetation and streams
According to the National Park Service, most bears avoid humans when given enough warning.
But surprise encounters can change everything.
The Bottom Line
For visitors to Glacier National Park, the latest incident serves as another reminder that even breathtaking wilderness carries real risks.
According to witness accounts reported by SFGate and The Independent, what started as a normal hike quickly became a tense escape after screams echoed through the trail and hikers realized a bear was still nearby.
And with this marking the second major bear incident in Glacier National Park in just weeks, many outdoor enthusiasts are being reminded of an uncomfortable truth:
In bear country, the wild still makes the rules.