A black bear chased a hiker for half an hour in Golden, Colorado. He did everything right and yet he was attacked, the first attack of 2026 on the state.
Colorado wildlife experts say this could be an unprecedented year for attacking bear encounters (Photo: Margarita-Young/Getty Images)
Published June 23, 2026 02:35 pm
On Sunday, June 21, a black bear attacked and later chased a Colorado hiker in Apex Park, a wilderness area in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains. The incident is the first reported bear attack in the state this season, and wildlife experts warn it reflects unusual behavior in a year with high bear activity.
“This encounter went on for a really long time,” said Cara Van Hoose, public information officer for the responding agency. Colorado Parks and Wildlife (CPW) told Outside. “It was about 30 minutes. Normally, bear conflicts don’t last that long.”
“It’s a red flag,” she said.
The passenger, whose name and age have not been released, suffered minor injuries, according to Van Hoose. The woman was hiking alone on the Enchanted Forest Path when she encountered a black bear, which tore her bag and scratched her leg. The woman tried to scare the bear by shouting, throwing sticks and stones. Nevertheless, the animal pursued him for more than half an hour.
After two other hikers came to the woman’s aid, the bear left the scene and crossed a nearby drain, where it began chasing another group of people.
By the time CPW officers arrived at the scene, the bear was gone, Van Hoose said. Authorities closed the entire 700-acre park indefinitely.
Van Hoose said it didn’t appear the victim did anything wrong – she wasn’t even carrying food. It seemed like the bear was acclimated to humans and was not scared.
“We think it’s possible that this bear went into the trash or was fed unnatural food in the past,” Van Hoose said. “It may have been fed by humans before. We can’t say for sure, but when we see this type of behavior, that’s where our minds go. It’s gotten used to the presence of humans, and now its desire for food has outweighed anything else that might have caused it to run away.”
Officials say they are still searching for the bear and may relocate or euthanize it if found.
“We’re still evaluating our options,” Van Hoose said. “We want to be able to observe the bear and see how it behaves, for example, if we see any health problems. First, we have to find it.”
The first bear attack of an unprecedented year
Van Hoose said about 17,000 to 20,000 black bears remain in Colorado. Sunday’s encounter is the first recorded bear attack in the state this year, but bear reports are already unusually high. CPW has filed more than 1,500 bear reports this year. Last year at this time, there were only around 1,000.
“A bear report could mean a bear sighting, or it could mean a bear got into someone’s trash,” Van Hoose said. “Basically, it’s any time someone calls us about a bear.”
Since records began in 1960, 97 attacks have been recorded in Colorado, three of which occurred in 2025. According to Van Hoose, the increased number of sightings and the unusually warm winter show that bears may be particularly problematic this season.
“We’re expecting this to be a year with more conflict with bears because we have historically had less snowfall,” he said. “Colorado’s winter didn’t really happen. We didn’t get the normal amount of snow that could sustain the bears’ natural food sources, the cherries and berries they need to eat. Bears still need to eat, and in drought years, they go into neighborhoods and towns, looking for trash and food.”
Leaving out food or water for animals during drought years can make bear problems worse.
“It’s harmful to them,” Van Hoose said. “This leads to addiction and spread of disease. They may find food and water on their own; they may just need to search a little more than they did last year.”
CPW has six recommendations for the nonprofit education organization tolerant Helping Coloradoans stay safe from bears while enjoying the outdoors.
How to stay safe in bear country
Be alert and stay together. Pay attention to your surroundings and keep children within sight and close. Leave earbuds at home and make noise from time to time on the way so bears can avoid you.
Do not leave any garbage or food remains behind. Double-bag your food when hiking and pack out all food and trash. Do not burn leftover food or garbage in your fire ring or grill. Leaving out seemingly harmless items like scraps, wrappers, or even apple cores teaches bears to associate trails and campsites with food.
Keep dogs tied on leash. Letting dogs chase or bark at bears invites trouble; Don’t force the bear to defend itself. Keep your dogs on leash at all times or leave them at home.
Camp safely. Set up camp away from dense cover and natural food sources. Cook food as far away from your tent as possible. Do not leave food, trash, cooking clothes, or toiletries in your tent. Place foods in approved bear-resistant containers, store out of sight in closed vehicles, or hang at least ten feet above the ground and ten feet above any part of a tree. Local rules vary.
Know what to do if you encounter a black bear. If you see a bear, don’t approach it before it notices you. Stand still, enjoy, then quietly walk away. If a bear sees you, back away slowly. never run; Running may trigger a pursuit response. If a bear approaches, hold your ground, wave your arms and yell “Hey bear” until it goes away. Stay with your group. If it keeps getting closer, use bear spray. If a black bear comes into contact with you, do not pretend to be dead; Fight aggressively.
Carry bear spray and know how to use it. Bear spray has been proven to be the easiest and most effective way to deter a bear from posing a threat to you. It does not act as a bug repellent, so never spray it on your tent, campsite or belongings.
