VIDEO: Bear Mauls Teen — Trail Shuts Down

A grizzly bear standing on a forest path — TRAIL TERROR ERUPTS

A mother bear on a Washington hiking trail turned a teenager’s first hike into a hospital trip — and the bear is still out there.

Story Snapshot

A black bear attacked a teen hiker about 2.7 miles up the Mount Si trail near North Bend, Washington, clawing his face and legs.
A second teen twisted his ankle running away. Both survived with non-critical injuries.
Wildlife officials believe the bear was a mother protecting her cubs, spotted in the area that day.
The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife searched for the bear but did not find her. Trails were closed while the search continued.

What Happened on the Trail

Around 1 p.m. on Tuesday, a group of teenagers was hiking about 2.7 miles up the Mount Si trail east of Seattle when a black bear charged them. One teen became separated from the group. His friends heard a lot of screaming.

The bear clawed the boy across his face and legs. He managed to make his way back to the group, but he was semi-ambulatory — meaning he could barely walk. King County Search and Rescue brought him down the mountain by ATV and took him to a hospital with non-critical injuries.

NEW INFORMATION: Bear charges teen hikers on Mount Si; one attacked, another hurt while fleeing.

As our @LynnanneNguyen reports, the encounter forced the shut down of a popular trailhead. pic.twitter.com/Gk7zt9oPnS

— Steve McCarron KOMO (@SteveTVNews) June 17, 2026

A second teen was not touched by the bear but twisted his ankle while running away. A King County Sheriff’s deputy who spoke to reporters noted the injured boy said it was his first hike. The deputy’s dry comment: it was “probably going to be his last.”

The teen’s mother told reporters her son was still in shock but was home from the hospital. She and emergency officials on scene said they did not believe the boys did anything to provoke the attack.

A Mother Bear Doing What Mothers Do

Wildlife officials confirmed the attacking animal was a black bear. A mother bear and at least one cub were spotted in the area that day. The leading explanation from authorities is that the teens got too close to the cubs, and the mother charged to protect them.

This is the most common trigger for black bear aggression in the Pacific Northwest. The King County Sheriff’s Office noted that bear attacks are rare in the Snoqualmie region, especially involving a large, noisy group of hikers.

The Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) deployed armed officers to find the bear. Their plan was to put her down. They searched the area through the afternoon and into the evening but did not locate her.

All Mount Si trails were closed while the search continued, and the public was asked to stay away from the trailhead area. A second group of hikers that same day reported being closely followed by a black bear for several miles along the same trail system.

Social Media Blamed the Kids Before the Facts Were In

Within hours, social media filled with comments blaming the teens for the attack. Some called them trespassers. Others said they were harassing the bear.

One relative of the injured boy pushed back directly, saying the teens were simply hiking and came upon the mother bear — they were not antagonizing her.

This pattern is worth noting. Officials found no evidence of provocation. Emergency responders on scene agreed. The blame-the-hiker reaction online ran well ahead of the facts, as it almost always does in these cases.

Two teenagers were injured during a bear encounter on Mount Si in Washington state on Tuesday, including one hiker who was attacked by the animal, authorities said. Read more @ABC https://t.co/rvD9e6iVWU

— Shafiq Najib (@shafiqnajib) June 17, 2026

It is easy to armchair-quarterback a scared teenager who ran from a charging bear. The right move with a black bear is to stand your ground, make yourself big, and back away slowly. Running triggers a chase response.

But knowing the right move in a calm moment and executing it when 300 pounds of fur and claws is coming at you are two very different things. These were young hikers on their first trip up the mountain. The bear found them before they found her.

What Every Hiker on This Trail Should Know

Mount Si is one of the most popular hikes in Washington state. It draws thousands of hikers every year, many of them beginners. Bears are regularly seen on and near the trail. The Washington Trails Association has documented encounters as close as one mile from the trailhead.

If you hike Mount Si, carry bear spray and know how to use it. Make noise on the trail so you do not surprise an animal. If a bear charges, do not run. Stand tall, wave your arms, speak in a low firm voice, and back away slowly. That advice could save your face.