WEST GLACIER, Montana, May 8, 2026, 04:11 (MDT)
A hiker reported missing in Glacier National Park was discovered dead with wounds matching a bear attack, officials confirmed, leading to a closure of part of the Mount Brown Trail as rangers monitor for further bear activity and weigh safety risks. According to the National Park Service, search crews located the body around noon on May 6—about 2.5 miles along the trail, lying approximately 50 feet off it in thick woods filled with fallen trees.
The case draws attention partly because fatal bear attacks at Glacier are uncommon. According to the park, the most recent bear-related death happened back in 1998 in the Two Medicine Valley. The last reported bear injury? August 2025.
This week’s been rough for parks across the Northern Rockies, with more bear run-ins rattling nerves. Yellowstone National Park reported airlifting two male hikers—a 15-year-old and a 28-year-old—after a May 4 incident on Mystic Falls Trail, close to Old Faithful. Early findings suggest a female grizzly, accompanied by cubs born this year, was likely involved.
Authorities at Glacier have yet to release the hiker’s name. According to CBS News, the National Park Service will wait three days after notifying the victim’s next of kin before making the identity public.
Park officials earlier this week reported they were looking for Anthony Pollio, 33, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, who disappeared Sunday evening. His car turned up at Lake McDonald Lodge. Pollio had mentioned plans to hike to the Mount Brown Fire Lookout, and his final known message went out around 8:20 p.m. on May 3.
“His injuries are consistent with those sustained by a bear encounter,” the Park Service said in its release. Nothing yet from officials on whether it was a grizzly or black bear, or if any animal has been found. National Park Service
Teams searched both Mount Brown and Snyder along with the adjacent trail corridors, while aircraft supported efforts overhead. The Sperry Trail remained off-limits throughout the operation.
Glacier’s bear count is high—close to 1,000, park officials say—but attacks are still rare. Researchers put the numbers at roughly 300 grizzlies and around 600 black bears, according to the .
Back in August 2025, a medium brown bear and her two cubs rushed a pair of hikers near Lake Janet. One of them, a 34-year-old woman, was hurt before her companion pulled out bear spray—an aerosol pepper deterrent designed for use on aggressive bears at close quarters.
Big questions remain. No word yet from officials on the timeline for Mount Brown’s reopening, the species at the center of this, or what exactly happened; according to the park, fieldwork and wildlife monitoring will shape what comes next.
Park officials advise hikers: keep at least 100 yards between yourself and any bear, stay loud, stick with your group, and have bear spray accessible. The guidance stresses not to run if you encounter a bear and dismisses bear bells as insufficient.
Right now, the rule for visitors is simple: avoid the closed trails. Glacier’s trail updates for May and June point out that lower-elevation paths may be muddy or even flooded, while upper trails could still have snow. There’s also the chance of downed trees or other risks.
