Hiker Killed in Suspected Bear Attack on Montana's Mt. Brown Trail

The body of a hiker reported missing in Glacier National Park was found Wednesday, with authorities suspecting a bear attack as the cause of death.

Search-and-rescue crews discovered the remains around noon about 2.5 miles up the Mt. Brown Trail, the park said in a statement. Officials have not released the man's identity.

His injuries are consistent with those sustained by a bear encounter, authorities said. The individual was found approximately 50 feet off the trail in a densely wooded area with downed timber.

Wildlife and law enforcement personnel are assessing the area for bear activity and any ongoing public safety concerns, the park said.

The area remains closed as authorities continue to investigate the apparent mauling.

The last known message from the hiker came around 8:30 p.m. Sunday after he had communicated plans to hike toward the Mt. Brown Fire Lookout, officials said. He was reported missing on Monday.

The incident is the park's first deadly bear attack since 1998. Authorities noted the last time an individual was injured by a bear in Glacier National Park was August 2025.

The park is home to around 1,000 black bears and grizzlies. Park officials estimated that about 300 grizzly bears inhabited the area in 2023.

The fatality comes after two hikers, ages 15 and 28, were seriously injured in a bear attack in Yellowstone National Park on Monday, according to park officials.

The pair was airlifted by helicopter after an incident in which park staff believe a female grizzly bear with two or three cubs-of-the-year were involved, Yellowstone National Park said.