Two teens were hurt after a bear encounter on a popular trail near North Bend.
NORTH BEND, WA — A black bear charged three teenage hikers Tuesday on the Mount Si trail east of Seattle, scratching one boy and sending another down the mountain with an ankle injury, officials said.
The encounter closed trails at Mount Si Natural Resources Conservation Area while Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife officers searched for the bear. The injured teens were expected to recover, but the incident drew wide attention because Mount Si is one of the region’s best-known day hikes and bear attacks in Washington are rare.
The three hikers were about 2.7 miles up the Mount Si trail when they encountered the bear around midday Tuesday, officials said. The bear charged the group and swiped at one teen, leaving him with scratches. Another teen hurt his ankle while running from the area. King County sheriff’s officials said one boy became separated from the group, and his friends later reported hearing “a lot of screaming.” The injured teen was able to return to the others before rescuers brought him down the mountain.
Eastside Fire & Rescue, King County Search and Rescue, the King County Sheriff’s Office and state wildlife officers responded to the trail. Rescuers used an ATV to help bring the teen who had been scratched off the mountain. Fire officials said one patient was taken to a hospital with noncritical injuries tied to the bear encounter. The second teen was treated after hurting his ankle. Officials did not release the teens’ names. Reports from rescue officials described the hikers as students and basketball players from Thomas Jefferson High School in Auburn.
Authorities said the bear was believed to be a female with cubs nearby, though wildlife officers had not publicly released a final finding on what caused the charge. A second group of hikers later told officials they had been followed closely by a black bear for several miles on the same trail. That report added urgency to the closure. Wildlife officers remained in the area after fire crews cleared the scene, searching for the animal and checking whether it posed an ongoing risk to visitors.
Mount Si rises near North Bend, about 30 miles east of Seattle, and is a major draw for hikers across King County. The main trail climbs through forest toward broad views of the Snoqualmie Valley and the Cascade foothills. Its popularity can place large numbers of people in black bear habitat, especially in warmer months when recreation traffic rises. Sheriff’s officials said bears are commonly seen in the region, but attacks are uncommon, especially involving a larger group of hikers.
Washington wildlife officials say the state has about 22,000 black bears. Since 1970, the state has recorded about 20 human and black bear encounters that resulted in documented injuries. The only recorded fatal black bear attack on a person in Washington happened in 1974. The most recent documented injury case before Tuesday was in 2022, when a black bear charged a woman in Chelan County after she let her dog outside, according to wildlife officials.
The Tuesday response began after emergency calls reported a bear encounter and injuries on the mountain. One report said the teen called 911 to say he was being chased by a bear. Other people in the area also called after hearing screams. Deputies and rescuers moved up the trail while wildlife officers worked around the closure. Video from the scene showed emergency crews gathered near the Mount Si trailhead as hikers came off the mountain and responders moved equipment into position.
King County sheriff’s Deputy Peter Linde said the teen’s physical injuries were minor, though the encounter was frightening. “His injuries were very minor, but he was of course terrified,” Linde said in remarks reported by local media. He said the bear “tossed him around a little bit,” and that the teen was going to the hospital to have his wounds cleaned and checked. Rescue officials later said the injured boy had been released from the hospital Tuesday night.
Sara Autio, a King County Search and Rescue information officer, said the hikers’ decision to stay in a group and carry communication devices helped responders find them. “We are grateful to have played a role in bringing these students home,” Autio said. She said the teens likely did not expect their first hiking trip to end with a rescue, but they cooperated with emergency crews and were able to call for help from the trail.
State wildlife officials said the Mount Si trail would remain closed while officers tried to locate the bear. They said relocation would be preferred if possible, but a bear that continues to pose a safety threat could be euthanized. As of Wednesday, officials had not announced that the bear had been found or that the trail had reopened.
Author note: Last updated June 17, 2026.