Black bear swipes at, attacks Steamboat hiker too close to cub

A black bear attacked a hiker in Steamboat Springs Tuesday, swiping at the hiker and knocking them to the ground.

Around 9:45 a.m. Tuesday, the victim notified Colorado Parks and Wildlife that they had been swiped at from behind by a black bear while walking on the path connecting Walton Creek Road and Mount Werner Circle near the Steamboat Ski Resort, according to a Wednesday news release.

The unidentified hiker noticed a yearling cub on the path ahead when they felt a swipe from behind and were knocked to the ground, scraping their arm in the process, the release stated.

With minimal injuries, the victim was able to finish their walk before receiving first aid, wildlife officials said Wednesday.

Local wildlife officers set up bear traps and placed signage to notify those walking the trail of increased bear activity, but no bears had been caught in the traps as of Wednesday, according to the release.