A Yellowstone Bison Sent a Visitor Flying Through the Air During a Terrifying Campground Attack
Wildlife encounters at major U.S. national parks keep drawing attention as summer travel ramps up. In Yellowstone National Park, a 30-year-old man from Randolph, New Jersey, was injured after a bison charged him at a campground in Wyoming on June 21.
What happened at the Yellowstone campground
Yellowstone National Park said the incident happened around 8:45 a.m. on June 21 in the Upper Geyser Basin area at the Riverside Campground. According to park officials, the 30-year-old visitor got too close to a bison before the animal gored him and lifted him off the ground.
The National Park Service said the man suffered minor injuries and was treated by emergency medical personnel. Officials confirmed the visitor was from Randolph, New Jersey, and said the case remains under investigation as of the park’s public update.
Park officials did not release the visitor’s name. Yellowstone also did not say exactly how close the man was to the bison or whether any citations were issued after the attack.
What it means in Yellowstone and Wyoming
The confirmed location was Riverside Campground in Yellowstone’s Upper Geyser Basin, one of the park’s busiest developed areas. Yellowstone spans Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho, but park officials said this incident occurred on the Wyoming side of the park.
What is confirmed is that one person was injured on June 21 and that the injuries were described as minor by the National Park Service. What is not yet known is whether other campers were nearby when the bison charged or whether the animal remained in the campground area afterward.
Yellowstone regularly reminds visitors to stay at least 25 yards away from bison and other large animals, including elk, deer, and moose. The park’s guidance sets a wider distance of at least 100 yards for bears and wolves.
Why these bison incidents keep happening
Yellowstone says bison have injured more people in the park than any other wild animal. According to the National Park Service, bison can run up to three times faster than humans, which is why officials repeatedly warn visitors not to approach them for photos or close viewing.
The park’s standing safety rules are meant to reduce exactly this kind of encounter in crowded places such as boardwalk areas, roadsides, and campgrounds. Officials said visitors should back away if an animal moves closer and should never surround, harass, or disturb wildlife.
For travelers headed to Yellowstone this summer, the practical takeaway is unchanged after the June 21 incident at Riverside Campground. Visitors should expect continued wildlife safety messaging across the park while the investigation into the Wyoming encounter remains open.
