06/19/2026
*Mountain Lion on trail near Telluride
At approximately 4:15pm Thursday (June 18), a local mountain biker reported to dispatch that he rode into very close proximity to an adult mountain lion on the lower Wasatch trail in Bear Creek near Telluride. Initial reports indicated the incident was at Bear Creek falls which elicited a response from the Telluride Marshal’s Office.
It’s believed that the rider startled the cat that was hidden in trail side brush and that it was not acting aggressively, however attacks have occurred in Colorado and sightings have grown more frequent in our area in recent years. There was no contact with the mountain lion, and the man was not injured.
If you see a mountain lion:
Stop and stay calm.
Maintain eye contact.
Do not run. Running may trigger a chase response.
Make yourself look bigger:
Raise your arms.
Open your jacket.
Stand tall.
Speak firmly and loudly.
Slowly back away, giving the animal a route to escape.
Keep children close and pick them up if possible without bending over or turning your back.
If the lion behaves aggressively:
Wave your arms.
Throw rocks, sticks, or whatever is available.
Use bear spray if you have it.
Do not crouch or play dead.
If attacked:
Fight back with everything you have. Use rocks, sticks, trekking poles, knives, or your fists. Many people have successfully driven off mountain lions by fighting aggressively.
Prevention:
Hike with others when possible.
Avoid hiking alone at dawn, dusk, or at night, when mountain lions are most active.
Keep pets and children close.
Make noise while hiking, especially in dense vegetation or around blind corners.
Carry bear spray, which is effective against mountain lions as well as bears.
According to the Colorado Parks and Wildlife, mountain lion attacks are rare, but if one occurs, fighting back rather than playing dead is recommended.
*file photo — not from incident
