Washington State

Mountain lion attacks child on popular trail in Olympic National Park

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Key Takeaways

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  • A mountain lion attacked a child Sunday on a trail in Olympic National Park.
  • Park rangers located and "dispatched" of the animal the following morning.
  • The four-year-old child was being treated Monday but their condition was not disclosed.

A 4-year-old child was attacked and injured over the weekend by a mountain lion while walking with family on a popular trail in Olympic National Park, park officials said Monday.

Park rangers were notified of the attack at around 3:15 p.m. Sunday, with initial reports saying that a collared mountain lion bit the child near the park’s Victoria Overlook area on Hurricane Ridge, according to a park news release.

Clallam County Fire District 2 paramedics and park staff responded, and the victim was flown to a trauma center, the news release said. The child was undergoing treatment as of Monday. The park, which said it was withholding identifying information to protect the child’s privacy, did not provide details of the child’s condition.

With assistance from a canine team, park rangers located the mountain lion shortly after 5 p.m. Sunday and “dispatched the animal” — a term commonly used to describe killing — on Monday morning, the news release said.

Park officials said there were no current threats to the public and that the incident remained under investigation. Anyone who witnessed the attack is encouraged to call 888-653-0009 or email nps_isb@nps.gov.

This story was originally published July 21, 2025 at 3:47 PM with the headline "Mountain lion attacks child on popular trail in Olympic National Park."

Shea Johnson
The News Tribune
Shea Johnson is an investigative reporter who joined The News Tribune in 2022. He covers broad subject matters, including civil courts. His work was recognized in 2023 and 2024 by the Society of Professional Journalists Western Washington Chapter. He previously covered city and county governments in Las Vegas and Southern California. He received his bachelor’s degree from Cal State San Bernardino. Support my work with a digital subscription
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