Mountain lion spotted on Park City hiking trail

A mountain lion. Photo: Courtesy of Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.

PARK CITY, Utah — According to a statement from the Park City Police Department (PCPD), officers recently received a report of a mountain lion on a hiking trail within Park City limits.

“Which is not uncommon throughout the year,” said a statement from the PCPD. “The hiker did the right thing and left the area, and then called 911.”

Although mountain lion attacks are rare in the U.S., the PCPD has offered the following tips to prevent conflicts with mountain lions:

• Do not hike or jog alone.
• Maintain awareness and avoid using headphones that block out your surroundings.
• If you live in an area near deer habitat, do not leave children, pets, or livestock outside unattended, especially at dawn and dusk.
• Trim vegetation and remove wood piles to reduce hiding places for wildlife.
• In the rare event that you do happen to encounter a mountain lion, here are some tips to help keep you safe:
• Never run from a cougar since that could trigger the cougar’s instincts to chase.
• Maintain eye contact.
• Pick up children and pets or keep them very close.
• Stand up tall. Make yourself look bigger by raising and waving your arms or jacket above your head. Talk firmly in a loud voice, back away slowly, and leave the area.
• Fight back if you are attacked! Protect your head and neck.

Find more information on mountain lion encounters here.