Colorado park closed after reports of aggressive mountain lion behavior

JEFFERSON COUNTY, Colo. — A Colorado park is closed after multiple reports by hikers of aggressive behavior from mountain lions.

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Deer Creek Canyon Park was closed and additional wildlife officers were called in to investigate, KDVR reported.

“We made the call to err on the side of safety to close the park down and get our wildlife officers in here to comb over the area to see what (hikers) are seeing,” Colorado Parks and Wildlife’s Jason Clay told KDVR.

Sightings of unusual mountain lion behavior started coming in about two weeks ago, Clay said. Mountain lion encounters, while rare, can occur. Typically the elusive big cats run off when they encounter a human, however these ones have not.

“Then last night, a similar deal: an encounter with a mountain lion on the trail and that mountain lion didn’t want to run off,” Clay said. “It is something that made us think enough to say ‘let’s close it down and take a look to make sure it’s an area that’s going to be safe’ for a very popular park where people want to come out to enjoy the outdoors.”

Jefferson County Open Space said access to Black Bear Trail from Hildebrand Ranch Park is also closed, KCNC reported.

Details on when the park will reopen have not been released.

Cox Media Group