Frequent sightings of a protective bear and her cubs prompted Golden officials to shut down a popular walking trail Wednesday, according to the city.<\/p>\n
Tucker Gulch Trail was closed between First Street and Seventh Street for \u201cheavy bear activity in the area,\u201d according to the city of Golden<\/a>. The trail is a 1.1-mile trek along an abandoned railroad bed and the Tucker Gulch drainage, stretching from Vanover Park to Norman D. Park, according to the city<\/a>.<\/p>\n The Golden Police Department received several reports of a sow with two cubs in the trail closure area, city officials said.<\/p>\n \u201cThe mother bear has become increasingly protective of her cubs, creating a potential safety concern<\/a> for people using the trail,\u201d city officials said. \u201c\u2026Please avoid the closed area and do not approach or attempt to interact with bears or other wildlife.\u201d<\/p>\n Barricades will remain on either side of the closed section of the trail until further notice, according to the city of Golden.<\/p>\n The closure is roughly five miles north of Apex Park, which Jefferson County officials temporarily closed earlier this year after a bear attacked a hiker<\/a>.<\/p>\n Colorado\u2019s drought has increasingly pushed bears into urban areas in search of food, Golden officials said.<\/p>\n Colorado Parks and Wildlife confirmed last week<\/a> that wildlife officers have responded to 10 bear attacks so far this year. That\u2019s a record high, according to the agency.<\/p>\n Between Jan. 1 and Aug. 31, Colorado Parks and Wildlife also received 8,672 reports of bear sightings and conflict, more than double the reports<\/a> during that timeframe in 2025 and more than three times the five-year average<\/a>, agency officials said.<\/p>\n