A woman hiking the Pacific Coast Trail north of Los Angeles says she fought off an attacking bear by stabbing it.

The 25-year-old woman told Los Angeles County sheriff’s deputies that she was in the Vasquez Rocks park on Thursday when a small black bear ran toward her. The woman says she pulled a knife from her backpack and stabbed it in the shoulder and the animal fled.

The woman had a scratched wrist but declined treatment.

Authorities evacuated the area and closed the park for several hours. They found bear droppings but no tracks or other signs of the bear and the park was reopened.


Vazquez Rocks is a rugged, rocky area that is a popular filming site for TV shows and movies.