Bay Area hiker rescued after reporting mountain lion stalking him near San Jose

A Bay Area hiker was airlifted to safety after reporting that he was stalked by a mountain lion on a trail in the foothills east of San Jose.

The hiker was walking the Boccardo Loop Trail inside Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve late last week when he said that a mountain lion was following him, according to the Santa Clara County Sheriff's Office.

With limited cellphone service and concerned that he could not safely continue, the man stopped about two miles from the trailhead and called for help, the sheriff's office said.

The department's helicopter responded to assist San Jose police, located the hiker and landed to pick him up. He was brought out of the preserve without injury.

Sierra Vista Open Space Preserve is home to mountain lions, along with bobcats and other wildlife, according to the Santa Clara Valley Open Space Authority. The 1,611-acre preserve has about nine miles of trails and sits in the eastern foothills of Santa Clara County.

Mountain lions generally avoid people, and attacks are rare, the California Department of Fish and Wildlife says.

People who encounter one are advised not to run or turn their backs on the animal. Instead, CDFW recommends facing the mountain lion, remaining calm, making noise, making yourself appear larger and giving the animal a way to escape.

The agency's published records list fewer than 50 verified mountain lion attacks on humans in California since 1890, including six that were fatal.

Its most recent published list, updated in August 2025, includes several nonfatal attacks in Santa Clara County, including one involving a child in Cupertino in 2014 and another in Rancho San Antonio County Park in 2020.

The Open Space Authority advises visitors to stay alert in mountain lion habitat and not hike, bike or jog alone. If a mountain lion is encountered, visitors should keep their distance, avoid approaching the animal and leave the area once it is safe to do so.