by Jon Wicklund
We are approaching the end of potential summer and fall bear encounters, but we are not there yet…so don’t let your guard down. Seeing a bear in the wild can be an unforgettable—and hopefully safe—moment. What happens next depends partly on choices made long before that moment: how you travel, where you camp, and whether a bear finds food around you or others.
Most bear encounters end without injury, but bears are powerful wild animals whose behavior is not always predictable. Preparation can reduce risk but cannot guarantee safety in all situations. This guide covers hiking and camping around North American black, brown and grizzly bears. Before traveling, check the destination’s current wildlife guidance.
Start before you reach the trail
Find out which bears live in the area, check closures and recent warnings, and learn the local food-storage requirements. A storage method permitted at one destination may be prohibited at another. Ask rangers or land managers about bear activity and recommended precautions.
Learn to identify any bears you may encounter. Color and size alone are unreliable: black bears can be black, brown, cinnamon or blond. Grizzlies typically have a prominent shoulder hump, a concave facial profile, and smaller, rounded ears. Black bears generally have a straighter profile and taller ears. Never move closer to inspect these features. Territories for different species can overlap, too.
Give bears a chance to avoid you
Stay alert, travel with others, and keep the group together. Leave earbuds off so you can hear your surroundings. Keep children close and dogs leashed—or leave dogs at home. A dog that chases or confronts a bear can turn a passing encounter into a dangerous one.
Make your presence known with your voice, especially near blind bends, thick vegetation, or noisy water. Stay on maintained trails and take extra care where visibility is limited. In grizzly country, BearWise recommends hiking with at least three people.
Avoid approaching carcasses and never move between a bear and its cubs. If you discover a fresh carcass, leave by the route you came and report it to a ranger. Watch wildlife with binoculars or a zoom lens rather than closing the distance. Follow the destination’s viewing rules: Yellowstone, for example, requires at least 100 yards between visitors and bears. That is a local rule, not a universal distance for every setting.
Keep food out of the equation
Bear safety extends beyond the snack in your hand. Trash, toiletries, pet food, and food-soiled cookware or clothing also need proper storage. Keep food and scented items out of your tent. Use the destination’s required lockers, approved bear-resistant containers, or other authorized storage systems. A sealed bag does not replace bear-resistant storage.
Maintain separate sleeping, cooking, and food-storage areas according to local guidance. Clean up promptly, keep containers secured, and pack out scraps and garbage—including fruit peels and apple cores. Do not burn leftovers or trash; remnants and odors can attract bears after you leave. Feeding a bear, deliberately or accidentally, teaches it to seek meals around people.
Carry bear spray where you can reach it
Where permitted and recommended, carry quality bear spray in an accessible holster. A canister buried in a backpack may be impossible to retrieve in time. Read its instructions, check the expiration date, and practice drawing it with an inert training canister. Each person should carry their own spray and know how to use it.
Bear spray is a defensive deterrent, not a preventive coating. Never apply it to your body, tent, or equipment—the peppers that can stop a bear when sprayed actually can attract bears after they dry. If a bear threatens or charges, deploy it according to the product instructions and local training: remove the safety clip, aim slightly downward toward the approaching bear, and create a spray cloud in its path. Wind can affect the cloud. Learn your canister’s operating range before the trip rather than relying on one distance for every product.
Experts advise that a good bear spray is more effective than a firearm. No handgun is going to stop an enraged bear; at least, not until it has done serious damage. A firearm should be considered an absolute last resort.
If you see a bear, pause and assess
If the bear has not noticed you: Do not approach. Quietly withdraw while watching it, with your spray ready.
If the bear notices you: Stay calm, gather your group, and speak in a calm human voice. Give it space and an escape route. A bear standing on its hind legs may be investigating rather than threatening. If it remains stationary, slowly move away while keeping it in view. Never run or try to climb a tree.
If the bear approaches or charges: Stop retreating, stand your ground, and prepare to use your spray. A surprised bear may huff, snap its jaws, or charge defensively. Avoid escalating that encounter with sudden movements or aggressive shouting. Do not assume that a charge is a bluff.
If a bear persistently follows or deliberately approaches: Become assertive. Face it, group together, make yourself look larger, shout, and use bear spray if it continues within range. Persistent interest requires a different response from a surprised bear trying to protect its space. Do not offer food or discard your pack to distract it.
If an encounter becomes an attack
Do not drop and play dead simply because you see a bear. The following National Park Service guidance concerns an actual attack:
- A defensive brown/grizzly bear attack: Play dead. Lie face down, clasp your hands behind your neck, spread your legs for stability, and leave your pack on. Stay still until the bear leaves. If the attack persists or becomes predatory, fight back.
- A black bear attack: Do not play dead. Escape into a secure car or building if possible; otherwise, fight back vigorously, targeting the face and muzzle.
- Any bear that stalks you and attacks, or attacks you in your tent: Fight back with whatever is available.
These distinctions need local context. BearWise and Alaska wildlife officials emphasize behavior and recommend playing dead during defensive physical attacks, including rare defensive black bear attacks. Learn the guidance for your destination before departure.
Once safe, seek emergency help for injuries and report threatening encounters or attacks to the responsible wildlife agency or park staff. Your report can help protect the next person on the trail.
An enjoyable camping and/or hiking trip in bear country begins with respect: give bears room, keep food secure, and prepare before you need to react.
Don’t assume you’re home free
It’s natural to maintain a high degree of awareness when we’re out in the wilds. Unfortunately, that doesn’t mean you can let your guard down when you’re back home. Home invasions by bears are at record high levels, according to Colorado Parks & Wildlife. Drought, combined with excess bear populations in many areas, have made bears less wary and much more aggressive as they try to stave off starvation…even in major cities.
This summer, a black wear wandered into the lobby of the Grand Timber Lodge in Breckinridge. There have been dozens of reports of bears breaking through sturdy garage doors and into cars in search of food. It should be obvious, too, that if you leave a patio door open while cooking up a T-bone is highly likely to attract a dinner guest you didn’t invite. A screen door poses no barrier to a 500-pound hungry animal.
It doesn’t hurt to keep your bear spray nearby in the kitchen…and always give an invading bear a way out.
Advance preparation and knowledge will allow us to peacefully coexist with our bruin neighbors. And it might just save your life.
