Hiking and camping in bear country can be daunting. The thought of rounding a corner and coming face-to-face with a bear, or hearing one rummaging through your campsite in the middle of the night, is enough to make many people avoid the backcountry altogether.
But bear safety is something every hiker and camper can learn. With the right knowledge, precautions, and respect for these powerful animals, spending time in bear country can shift from nerve-wracking to incredibly rewarding.
In this guide, you’ll learn essential bear safety tips for hiking, backpacking, and camping in bear territory. I’ll cover the differences between black and brown bears, how to hike and camp with bears safely, and what to do if you encounter a bear.
NOTE: For the sake of this blog post, I will focus on black, brown, and grizzly bears, as they are the most prevalent throughout North America.
Bear Safety Tips for Hikers and Campers
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Black Bears Vs. Brown Bears Vs. Grizzly Bears
First, what’s the difference between a black bear, a brown bear, and a grizzly bear? It can be a bit difficult to discern the difference because black bears can be brown in color, and brown bears can be black in color. So here are some ways to tell the two apart!
Black Bears
Black bears are the most common bear found in North America, and they are also the least aggressive.
They feed mostly on insects, berries, and fruit.
Qualities that make black bears stand out are pointed, tall ears, short claws, a straight face profile, and a lack of a shoulder hump.
IMPORTANT: Many black bears are actually brown in color, so identification is also not reliable by fur hue alone.
Brown Bears and Grizzly Bears
When it comes to brown bears and grizzly bears, you might be fascinated to know that they are actually the same species.
The characteristic that differentiates the two is that grizzly bears, a subspecies of brown bears, are found inland and don’t have access to a coastal-based diet.
Brown bears are found along the coast and feed mostly on fish, plants, berries, and other small mammals.
Since they are the same species, I will be referring to them both as brown bears for the rest of this blog post.
Brown bears have a shoulder hump, short, rounded ears, a concave face profile, and long claws. And similar to black bears, many brown bears can be so dark that they appear black, so identification is nearly impossible by fur color alone.
Where Are Bears Found in North America?
Black bears are found in many states in the USA (mostly in the north and east/west coasts), some parts of Mexico, and a generous portion of Canada.
Brown bears are found in northern and western Canada, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Montana.
Refer to the chart below to see exactly which bears are found in which states and provinces!
Hiking With Bears – How to Hike Safely in Bear Country
Because bears are wild and unpredictable, it’s impossible to know exactly how they’ll react in every situation. However, following these bear safety tips gives you the best chance of avoiding an unwanted encounter.
Hike in Groups
Hiking in groups of two or more gives you a better chance of avoiding a bear encounter.
In most cases, bears want nothing to do with people. The more hikers in your group, the more likely a bear is to hear your footsteps or voices and move away before you ever see it.
A larger group also means more eyes and ears on the trail, increasing the chances that someone will spot or hear a bear early so everyone can react appropriately.
Hike in the Daylight Hours
Bears are generally most active from dusk to dawn. To reduce your chances of running into a bear, hike mid-day.
If you’d like to catch a sunrise or sunset, make sure that you hike in a group, make a lot of noise, and try to avoid trails that crawl through dense forests and are riddled with frequent tight corners and switchbacks.
Wide-open, sparse trails devoid of trees and plants are ideal for avoiding a shocking bear confrontation.
Make Noise
Humans and bears alike are perfectly content not interacting with one another.
But if you surprise a bear, you’re triggering its natural defense mechanism.
To avoid surprising a bear, make noise. You can accomplish this simply by talking, singing, clapping, or shouting “hey bear!” every once in a while.
Hike in the Winter
Perhaps the simplest way to avoid bears is by hiking during their hibernation window. In most cases, it’s winter!
Note that not all bears fully hibernate (such as the Smokies black bears!), so while rare, it is possible to see a bear during the colder months.
Be Aware of Your Surroundings
Pay attention to the environment that you’re wandering through. You should always do this, but keeping your head on a constant swivel is especially crucial in bear territory.
If you’re near loud running water, inside dense forest, on a switchback, in a windy area, or hiking through rain, you’ll need to be extra cautious and alert. Neither you nor the bears will be able to hear each other, so it’s extra important to keep your eyes peeled and continue to make noise.
Also, as you hike, watch out for fresh bear scat, prints and tracks, and carcasses on the trails. These are all indications that a bear has recently been in the area and may either be returning or is somewhere nearby.
Here’s a great article on how to identify and distinguish bear scat. The same website has another great article on animal print identification. This way, you can differentiate between animals like bears, bobcats, or even mountain goats!
Carry Bear Spray
Carrying an EPA-approved bear spray like this one provides a last resort of protection should you get attacked by a bear.
Bear spray isn’t like a bug repellent; it shouldn’t be doused on you or your gear to deter bears. (This action may actually attract bears). It should only be used in the event that a bear begins to approach or attack you.
While this spray may just save your life, don’t allow its presence to grant you a false sense of security; always stay aware of your surroundings and follow all other precautions as you hike in bear country.
Always place your bear spray in a spot where you can access it right away. In the event of a bear attack, you don’t want to be rummaging through your pack in search of your spray; the delay could cost you your life. The bear spray I’ve linked includes a holster for the spray so that you can clip it to your waistband or pack’s hip belt for easy access.
Also, before you venture into bear country with your spray, make sure you know how to use it. Practice discharging a spare one at home.
IMPORTANT: Some parks, such as Yosemite National Park, do not allow bear spray. Research the rules of the park or area that you will be exploring before you go.
Keep Your Dogs and Children By Your Side
Don’t allow your children or dogs to wander ahead of you or lag behind. Keep them directly in front of you or beside you so that they don’t unintentionally surprise a bear.
Always leash your dogs!
Avoid Trail Running in Bear Country
Trail running is strongly discouraged in bear country as chances of provoking an attack or surprising a bear escalate dramatically.
If you do decide to trail run in bear country, make sure you don’t run alone, don’t wear earbuds, and make lots of noise as you run.
Don’t Litter
Not only does littering violate Leave No Trace, but the act can quite literally leave a dangerous breadcrumb trail right to you.
If you drop a trail of food crumbs or trash, a bear will pick up on the scent and could follow you in search of a second helping.
Keep your food sealed in your backpack unless you are actively eating.
Camping With Bears – How to Go Camping and Backpacking Safely in Bear Country
Properly Store Your Food
Whether you’re in the frontcountry or backcountry, storing your food correctly in bear country is crucial – for both humans and bears.
Before I share how to properly store your food, let me explain why bears shouldn’t eat human food.
As soon as a bear gets its paws on human food, it’s more likely to approach people in search of more, gradually losing its fear of humans.
Once bears grow comfortable around humans and lose that fear, they will want to be around people frequently, making it even more likely that humans will get approached or attacked, and more likely that bears will have to be put down.
Also, by eating human food, the bears will lose their preference for natural food sources, like berries, plants, fish, and small mammals, and they will begin craving unhealthy “people snacks” like cookies and chips. This could cause a catastrophic biological problem that has the potential to have a serious domino effect on the species.
To help yourself (not get approached) and the bear (stay alive and healthy), store your food properly with bear storage.
Bear storage was invented to help reduce the attraction and temptation that bears feel around our food. By not being able to smell or be granted access to our food and other scented products, bears will be more likely to maintain a sizeable distance.
Bear storage is required in many parks throughout North America, and is strongly recommended in other places. Sometimes bear storage is recommended or required even outside of bear country to deter smaller, less harmful critters and rodents such as raccoons and squirrels.
Be sure to check online or with a local ranger about bear storage requirements before beginning your adventure.
So how do you store your food in bear country? There are a few ways:
- Bear canister – hard-sided can with a locking lid, can be set 300 feet away from your campsite, heaviest and bulkiest, but safest and most effective method
- Bear bag – a bag with puncture-proof material, lightest method, needs to be hung on a tree at least 12 feet from the ground
- Bear locker – big metal bins with doors, only available at select frontcountry (and sometimes backcountry) campgrounds
- Locked vehicle – a simple solution for frontcountry campers, keep your car locked because bears can open doors
Properly Set Up Your Campsite
As displayed in the graph above, arrange your sleeping space, food, and kitchen area in a triangle formation.
Your tent, food, and kitchen setup should all be at least 300 feet apart from one another, and the food and kitchen should be downwind from your sleeping area.
If you have a bear canister at camp, aside from making sure it is 300 feet downwind from your tent, place the canister on flat, level ground, away from cliffs, hills, or water sources where it can be knocked off or swept away.
Keep it propped against a tree or tucked between some boulders or logs to ensure that a bear can’t use its paws to pick it up or maneuver it away from your campsite.
NOTE: This arrangement isn’t always possible in the frontcountry, especially if you have a small campsite. The most important thing to remember is that your bear canister should never be inside your tent or even beside your tent. Stow it as far away from your tent as possible. Also, cook as far away from your tent as possible.
Keep a Clean Camp
Lock all trash securely in your bear canister or bear bag. If you’re staying at an established campground, utilize their bear-proof dumpsters.
Use unscented soap to clean clothes and dishes.
Spread dirty dishwater at least 300 feet from your tent. Use a strainer to capture any stray scraps of food and toss those remains into your trash bag.
Never wear clothes to bed that you’ve eaten in. Crumbs could’ve dropped on your shirt, or spills could be on your pants, which could attract a bear when they come foraging through campsites at night. Keep those dirty clothes in your bear canister and pull on a clean outfit to wear when sleeping.
What Should Be Stored in a Bear Canister or Bear Bag?
While this list isn’t extensive, these are the main items to toss in your bear canister or bear bag. Never leave any of these items unattended in your backpack, in your tent, or at your campsite, day or night.
- Food
- Trash
- Drinks other than water
- Toiletries, such as toothbrushes, toothpaste, lotion, cream, feminine products, wipes, soap, lip balm, and deodorant.
- Vitamins or flavored tablets that might normally live in your first aid kit, such as chewable Pepto, Advil, or Tums.
- Bug spray
- Sunscreen
- Dirty (used) dishes
An easy way to determine what goes in your bear canister versus what can be left out is to ask yourself: does this item have a scent?
If in doubt, store it in the bear canister/bag.
How to React to a Bear Encounter (And What to Do If Attacked)
You’re more likely to encounter a bear than be attacked by one. Bear attacks are super rare. But it’s important to know what to do should you see one or be approached by one.
If you come across a black bear, here’s what you need to do:
- First, don’t panic. And never approach or walk closer to the bear.
- Look out for cubs. Momma bears whose young are nearby are the most protective, and therefore, the most aggressive. You want to stay far away from cubs.
- Stay facing the bear and walk away slowly. Do not turn your back on the bear.
- Yell loudly (shout “hey bear!”) to try to scare off the bear.
- Avoid eye contact.
Typically, that’ll do the trick. They’ll almost always run away after hearing you shout.
But if the black bear keeps approaching you, and you think you’re about to be attacked, here’s what to do:
- DO NOT PLAY DEAD.
- If possible, try to escape to a car or building.
- If escape isn’t possible, fight back using any objects you can find.
- Discharge your bear spray.
- Kick and punch the bear’s face and muzzle.
If you come across a brown bear, here’s what you need to do:
- First, don’t panic. And never approach or walk closer to the bear.
- Look out for cubs. Momma bears whose young are nearby are the most protective, and therefore, the most aggressive. You want to stay far away from cubs.
- Talk to the bear calmly while backing away slowly sideways. (Sideways is non-threatening to bears). Do not turn your back on the bear.
- Do not make eye contact.
If the brown bear is not backing off and goes to attack you, here’s what to do:
- Discharge your bear spray first.
- PLAY DEAD.
- Do NOT turn away and run.
- Leave your backpack on and drop to the ground, stomach down. Cover your head and neck with your hands and arms, and spread your legs to make it harder for the bear to turn you over.
- Stay very still. Don’t make any noise or sudden movements. Wait until you can’t hear the bear anymore before getting up and leaving the area.
- Do NOT fight back unless absolutely necessary. Fighting back will make the attack more aggressive, but if it is your last result, fight for your life. Use any objects you can find, and punch/kick as much as necessary.
IMPORTANT: Report ALL bear encounters and attacks to park authorities as soon as you can!
New to Hiking? Start Here!
I’ve got many guides on the blog that will help get you outside and onto the trails!
- Hiking for Beginners: 5 Easy Steps to Start Hiking
- Is Hiking Safe? 9 Simple Ways to Stay Safe on the Trail
- The 10 Essentials For Hikers and Campers
- How to Practice the Leave No Trace Principles
- What to Wear Hiking in the Summer (As a Woman)
- 7 Fall Hiking Tips
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