Nothing gives you quite the thrill as spotting your first grizzly bear (Ursus arctos) in Yellowstone National Park. However, many visitors to the park never have this opportunity and leave disappointed. So how do you increase your chances of a successful sighting?
Early spring is the best time to see grizzly bears in Yellowstone
The likelihood of seeing a grizzly bear in Yellowstone during the summer months is not high. They hibernate in the winter months so it’s a ‘no’ on sightings that time of year. Grizzlies start to come out of their dens March through May and are hungry and thirsty. So, this is great time to spot them. Males usually are the first to emerge, followed by the females with their cubs. We visited Yellowstone the first half of May 2010 and saw three different grizzlies.
Best places to see grizzly bears in Yellowstone
Some people recall the years when bears frequented the roadways and dump sites in Yellowstone and visitors to the park were often photographed feeding the bears or watching the bears forage for food in the dumps. Those days are gone. The bear management program which was started in 1970 helped the bears return to foraging for their food naturally and severed their dependence on being fed, raiding garbage cans, and frequenting dumps for their food.
You are most likely to see a grizzly when it first leaves its winter den and is in hunt of water and food. They are most often seen in the Dunraven Pass area, Lamar Valley, Mount Washburn, Hayden Valley, and in the Fishing Bridge area. When they first emerge from their winter’s slumber they are hungry and thirsty: look for them on the carcasses of dead animals, in lush grassy places along rivers and streams, and in and along the rivers as they head for a long drink or to feast on spawning fish. Sightings of wildlife are also listed at most Yellowstone lodges: check at the registration desk for the most recent grizzly sightings.
Grizzly bears are active primarily during the night and at dawn and dusk (Schleyer 1983, Harting 1985, Gunther 1991). One way to find them is by using a high power spotting scope just before sunrise and just before sunset – scan for them in open meadows.
Safety first when watching grizzly bears in Yellowstone
Grizzlies are powerful predators, weighing as much as 600 pounds, and in spite of their size they are fast runners. Females are very protective of their cubs and will charge anyone who they perceive as threatening them. Some areas within Yellowstone are closed in the spring to backpacking, camping, and off-road vehicles because of bear activity. You can get information on all closings from the visitors’ centers, or the Yellowstone website. Always abide by the closings.
Never approach a bear, especially a mama and her cubs. Do not put yourself between a mother bear and her cubs. Never surprise a bear. When you are out and about make noise: sing, whistle, or talk while you hike.
So to wrap up: increase your chances of spotting a grizzly bear by visiting in the spring, taking a high-powered scope, and looking for them at feed sights or waterways. Remember that grizzly sightings are best done from a safe distance. Don’t forget your camera – preferably one with a zoom lens.
Sources
- National Park Service. Where Are All the Bears?
- Main Yellowstone Net Grizzly Page.
- Introduction to Yellowstone’s Grizzlies.
- Gunther, K.G. 1991. Grizzly bear activity and human induced modifications in Pelican Valley Yellowstone National Park. M.S. Thesis, Montana State Univ., Bozeman. 102pp.
- Harting, A.L. 1985. Relationships between activity patterns and foraging strategies of Yellowstone grizzly bears. M.S. Thesis, Montana State Univ., Bozeman. 103pp.
- Schleyer, B.O. 1983. Activity patterns of grizzly bears in the Yellowstone ecosystem and their reproductive behavior, predation, and the use of carrion. M.S. Thesis, Montana State Univ., Bozeman. 130pp.
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