Yosemite Bear Information

Be Bear-Aware!!

Black bears in Yosemite have long been of intense interest to both park visitors and park managers. For visitors, the sight of a bear can evoke a mixture of excitement, awe, and fear; all of which can mark the highlight of a vacation.

Bears are intelligent and adaptable, and will readily accept human foods when they are available. Bears that are exposed to human food often change their behavior and begin seeking it in campgrounds, parking lots, and from backpackers. This results in property damage and dangerous confrontations between humans and bears. The ecological role of such bears is also changed their use of natural foods diminishes, they become more nocturnal, and the elevation range of habitat use changes. When a bear's search for human food makes them aggressive toward humans, it poses an unacceptably high threat, and in many cases they must be killed. As a result, black bears have been the subject of intense management efforts in Yosemite for many years, to protect both people and the bears.

Food Storage
Food storage regulations in Yosemite are very important for both you and the survival of the black bears.

“Food” includes any item with a scent, regardless of packaging. This may include items that you do not consider food, such as canned goods, bottles, drinks, soaps, cosmetics, toiletries, trash, ice chests (even when empty), and unwashed items used for preparing or eating meals.

In your car
You may store food in your car only during daylight hours. Do not store food in your car after dark; use a food locker. Remember to clear your car of food wrappers, crumbs in baby seats, and baby wipes. Even canned food and drinks must be removed from your car. You must store all your food in food lockers. Bears may enter campsites even in your presence, and some will even check bear boxes to see if they’re latched.

Keep your locker closed and latched at all times, just like you would a freezer.

Only have the food out that you are actually using; if you're not using it, put it back into the food locker.

Finally, treat your trash like food; keep it in your food locker or dispose of it in a bear-proof dumpster. Do not leave it sitting out.

Food may be stored out of sight in hard-sided trailers and RVs, as long as windows, doors, and vents are closed when you're not there. Food may not be stored in pop-up or tent trailers, or other soft-sided campers.

In picnic areas and on the trail
Do not leave your food unattended. Always keep your food within an arm’s reach and don’t turn your back to your food. Bears may investigate picnic areas or backpacks for food even in your presence, so be alert.

While backpacking in the wilderness
Bear resistant food containers ("bear canisters") are required for overnight hikers in most of the Yosemite Wilderness and are strongly recommended everywhere else. Hanging food is only a delaying tactic for bears, as bears can easily climb trees. In Yosemite and the Southern Sierra, bear canisters are the only effective and proven method of preventing bears from getting human food.

What to do if you see a bear
You may not see a bear during your visit because bears naturally avoid people. If you do see a bear, what you should do depends on the situation. In any case, always let a ranger know.

If you are in a developed area e.g., campground, parking lot, lodging area, act immediately to scare it away; make as much noise as possible by yelling or banging pots together, don't worry about waking people up if it's nighttime. If there is more than one person, stand together to present a more intimidating figure, but do not surround the bear.

The intent is not to harm the bear, but to scare it from the area and restore its natural fear of people by providing a negative experience.

If you see a bear anywhere else, keep your distance at least 50 yards, or about the distance four parked shuttle buses would take up. If you get closer, you will be helping the bear become used to being around people.