Backpacking in Grizzly Country: How to Do It Safely

Jessica Cockroft
July 18, 2024

My first trip into grizzly country wasn’t backpacking. We car-camped our way through Montana, Wyoming, and Idaho, stopping overnight to swim in icy rivers or relax in pristine, natural hot springs.

One evening, we got to our campsite way past dark. Thanks so much for that, Old Faithful… Once we cut the car lights, we couldn’t see a thing. My friend, a local fly-fishing guide, knew there had been some grizzly activity in this area and suggested we forego our originally planned cookstove dinner. It was a great night to just eat a quick sandwich!

Backpacking in grizzly country can certainly be an adventure. Let’s discuss how to go about it safely so you can relax and enjoy the beauty.

Starting with some facts about grizzly bears seems like common sense, don’t you think?

Facts About Grizzly Bears

Before you adventure into their backyard with a pack on your back, you should get to know a predator. It helps to know their habits and behavior and know how to recognize signs of activity. Why? Because that knowledge can inform YOUR habits, behavior, and activity.

Where are grizzly bears found?

Grizzlies can be found in certain mountainous regions of North America, including portions of the northwest United States and Canada. States they are known to inhabit include Montana, Alaska, Wyoming, Idaho, and Washington.

How long do grizzly bears live?

A healthy grizzly bear typically lives around 25 years, although some wild bears have been estimated to be 35 years old before succumbing to old age. Grizzlies are considered mature adults around four years old, when reproductive capability is usually reached.

How fast can grizzly bears run?

It’s commonly accepted that a full-grown grizzly bear can run up to 35 miles per hour over short distances.

How much do grizzly bears weigh?

The average male grizzly bear weighs between 400 and 600 pounds. Females usually weigh in at 250 to 350 pounds.

What do grizzly bears eat?

Grizzly bears are omnivores, enjoying both plant matter and meat in their natural diet. They’ll happily consume berries, bugs, fish, small game, and larger prey like deer or moose when they can catch it. Like most predators, they’re most likely to attack young, sick, or injured prey. This minimizes their chance of injury and maximizes their chance for success.

So… you want to explore these creatures’ territory on foot? I don’t blame you one bit! Now that we’ve got the basics taken are of, let’s talk about how to go backpacking in grizzly territory safely.

How to Sleep With Grizzlies and Live to Tell About It

The vast majority of backpackers will make their way through grizzly territory without ever seeing one. There are only a few thousand in the lower 48 states, so it’s not like you’re walking into a den when you enter Yellowstone!

Even so, knowing what to do is important should you encounter one on the trail. You don’t want to become a bear attack statistic, and there are things you can do to help make sure you don’t.

Safety Gear to Prevent a Grizzly Attack

Keeping safe while backpacking in grizzly country doesn’t have to mean special gear, although it certainly can. First, here’s a list of things that should just be part of your backpacking get-up for any kind of bear country exploration… including the parts of North America that only have black bears.

Bear-proof food canister, like the BearVault series that have been tested and approved by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee.
Bear spray, always within easy reach.
First aid kit, including bleed-stop solutions like QuickClot.
Emergency communication, such as a satellite communicator.

If you’re in an area with lots of grizzlies, or you simply want some extra peace of mind, you can shoulder some extra weight to get it. Backpacking electric fence kits are easy to set up around your campsite each night. The downside is the extra couple of pounds it’ll add. It will also set you back a few hundred bucks.

Choosing a Tent Site in Grizzly Country

Grizzlies, just like their darker cousins, tend to leave plenty of signs for you to find. Fresh scat, tufts of hair on tree bark, prints in the mud, and claw marks in trees are good indicators of bear activity.

When it’s time to choose a site to pitch your tent, here’s what you should avoid and find.

Avoid…

Signs of activity, like the ones listed above
Natural food sources like berries or carcasses
Thick undergrowth that cuts down on visibility

Find…

Open areas with good visibility
Flat surface or boulders for your bear canister
Room to spread out so you can put space between cooking and sleeping

Your number one priority should be having a buffer between your tent site and where you cook and store your food. Use the triangulation method. That’s where you have your tent at one point, your cooking spot at another, and your overnight food storage at the third. 70 steps between each of them is sufficient.

Things to Know About Grizzly Bear Behavior

When encountering a grizzly bear, you need to discern whether it is exhibiting defensive or predatory behavior.

Defensive behavior includes swiping at the ground like a bull, bluff charges, and clacking their teeth together. You may see them stand up on their hind legs and sniff the air. That’s not necessarily a threatening move. It helps them get a better vantage point to decide whether or not you’re a threat.

These bears typically don’t want to engage with you. But they may feel like they have to. They’re either defending themselves, their cubs, or their territory. Convincing them you’re not going to be a problem is the key to these encounters.

Predatory behavior is completely different and extraordinarily rare. If a bear is in a predatory state of mind, it will stalk you like the prey that you are. You’ll have their devoted attention, and they’ll appear calm and determined. The lack of stress signals is your clue. They’re not trying to scare you away… they’re trying to catch you.

These bears have every intent to engage. If you experience a predatory grizzly, keep your spray in your hand while moving toward the nearest trailhead or other group of people to find help. Don’t turn your back, don’t run, and don’t show any sign of weakness or fear.

If a undoubtedly predatory grizzly bear attacks, do not play dead but rather fight back with all available means.

If a ear attacks while you are sleeping in your tent at night, consider it to be a predatory attack.

This kind of behavior from bears is typically dealt with swiftly by the proper authorities. Eliminating the problem bear protects future adventurers from immediate danger and ensures the behavior isn’t taught to any future offspring.

Predatory

Silently following you for an extended period of time
No warning signals or attempts to scare you away
Full attention on you with no sign of distress

Defensive

Bluff charges with hops and stops
Standing up to assess the situation
Warning signals like swatting the ground
Huffing, roaring, clacking teeth

What To Do if You Encounter a Grizzly

The number one safety step of backpacking in bear country is to make your presence known. Eliminating surprise will eliminate most encounters, so make noise as you go. If you do end up surprising one, you need to convince them you’re not a threat.

Speak calmly, using a low tone so you don’t sound like prey and trigger a predatory response.
Back away slowly side stepping. If the bear follows you, stop moving and stand your ground so it doesn’t start feeling like a pursuit to them.
If your spray isn’t already ready, get it ready.
Watch how the bear reacts to your initial feedback.

Hopefully, it will either return to its previous activity or allow you to move away. If he does follow and shows signs of agitation, you’ll need to be ready to deploy your spray and deter a charge. If you are unfortunate enough to experience bodily contact with a grizzly, your reaction will depend on your assessment of their behavior.

A defensive grizzly that knocks you to the ground will typically stop the attack when it believes it has neutralized the threat (you). To help him reach that conclusion, get onto your stomach and be still. Put your hands behind your neck/head to protect them, and spread your legs to keep yourself from rolling onto your back. Do not scream or make a sound. With a little luck, you’ll proudly declare, “‘tis but a scratch!” as you tell your gnarly tale.

But if you were observing predatory behavior prior to contact, no amount of ‘playing dead’ is going to get the bear to back off. This grizzly isn’t trying to protect itself. It’s already decided to eat you. Use anything at all as a weapon and fight back with everything you’ve got. Focus your attention on the bear’s head and face, especially its eyes. With a little luck, it’ll decide that you’re too much trouble and go hunting for an easier meal.

Backpacking with Grizzlies is for the Prepared

Yellowstone, the Tetons, the great Alaskan ranges… why would you leave these incredible wilderness destinations off your backpacking list just because of a creature you’ll probably never even see?

Well, the fact that that creature could eat you for lunch certainly makes it a valid reason. BUT… proper safety gear and a solid knowledge of bear behavior can squelch those fears and open up a world of opportunity for new trails and epic scenery. I hope this article has made Grizzly Country feel possible and you enjoy some new adventures.

Author Profile

Jessica Cockroft

Jess merges her passion for words and an insatiable longing for adventure as an outdoor freelance content writer and marketer. When she’s not busy stringing words together you’ll probably find her planning another camping trip for her crew of kids or taking care of the homestead. You can find her on LinkedIn and Instagram, as well as on her own website.