After this blazing hot summer, there’s nothing better than taking to the trails for fall’s cool, bluebird days—it’s the perfect time to get in the last of the great biking and a few hikes through the aspens in preparation for your Nordic season.
This year, you might notice a bit more wildlife on your favorite trails. Due to the summer’s drought-like conditions, we could see more encounters with our bear friends this fall.
Drought conditions affect predator and prey animals as they struggle for food sources and move where food supply is abundant. This means you might see bears where you haven’t in previous years or even experience more interactive behavior as they search for food in human territory.
Local governments in Breckenridge, Dillon, Frisco, Fraser, Granby, Grand Lake, Winter Park, and Summit County have all instituted trash ordinances due to increasing human-bear conflicts, and Eagle County reports there’s already been unusually high bear activity year-over-year, likely due to the hot, dry summer we’ve had. Here’s what you need to know to keep yourself and the bears as safe as possible:
Why You Need to be Bear Aware Right Now
Fall is already a super active feeding time for bears because of hyperphagia, a state of intense hunger that drives them to feed nonstop in preparation for winter hibernation. Thanks to the dry summer, Colorado bears are already feeling the pressure to find food sources.
Because bears feed on grass, sedges, and berries in the late spring and summer, a dry summer like this one can kill off some of these food sources and send bears looking to other options, especially near trailheads, campsites, and dumpsters—anywhere they can scavenge for human food.
If you see a bear:
- The good news: bears seldom attack. They’re sensitive and shy and would rather run—be sure to give them space to get away, and never corner them or block an exit.
- If you see a bear, be calm and speak normally—it gives a bear the chance to be aware of you and leave.
- If a bear doesn’t leave or stands on its hind legs, it’s trying to catch your scent and understand what’s nearby. If it huffs or stamps, it wants space; step off the downhill side of the trail, keep eye contact, and let the bear pass.
- If a bear seems curious/approaching, make noise and wave your arms to discourage it.
- Never run; stand your ground. And if a bear attacks, throw rocks or sticks and fight back. Don’t play dead.
Tips for staying safe:
- Pay attention to what food you leave locked in your car at a trailhead, even if it’s just gum or granola bars. Double bag your food and pack out your trash so bears don’t associate trails with food.
- If a bear is near your campsite or condo, don’t encourage it to linger and definitely never feed it. Put away hummingbird feeders and bring pet bowls and food indoors.
- When hiking, leave your headphones at home. Be alert and aware on trails and make plenty of noise so bears can hear you coming.
- Keep dogs leashed. Dogs should always be leashed on trails, especially when in bear territory, where an off-leash dog could surprise a bear and get injured—or come running back to you with an angry bear on its heels.
- Avoid traveling through bears’ favorite foraging places, like oak brush full of acorns or berry patches. Stay on the trail.
- When hiking with small children, keep them between adults, not ahead or behind.
Bears are some of the most beautiful creatures to call this corner of the Rocky Mountains home, and we’re lucky to see them near the trails we love. With a little planning and some bear-savvy prep, you’ll be in great shape to tackle your favorite hikes and rides without any surprises.