Can I use bear spray in Yosemite?

(Bear spray/pepper spray is not allowed in Yosemite.) If you have food out and are having trouble scaring the bear away, pack up all your food and leave the area. Throwing food at the bear or leaving food behind will only encourage its behavior and likely result in the bear's death.



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Some rules vary between National Parks and National Forests. Can I bring a weapon or firearms into the parks? Weapons (including, but not limited to, BB, Pellet and Paint Guns, Bow/Arrow, Slingshots, Bear Spray and other compressed gas irritant devices) are illegal to possess.

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NOTE: Bear spray is not allowed in every national park. Check with your national park to see if bear pepper spray is recommended or allowed for the activities you have planned. Having bear spray isn't useful if you don't know how to use it!

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Where to See Yosemite Bears. Black bears are scaredy cats. They mainly stay away from humans, but you have a good chance of seeing one in Yosemite National Park among oak trees and meadows. Since they don't like being around humans, black bears live and travel in heavily wooded areas.

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Once in hibernation, bears in Yosemite typically don't become active again until late March or April.

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If you do any hiking or camping in Yellowstone, you SHOULD bring bear spray. Generally, you don't need bear spray when visiting the popular and crowded geyser areas and villages, such as Old Faithful and Canyon Village.

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Mountain lions—also called cougars, pumas or panthers—roam Yosemite's mountains and valleys. These important predators, native to the Americas, are a natural part of the Yosemite landscape.

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Food storage canisters are required in parts of Sequoia and Kings Canyon National Parks, Inyo, Sierra and Humboldt-Toiyabe National Forests, and in all of Yosemite, Desolation Wilderness, Lassen Volcanic National Parks and are necessary in Mt. Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.

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Stay away from river and creek banks during high water conditions and avoid rock hopping. Stream polished rocks along the water's edge may be slippery when wet or dry. If you choose to cross a stream without a bridge, avoid deep and/or swift water.

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These large individuals of the Mountain Coyote are the present day wolves of the Yosemite region. No true wolf is known to have occurred anywhere in middle California since about 1870.

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Global climate change is impacting Yosemite. Worldwide emissions of greenhouse gases trap heat in the atmosphere, leading to rapid warming observed across the western US. Scientists project that average temperatures in the park may rise by 6.7–10.3°F between 2000 and 2100.

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