Can you bring bear spray into Yellowstone?

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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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.

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Take an active role in protecting yourself and the bears people come to Yellowstone to see: carry bear spray and learn how to use it! Bear spray is a non-lethal deterrent designed to stop aggressive behavior in bears.

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If you have a trip planned to Yosemite National Park this summer, go ahead and leave the bear spray at home. It's not allowed within park boundaries. Bear spray is actually considered a weapon according to the park's regulations.

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Grizzly and black bears thrive in the Grand Teton and Yellowstone ecosystem. You may encounter bears anywhere in the Jackson Hole area and National Parks. Bear Spray costs $40 to $60 per can, are non-refundable, and cannot be taken aboard airplanes.

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Remember, always carry bear spray when hiking in Grand Teton, practice with inert cans often, and be bear aware! Stay safe out there and enjoy yourself while recreating responsibly in Grand Teton.

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If you have bear spray, have it out and ready to use.
  1. If you have bear spray, have it out and ready to use.
  2. Do not run. This could trigger a chase response from the bear.
  3. Remain calm.
  4. Slowly back away from the bear.
  5. Say, It's okay bear, or I'm leaving bear, to let the bear know you are a human.


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Consider that roughly 2.5 million people visit the Grand Tetons each year, and roughly one-half of all visitors will venture into the backcountry. However, there have been only six reported bear attacks in the park since 1994 - none of which were fatal.

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The average amount of bear attacks in Yellowstone is 1 per year. Yellowstone receives over 4 million visitors per year, so the odds of an attack are minuscule. In the entire history of the park, only 8 people have been killed in bear attacks, and many of these happened when feeding the bears was legal.

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Grizzly bears are active primarily at dawn, dusk, and night. In spring, they may be seen around Yellowstone Lake, Fishing Bridge, Hayden and Lamar valleys, Swan Lake Flats, and the East Entrance.

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We have the proper optics and equipment, so you can witness and film bears out in the field. Hands down the best time of year to see bears in Yellowstone is between mid-April and the first week of June.

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Lamar Valley Valleys and meadows are the best places to spot Yellowstone bears. And what better place to start looking for grizzly bears in Yellowstone than the area known as “America's Serengeti”?

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