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What time of day are bears most active in Yellowstone?

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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It's perfectly possible to spot a bear any time of day in the Park, especially in cooler weather, but mid-summer you are unlikely to see bears out in the heat of the day, when they tend to nap in the forest. You don't need to go hiking into the backcountry to see bears.

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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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Grizzly bears are most commonly observed in Lamar Valley, Swan Lake Flats, Gardiners Hole, Dunraven Pass, Hayden Valley, and in the wet meadows along the East Entrance Road from Fishing Bridge to the East Entrance of the park.

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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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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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Slowly back away. If a bear charges, stand your ground as running may lead to chasing. Most charges are bluffs.

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For 27 years, Jackson Hole Grizzly 399 has been strolling into human, biological and conservation history in the Greater Yellowstone Ecosystem. Unbeknownst to her, she's become the most famous living wild bear on Earth.

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Bear Safety
  1. Keep at least 100 yards (93 m) from bears at all times and never approach a bear to take a photo.
  2. Never feed bears. ...
  3. If a bear approaches or touches your car, honk your horn and drive away to discourage this behavior.


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Yellowstone hosts two bear species: grizzly bears and black bears. Of the two, black bears are more prevalent, making grizzly bear sighting less common.

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