• The Cathedral Group from the Teton Park Road

    Grand Teton

    National Park Wyoming

There are park alerts in effect.
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  • Bears are active in Grand Teton

    Black and grizzly bears are roaming throughout the park--near roads, trails and in backcountry areas. Hikers and backcountry users are advised to travel in groups of three or more, make noise and carry bear spray. Visitors must stay 100 yards from bears. More »

  • Area closure in the area around Baxter's Pinnacle

    An area closure is in effect around Baxter's Pinnacle to protect nesting peregrine falcons. This closure precludes any climbs of Baxter's Pinnacle and usage of the walk-off gully. This closure will be in effect through 8-15-2013. More »

  • Area Closure in effect in the Elk Ranch area

    A temporary area closure is in effect in the Elk Ranch Area to protect wildlife during the denning and young-rearing period. Follow the link for a map of the closed area. More »

Camping in Bear Country

A bear locker located in a frontcountry campground.

A bear locker located in a campground. Campers must use bear lockers when available or protect food in a hard-sided vehicle. Coolers and ice chests are not bear-proof and must be stored.

Bears can be anywhere in the park at any time, even if you cannot see them. Odors attract bears into campgrounds and picnic areas. When not in immediate use, all food, drinks, garbage, toiletries, cookware (clean or dirty), stoves, grills, coolers and food containers (empty or full), pet food/bowls, and any odorous item, must be kept in a bear-resistant food storage locker or in a hard-sided vehicle with doors locked and windows closed, day and night. Only have the food out that you are actually using; if you are not using it, put it back into your food storage locker or hard-sided vehicle with the windows closed.

Watch our video podcast to learn more about proper food storage.

 
Placard showing list of items to protect from bears and other wildlife

Read the Be Bear Aware! Placard

  • Keep a clean camp! Improperly stored or unattended food will be confiscated and you could be fined
  • Treat odorous products such as soap, toothpaste, fuel products, suntan lotion, and bug spray in the same manner as food
  • Never store food, garbage or toiletries in tents or sleeping bags
  • Place all trash in bear-resistant garbage dumpsters
  • Pets must be kept under physical restraint and never left unattended
  • Immediately report careless campers nearby and all bear sightings to the campground kiosk or nearest ranger
 
Grand Teton National Park Foundation's bear box fundraiser flyer

Grand Teton National Park Foundation

Care about Bears? Join the Bear Box Campaign.

Grand Teton National Park and the Grand Teton National Park Foundation have mounted an important campaign to make food storage lockers available to all front-country campers for safety and convenience. Learn more>>

Become a Grand Teton National Park Foundation member>>

Read the "Trash Talk" advertisement>>

Return to Bear Safety Home>>

Never approach a bear.
Never feed a bear.
Stay 100 yards (1 football field) from bears at all times.



Did You Know?

Close-up of a lodgepole pine cone

Did you know that lodgepole pine trees grow on glacial moraines in Jackson Hole? Glacial moraines are ridges of rocky debris left behind as Ice Age glaciers melted. The soil on these ridges retains moisture and is more hospitable to trees than the cobbly, porous soil on the outwash plain.