Grizzly Bear of Yellowstone National Park

Grizzly Bear

The Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) is a powerful predator, capable of out sprinting a horse, and weighing as much as 350-600 pounds. Grizzlies are omnivorous, meaning they eat both meat and plants. In Yellowstone, grizzlies feed on elk, trout, bison carrion, pine nuts, grasses, roots, and berries. Certain characteristics distinguish grizzlies from black bears. The grizzly is larger, both in girth and weight. The grizzly's coat ranges from tawny cinnamon to light brown or even black. Some grizzlies are flecked with recognizable "silver tips," creating the "grizzled" look. A feature also associated with grizzlies is the shoulder hump, and area of well- defined muscle. Another is his dish-shaped face. Grizzlies hibernate in dens during the winter. This is when the cubs are born. Emerging from their dens in the spring with one to three cubs, the mothers are very protective. They will not hesitate to charge intruders which they perceive as threatening their cubs.

Where to find them
Grizzly Bears range throughout Yellowstone but are most often seen in and around the Dunraven Pass area and just past the turn off to Mount Washburn. Another good area is across the Yellowstone River in Hayden Valley and in the Fishing Bridge area. Also in Lamar Valley. A good pair of binoculars or a spotting scope is a must.

Where Are The Bears?
By the National Park Service

Grizzly bears are active primarily during the night and at dawn and dusk. Look for grizzlies with binoculars or a spotting scope in open meadows around sunrise or sunset. Grizzlies are often seen from the road in the Lamar Valley, from Tower to Canyon, Lake, and Fishing Bridge. They are also seen along the road to the East Entrance. In the backcountry, grizzlies are most often seen south and east of Yellowstone Lake and in the Gallatin Mountains in the northwest corner of the park.

Black bears are active primarily during the day and at dawn and dusk. Look for them in small openings within or near forested areas. Black bears are often seen along the road corridor from Mammoth to Tower and the Northeast Entrance, and in the Old Faithful, Madison and Canyon areas. Black bears are also seen in the remote southwestern corner of the park, the Bechler area.

Many visitors remember the days when bears were commonly seen along the roads and within the developed areas of the park. Bears were attracted to these areas by the availability of human foods, either handouts or unsecured camp groceries and garbage. While people enjoyed seeing the bears close up, these encounters resulted in an average of 48 bear-caused human injuries each year from 1930 through 1969. In 1970, Yellowstone initiated an intensive bear management program with the objectives of restoring the bear populations to subsistence on natural foods and reducing bear-caused human injuries. Regulations against feeding bears and securing human food out of the bear's reach were strictly enforced. Garbage cans were bear-proofed and garbage dumps within the park were closed.

Today, visitors still see bears (an average of 1500 bear sightings are reported each year), but we are happy to report that bear-caused injuries have been reduced to approximately one each year. For more information, be sure to visit the bear safety page.