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In Glacier National Park, the biggest avoidable mistakes are hiking quietly where a bear cannot see you, running or approaching during an encounter, and leaving food or scented gear unsecured. Stay at least 100 yards (91 m) from bears, carry bear spray where you can reach it, and follow the park’s specific guidance if you meet one.
What hikers should not do around bears in Glacier
- Do not approach, follow, or deliberately remain near a bear. Glacier prohibits intentionally approaching, viewing, or engaging in activity within 100 yards (91 m) of bears or wolves. Do not move closer for a photograph.
- Do not assume you can identify a bear by its size or color. Glacier is home to black bears and grizzly bears, and the park says appearance is not a reliable way to tell them apart.
- Do not hike silently in places where a bear may not detect you. Use your voice and clap at intervals, especially near streams, dense vegetation, blind corners, rises, and feeding areas. The park says bells are not adequate or effective.
- Do not run on trails or hike alone if you can avoid it. Hike in a group when possible, keep children close, and avoid very early, very late, or after-dark outings.
- Do not leave food, garbage, cookware, food containers, packs, or scented items unsecured or unattended. Never put food or garbage in a pit toilet.
How to prevent a surprise encounter
Make your presence known
Call out and clap at intervals rather than relying on bells. Be particularly alert where rushing water, thick vegetation, terrain, or a blind turn could keep you from seeing or hearing a bear in time. On June 2, 2026, the National Park Service reported that a hiker had sustained non-life-threatening injuries in a surprise grizzly encounter on the Grinnell Glacier Trail on May 28. The release said loud rushing water made it difficult for both the hiker and bear to detect one another. The release also said the trail was temporarily closed pending staff assessment at that time; that dated notice does not establish its current status. Read the NPS incident notice.
Keep food and scented items secured
At camp, use a storage method allowed for your location: a vehicle, a designated locker or hanging device, or a permitted bear-resistant container. Which option is suitable depends on your itinerary and the park’s current rules. Check the current Glacier compendium for developed-area requirements, and follow posted instructions where you stay.
Bear spray: carry it accessibly, not as a repellent
The park recommends carrying bear spray where it is quickly accessible and knowing how to use it. It is intended for an oncoming bear, not to keep bears away: do not spray your gear or campsite, and do not use it as a substitute for alert hiking and secure food storage. Wind, weather, distance, temperature, and the spray’s shelf life can affect its effectiveness. See Glacier’s visitor safety guidance for the park’s advice.
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What to do if you see a bear on the trail
Do not run. Give the bear space. If it is safe to do so, move away slowly rather than approaching or blocking its route. The right response depends on the bear’s behavior; a passing bear, a non-defensive approach, and a defensive charge or contact are not the same situation.
If the bear is passing or moving away
Stay calm, do not approach, and give it room to leave. If you can safely move away, do so slowly. Keep your group together and children close.
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If the bear approaches and is not acting defensively
Gather your group together, make noise, and prepare your bear spray. Do not run or crowd the bear. Follow the park’s detailed instructions for judging and responding to an approach.
If the bear charges or approaches defensively
Stop, speak quietly, and prepare your spray. Do not turn this into a single generic “bear encounter” response: the park gives additional instructions for imminent contact and for a prolonged attack. Read the full, current NPS bear-encounter guidance before hiking and follow it in the situation.
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How common are bears in Glacier?
The National Park Service describes Glacier as home to “nearly one thousand bears,” an undated estimate attributed on its page to researchers. Treat that as a broad estimate, not a current population count. See the park’s Bear Safety page for its broader information and guidance.
Quick Recap
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