Having a bear wander into your campsite in a tent? Scary. Having a bear wander into your campsite in an RV? Kinda fun. Well, until you have to take Fido or Fifi for their nighttime walk… then things could be a bit scary.
Have you ever had a bear wander into your campsite? If so, has it happened more than once? If not at your campsite, has one wandered into the campground or RV park you were camped at? What was your reaction? Please leave a comment and tell us all about it!
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This story still cracks me up. I was work camping at a natural spring in central Florida. Sometime in the very early morning hours, I felt an earthquake shake my motorhome. I thought it was really weird that there would be an earthquake in that area. In the morning as I reported to work, I asked my boss if he felt the earthquake. He laughed, then he said “that wasn’t an earthquake! The bear came over and rubbed his back on your motorhome, and when he was done he came over to my fifth wheel and rubbed his back on that.”
Had Buffalo come through eating grass then left a deposit.
We had a grizzly come into our campground in Yellowstone, NP several times and many times bison as well. Wild animals live here, not zoo animals!
We camped on Skyline Drive with a motorcycle and small pop up camper. There were bears that wandered around the campground, never getting close to us. One morning we woke up to find a small black bear climbing out the tree on our campsite. Must have been napping. I apologized for waking him up!! He looked at us and just walked away.
Not a bear, but a skunk next door. A state park campground we visit has a resident skunk living in a wood pile. Said skunk wanders at will and our neighbor camper was out of their camper over two hours. Skunk was sitting on bottom step. They decided to go to lunch and let Mr. Skunk wander away.
Hickory Run State Park, PA. Mom and two cubs came through while we were setting up. I’m glad she didn’t stop to help.
We’ve had deer, skunks, racoons, squirrels, chipmunks, turkey, and the worse animals; uninvited family.
Yeah, just once. I was warming up some baby back ribs on the stove top with the windows open. Smell brought a black bear in. I beeped the horn on my Class A and that shooed him away. I was also lucky enough to see a cougar on the dirt road to my remote campsite June 2, 2022 in northern Michigan. I hope he moves on soon, very soon!!! I do a lot of hiking.
…and my yard!
The first time was in British Columbia at a campground. I had been working all over BC and other areas this summer. While testing lift grips in BC, we finished late. I went back to my campground after 7:00PM and was in the kitchen of my Class C preparing supper, and I looked out the window and there was a young black bear between one and two years old. I grabbed my camera and stealthily went out to get a photo. The bear was at the picnic table digging, and not even paying any attention to me. I slowly got closer cause I wanted to get a manly photo of the bear rearing u on two feet with paws extended. Well the bear completely ignored me, so I picked up a small stone and threw it at it’s. back gently. Nothing. Are doing this three or four more time, I got a bigger stone, and tossed it. Well the young bruin did not like that at all. T he hairs on the back of it s neck stood straight up. That was the end of my wildlife photography for the day.
Interesting poll today. This past week we were at my in-laws’ property outside of Pagosa Springs against the San Juan River and directly across the river was a rather large bear standing there looking at us. We watched each other for a couple of minutes then the bear wandered about50 yards south, went into the river, turned and watched us again. Then a short time later it turned, climbed the river bank and walked away.
No, never, but, given where we travel, the chances are pretty low. We did travel through Alaska in our RV for more than two months (part of June, July, and most of August) in 2019 and did not see one then either.
Can’t believe you didn’t have a campground bear encounter when in Alaska that long. Ours was in a city campground in Anchorage. We’d been warned a mother & two cubs were in the area when we checked in. Sure enough all three came out of the trees meandered down the side of our MH and on into the campground. Staff in ATV’s basically chased them and they left the same way they came in, but we had our cameras ready by that time.
Wow, hard to understand that for over 2 months in Alaska, you didn’t see a bear. Strange we were there in about the same time period & saw them almost daily when we were traveling on the road! Though we didn’t have them in camp!
Snoopy
In 2+ months in Alaska, you may not have seen them, but they saw you and knew where you were, though I’m surprised you did not see any. We were there the same time and saw at least a dozen, brown and black. I’ve had black bears in my camp a number of times in Yosemite.
Never had one in the camp site but back in ‘89 we went to the Smokies, late DW, myself, our 13 year old son and DW brother who had just had back surgery. We went exploring in the car and came upon a place advertising a picnic area so we decided to investigate. Our son and BiLdecided to go ahead of us, we were walking casually toward the picnic area when our son accompanied by his uncle who was hobbling along as fast as he could went by us yelling BEAR BEAR! We rounded a curve in the path and there was a yearling cub searching for food scraps in the trash can, when he saw us he ran away. To this day we can say BEAR BEAR around my son and he quickly jerks his head around looking for a bear. Lol
We live in western North Carolina in a touristy town and see black bears ALL THE TIME! We had a bear encounter this spring that was unique. A mama bear and her 3 yearling cubs decided to spend a day sleeping in the shade of our neighbor’s tree. The neighbors wanted to be able to go into their backyard so, in attempt to scare the bears away, they got out an air horn. The blast sent the mama bear straight up the tree. This tree hangs over our camper. The bear climbed out on a branch directly over our camper which is parked next to our house. She was probably 30 feet up staring down at the people who were tormenting her and her children. Suddenly she released a shower of what is know as “stress poop” in the scientific world. The wind was blowing some and liquid poop went EVERYWHERE! It covered the camper roof, splattered the side of our house and garage and stuck on the windows and screens. We are still finding poop spots and that was in March.
No bear however Elk Meadows campground in Estes Park Colorado lived up to it’s name. Almost every night about 40-50 elk would wander into the park to drink from the pond behind our motorhome. A beautiful site to see!
Many year ago. My uncle was cooking french toast and BACON out on the picnic table.
What an open invitation. That bear did not leave until he ate all the bacon and bread, drank the french toast mixture, and lick up the bacon grease that had spilled on the table.
In 1966 I was in the Explorers (higher Boy Scouts). We were backpacking 60 miles in 10 days in northern New Mexico near eagles nest. One night a brown bear came into our campsite and our adult super got a stick and yell at it and ran it off. Even as boys we thought that was stupid.
For the record, “brown” bears are Grizzlys and I highly doubt if your bear was a Grizzly….. however, Black bears can be a brown color and I suspect, that was what your bear was.
A little further distinction…
“Grizzly bears and brown bears are the same species (Ursus arctos), but grizzly bears are currently considered to be a separate subspecies (U. a. horribilis). Due to a few morphological differences, Kodiak bears are also considered to be a distinct subspecies of brown bear”
Always loved the “horribilis” part for the grizzly. They do tend to be more aggressive than their coastal cousins.
Back in the mid ’70s bears came in at night into the campground and threw the steel trash barrels around for awhile. This was near the Mouth of the Two Heart in the upper peninsula of Michigan where Hemingway fished.
No not my campsite, but my front door was visited by mama bear and her three babies.
About a decade ago, I was camping in my 17′ Casita fiberglass trailer in Theodore Roosevelt NP. I had just woken up and, I caught some movement just outside my window. It was a fully grown BISON! Then I saw a third and fourth etc, etc, etc! The whole herd was “moseying” through the campground. Happily for me, they just kept on “moseying”. I did NOT go outside to snap a picture.
I was sitting in my lounge chair enjoying a cold beer at Twin Lakes campground in Mammoth California when I happened to notice movement out of the corner of my eye. Looked over and yep, there was a 300 lb black bear coming around the corner of the front of my camper trailer about 10′ from me. I jumped up and he (she) stopped in its tracks and was just as startled as I was. It immediately reversed direction and high tailed it back to the trees that was about 100′ on the other side of my trailer. It did, however, come back later and ransacked a neighbor’s tent and belongings before other campers frightened it away. Never saw it again in the two weeks we were there.
Yellowstone. Grizzly. Same year a young woman got dragged in her sleeping bag & don’t need to tell you the rest. First tenting trip, long ago. Park ranger came around with bullhorn warning everyone they had grizzly sightings near campground. One had ripped the top off a convertible to get at an oil painting. Moved from tent to van. Couldn’t sleep all night, because of course I kept hearing things. In the morning we did hear that one was wandering in the camp. First and last tent camping experience. Wasn’t a tent camper anyway. Years later took a 6 week trip in a Class C. Later a gas Class A and for the last 20yrs a Class A diesel. Much better :-).
There are bears in some of the areas I boondock in but chose no because not that I know of.
First bear visit was in Yosemite, sitting around campfire and forgot to put marshmallows away. Mr. or Mrs. Bear wanted to share with us. Another visitor in Silver Lake Campground, part of June Lake Loop in California. Last visitor was while backpacking part of the John Muir Trail. Not really in our camp, but on the trail as we were hiking. All black bears of course, although the last was a beautiful light ginger color.
No, but had a raccoon jump into our van and steal a bag of marshmellows right in front of us.
Yes. Took my teenage nephew tent camping at Balsam Mountain Campground, in Great Smoky Mountains NP. Had all of our food, coolers and cooking items in the,then new, bear box, about 15 feet from our tent. A bear started shaking that box at 2am. Quite a noise! I stayed awake for some time after that! Never heard the bear approach or leave. Nephew slept through the whole event!
That was in the early 90’s
A Skunk in the lean to we were sleeping in on the Appalachian trail in NC.
Several times:
1970 at a dispersed camp near Hebgen Lake outside Yellowstone Park. 2 grizzly tore apart my doused campfire probably looking for food scraps.
1984 in Yosemite a black bear made off with our cooler, backing into our tent as he left.
1986 in a campground near Banff 2 grizzlies came sauntering through camp.
And back in 1964 a bear tore apart the food tent at our Boy Scout encampment near Georgetown Lake in Montana.
Bears are frequent visitors to the fam camp at Elmendorf AFB.
Yes, at Promised Land SP, PA!
If you like bears, Camp there!
We had a bear wander through our yard in Northern California but never in our campsite.
We have not, but my son and his family woke up to their canned ham rocking. Next morning when they went out it appeared a smaller bear had scratched the lower side by the door in several places.
On Flagpole Knob, VA, deep into the Eisenhower Wilderness. The bald top overlooks Harrison, VA. We set up several Amateur Radio stations for the annual VHF/UHF contest.
A small bear wandered into our tenting area. Mom was close by and I’m sure that she was watching.
Not just the campsite! After a long day at the hospital, I woke up at 1:30 am to a rocking RV. There was a large black bear in the cab of my RV. He gently and quietly stepped down and out the passenger cab door. He took with him a grocery bag with cookies, hospital visitor supplies, my husbands wallet and glasses. I quickly locked the cab doors. I had previously locked the coach door. Later I could hear him trying the doors again. Didn’t sleep well, kept thinking of searching the forest for our personal items. Good news, found the empty bag and personal items only 20 feet away. Cookie carton completely empty😂. Please be very careful the bears have been burned out of their homes and have learned to open unlocked doors.
I live in East Tennessee, bears are very shy creatures, however, when they become accustomed to people they will come into your campsite. Never tease a bear with food as some idiots do. You’re asking for trouble. Never try to corner a bear as some do. Black bears in early spring can be dangerous because they are very hungry. Never and I mean NEVER approach a bear cub. Momma will end you. And most importantly, don’t feed them, you can’t afford it and keep your food in sealed containers. Enjoy the beauty and playfulness of bears but never try getting a selfie with a bear.
On a trip in the Blue Ridge Mts in the late ’60s we ended up at a road closed due to bridge out. The motel was full so we car camped. Myself, my two sisters, and mom slept in the car. My dad and brother slept outside. In the middle of the night dad and brother jumped in the car and we took off….a bear was going through the trash can right next to where they were sleeping.
Backpacking in Yosemite high country, 1965, was in sleeping bag, no tent. Heard noise behind me, sat up, and saw a couple of cubs a few feet from my head. They took off.
We were tent camping at Devil’s post-pile years ago at Mammoth mountain and heard something overnight. The next morning there was a big bear paw print on my back bumper of my pickup.
Have had two bears walk through our camp ground. One right beside our camper the other about 50 yards up the hill. Not a big problem just fun to watch.
I was camped at Toulumne Meadows CG in Yosemite National Park many years ago. Bears and cubs roamed through the CG, including my site, every day I was there. No concerns.
Yes, in Yellowstone NP in 1959 when I was 10.
Yes I was in ohio I also found baby bear teeth so I write the story up for my nieces children and gave them some bear teeth I call it pooh bear honey tree
Yes, almost every night we were at the campground for just about a week south of Colorado Springs. Some nights we had a female bear and a cub or else just one bear come through the campground. Can’t remember the name of the campground, been too many years ago, just remember it was a long way up!
A young bear and an old lame Buffalo came to visit daily at Liard River Hot Springs Provincial park, BC. They used a bang gun for the bear. The Buffalo came to rest on the grass.
I was giving a campfire talk when a bear came into the campground. An enforcement ranger drove it off, but it returned as I was about to go home. I did as I had been advising people “shoo, bear, go away”. She’d been around the campground so long she waited to see if I really meant it. My light in her eyes and a step toward her convinced her she’d best leave. Then I went home.
A friend and I were backpacking at Yosemite National Park. We had just set up camp after coming down from Clouds Rest and set up our tent and procured water. As we were sitting on a log, completely exhausted, eating lunch, a good sized Bear came lumbering through the camp no more than 15 feet from us. We sat very still holding the food, hoping he wasn’t hungry, not breathing and trying not to look into its eyes. Luckily, he passed on through. I guess it didn’t like freeze dried food or us.