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!
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.
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 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.
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!
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, in Yellowstone NP in 1959 when I was 10.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
We had a bear wander through our yard in Northern California but never in our campsite.
Bears are frequent visitors to the fam camp at Elmendorf AFB.
Yes, at Promised Land SP, PA!
If you like bears, Camp there!
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.
A Skunk in the lean to we were sleeping in on the Appalachian trail in NC.
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