DW has decided that we are off to Yellowstone and the Tetons this summer -- mostly boondocking in the nearby national forests, with occasional pit stops at RV parks. We try to be bear-aware and bear-safe, but California bears are much smaller than Wyoming grizzlies.
So here is my question -- for those of you who have boondocked in this area, is there a problem with bears breaking into trailers and cars? Are the bears more likely to be a problem when we are outside of an established campground? (My guess is that they congregate more around campgrounds, because that's where the food is.)
Grizzlies are still pretty rare in Yellowstone. They are up towards the north-east end and spend a lot of time on higher slopes eating one of their favourite shrubs/berries (according to a ranger).
Black bears could be a bother, check Yellowstone website on safeguards re garbage, outside food or BBQ etc. But they normally don't bother 'hard-sided' rigs. One bear wandered by our rig in Fishing Bridge, and a family of coyotes had a den 80' away.
I have been to Yellowstone many times. I have seen a grizzly up close only once, and I had to so looking for her. I wouldn't be concerned but would follow normal bear-country protocol on food storage.
It’s been quite a few years since I boondocked in the national forests in that area, but I did it in a PU. I didn’t have any problems with bear. Just keep a clean camp and follow the same practices you would in any bear country. I don’t personally know of any bears breaking into a TT, I have seen them get into cars. They pop the door like we would a can of Bud. Mostly, I think, because someone set an uncovered ice chest on the seat and they know what they look like. I believe you’re less likely to have bear in your camp if you’re well away from the park campgrounds, the locals have lost their fear of man. If a grizzly ever had a fear of man. I have boondocked in the more primitive cg’s in the park much more recently and again had no problem with bear so I wouldn‘t hesitate to camp in the nf.
Inside the Park or in a national forest surrounding the park, grizzly bear sightings are a rare and special event. Some of the national forests suggest not camping in soft sided rigs but as long as you practice "Bear Awareness" you shouldn't have a problem. If I remember correctly the stats say are you'll are more like to have a moose encounter than grizzly bear. However, they do have black bears in the area and you'll probably see them more than grizzly.
For an outstanding boondocking camping take a look at the Targhee NF's Cave Falls campground. It is sandwiched between Yellowstone and Teton and I can't say enough about it - IMHO, as a former tent camper now RVer, it is fabulous.
There are a bunch of great campgrounds all around Yellowstone NP. I think you could spend the whole summer going from one to the next. May I strongly suggest driving the Beartooth Highway. I've been told they are going to start "improving" it this year but they could only upgrade the roadway, not the views - breathtaking!!!
When it comes to bears nothing is certain, but I've been camping in and around Yellowstone for a couple decades, much of it in tents, and have experienced no problems with bears.
Yellowstone bears behave much more bearlike than their thieving cousins in California. They tend to avoid people, and are not conditioned to see them as a source of food. They do not congregate in campgrounds, and breaking into vehicles and campers is an exceedingly rare occurrence. This is a credit to the proactive bear-management stance of the park service that comes down hard and quick on problem animals.
Keep a squeaky clean camp and follow all recommended bear protocols (the forest service and park service can provide information if you're unsure what to do). And if you're hiking in the backcountry make plenty of noise and consider carrying pepper spray. Most encounters that I have heard of happen on the trail when a hiker unexpectedly comes on a bear.
* This post was
edited 05/25/09 05:20pm by Eurocamper *
Grizzlies know no bounds - boondocking versus camgrounds. We stayed year before last on the Idaho side of the Tetons at Teton Canyon CG East of Driggs, on the road to Grand Targhee. The CG billboard posted many sightings of Grizzlies, cubs and sows. Each CG had a bear box and I was leary. Yet for the three days we were there, we only saw moose and chipmunks, not one bear. There was a popular trailhead at the CG and each day tourist buses drove, at least a dozen people would get out, head out on the trail and several hours later would return - all in one piece. Down the road from the CG was an open meadow and a Class A was boondocking there. I'm sure he didn't see any bears either. As one person here put it, keep a super clean camp. When you cook, select food that is not smelly, such as fish, or bacon, etc. We are selectively in what we eat and store when we are out, hard-sided TT or not, we're careful.
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We camped in Yellowstone in a small tent years ago. After we left and were driving thru the town on the western side we saw a MH parked that had the door broken in by a bear. They had been in one of the RV parks in the area. It did not stop us from using the tent in bear country but the sight sure stuck with me.
And buffalo kill more people in Yellowstone than bears do. I do not worry about being attack by a herd of buffalo.
In 2007 a few of us rode over the Chief Joseph Hwy. (North Eastern Yellowstone) and found this one crossing the road, he seemed more interested in getting away from the motorcycles then anything else.
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Mostly, I think, because someone set an uncovered ice chest on the seat and they know what they look like. I believe you’re less likely to have bear in your camp if you’re well away from the park campgrounds, the locals have lost their fear of man. If a grizzly ever had a fear of man. I have boondocked in the more primitive cg’s in the park much more recently and again had no problem with bear so I wouldn‘t hesitate to camp in the nf.
