Located in northwestern Wyoming and two hours south of the more famous Yellowstone, Grand Teton National Park is known not just for its mountain and lake panoramas but also the array of different wildlife that roam its 310,000 acres.
While many visitors come to see large mammals like bison, elk and moose in the wild, the park is also home to hundreds of fish, bird, reptile and smaller mammal species.
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‘Bears are becoming active’: national park warns
“Wildlife is never far in Grand Teton National Park,” the National Park Service (NPS) writes in the description for the park. “High in the mountains, a yellow-bellied marmot whistles a warning as a golden eagle soars above. Searching for insect larvae, a black bear rips into a rotten lodgepole pine log.”
The latter animal is known for its period of hibernation during the winter months. Now that it is early spring, Grand Teton authorities are warning about the dangers of getting too comfortable around what many visitors may not understand is a predator.
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“Bears across Teton County are becoming active with the spring transition,” the NPS writes in a March 26 warning. “Adult male grizzly bears begin emerging from their winter dens in March, while females with young generally emerge between April and early May.”
Grand Teton is home to both black and grizzly bears (while black bears can be brown in color, the latter are distinguished by their large size and back hump) and the year’s first sighting of the latter has already taken place on March 19. As more tend to come out, the park took the time to remind visitors that either accidentally or intentionally getting too close can lead to serious injury and in some cases even death.
Grand Teton National Park is home to both black and grizzly bear species.
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In 2024, there were 168 recorded human-bear conflicts in the national park and nearby town of Jackson. One of the high-profile took place when, last May, a 35-year-old Massachusetts visitor to Grand Teton National Park was attacked and mauled by two grizzly bears one mile into a hike through the park’s Highline Trail.
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As more bears activate themselves for the spring, Grand Teton warns visitors to not leave behind any open food or cooking gear and take care to properly dispose of garbage in order to not attract bears to the camping and rest areas.
For those who may come up to bears on their hikes, the guidance is to keep a distance of at least 100 yards. If one has snuck up, one needs to back away slowly rather than running, waving or making noise (that can put the bear attack mode). Those who will be hiking in backcountry areas are also advised to stock up on bear spray and carry it on themselves.
“Always stay at least 100 yards away,” the NPS writes. “If you choose to watch the bear, use a spotting scope, binoculars, or telephoto lens to maintain an appropriate distance. Park in designated areas, and never block travel lanes.”
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