Bear Visit at Our Campsite: A Shared Wilderness Experience

Early a spring morning, I noticed something unusual around our campsite: burn barrels tipped over and a strange, muddy print on the grill. My wife Lou who grew up in Idaho is just as experienced with bears as I am and immediately recognized it as a bear’s nose print. I’ve spent years camping in areas like Anchorage, West Yellowstone, and Missoula, so we’re no strangers to wildlife. Even so, it’s always a humbling moment when you realize how close these powerful animals can come.

As I went about my day, I decided to walk down the road leading to our property. Sure enough, I found a trail of large paw prints that sank into the wet sand, clearly heading in the direction of our camp. A day or so later, on a hike, Lou and I spotted several piles of fresh bear scat. This confirmed our suspicions that a very curious black bear had been roaming nearby. We also found out from neighbors that bears have visited local trash cans before, which didn’t come as a surprise—black bears are opportunists, after all. In fact, during spring bear season in 2022, seven bears were taken by hunters within a mile of our camp, so we know they’re around.

Typically, we keep our food and trash well-secured indoors. The main draw for this bear was likely our outdoor grill, which tends to collect tasty grease and lingering scents. We’ve learned that even one small oversight—like not scrubbing down a grill—can be enough to pique a bear’s curiosity. Though I’ve spent time living in a tent in Anchorage and have seen bears roam by without a care, I still believe in staying prepared. Any time I venture far from camp, I bring a pistol. Bears are fast and strong, but we’ve found them to be far more predictable than some people we’ve encountered over the years, especially in cities. They’re just looking for food and will move on if they don’t find anything.

While I fully respect the potential danger, I also love knowing we share this wild space with such magnificent creatures. Lou and I cherish living far from neighbors and being immersed in nature, even if it means a surprise bear visit now and then. Reviewing the trail cam footage feels like stepping into a secret world that exists just beyond our everyday routines. It’s a powerful reminder that we’re part of a much bigger ecosystem.

If you find yourself dealing with bears, my best advice is to keep your living area clean, store food indoors, and remain aware of your surroundings. A respectful distance goes a long way, and if you’re comfortable with it, carrying bear spray or a firearm can provide peace of mind. The goal isn’t confrontation; it’s peaceful coexistence in a shared habitat. We couldn’t be happier to live here and wouldn’t trade these wild moments for anything. They’re a reminder of why we came to this remote place in the first place—to live with nature, not apart from it.