Yosemite Black Bear Information

Consider the following black bear information while planning your trip to Yosemite. These tips are designed to prevent confrontation with Yosemite bears and also for the animals' protection.

Yosemite National Park is home to hundreds of black bears. Bears have a strong sense of smell and are attracted to anything they think will lead them to human food.  To prevent unwanted contact, each of our soft sided tents will be assigned a private food storage locker. Use this locker to store all items that have a 'scent' to them.

This includes all food items, sunscreen, toothpaste, shampoo, lotion, gum, candy and any other items that have a scent.

Keep the following dimensions in mind when packing for your Yosemite trip as bears will actually break into your automobile for these items if you try to store them there overnight. Even your ice chest, full or empty, needs to go into a locker so bring one that will fit within the dimensions of the lockers where you are staying.  If you are staying in a hard sided cabin or one of our lodges, be sure to bring all food and scented items into your room.

Curry Village
In the last year, Curry Village has installed bear lockers just outside each tent.  Curry Village has small lockers (measuring 35.5"(w) x 20.5"(d)x 23"(h)) located next to the smaller tent cabins and large lockers (measuring 47.5"(w) x 20.5"(d) x 23"(h)) to give some extra space to those occupying larger tents.

Housekeeping Camp
Each Housekeeping Camp unit contains two lockers: one measures 18"(d) x 47.5"(w) x 18"(h) and the other measures 36"(d) x 48"(w) x 22.5"(h).

Tuolumne Meadows Lodge
Bear proof lockers at Tuolumne Meadows Lodge measure 36"(d) x 48.5"(w) x 20.5"(h).

White Wolf Lodge
At White Wolf Lodge, bear proof lockers are available with the dimensions of 36"(d) x 48.5"(w) x 20.5"(h).

 

Storage lockers for food and toiletries are also located near rest rooms and parking lots and the National Park Service also has lockers at many of the more popular trail heads.

To prevent bear encounters that could lead to damage to your property and ultimately the animal's death, you are required to follow these regulations while staying in soft-sided accommodations in the park, including campgrounds, Curry Village tent cabins and Housekeeping Camp.

• All food must be stored in a food locker at all times. Keep in mind that "food" includes all food and drinks (even unopened canned or bottled goods), toiletries and other scented items.
• Be sure you can fit all your food and scented items into a bear locker.
• If you are not actively eating or preparing food, be sure it is stored in your food locker and that your locker is closed and secured at all times.
• Bears, raccoons and other animals will attempt to take your food, even in your presence.
• Wash your dishes and dispose of trash immediately after eating.
• Refrigerators are prohibited.
• Report all bear sightings to a ranger or leave a message on the Yosemite Save A Bear Hotline by calling (209) 372-0322.
• Learn more about black bears by visiting www.sierrawildbear.gov/biology
  

Help keep our bears wild!