Hiking Bear-Active Areas In Colorado: What You Need To Know

For the last few years, Colorado Parks and Wildlife has estimated the number of black bears living in our state to be around 17,000. Holy smokes!

Northern counties in Colorado tend to report more bear activity than southern counties, but numbers are significant in all four corners.  As we prepare for Colorado’s 2025 hiking season, what are some tips for avoiding bears on the trail? And where in the state are you most likely to run into one?

Stay Safe: Bear Awareness Tips For Colorado Hikers

Read More: Big Foot Mary: The Last of the Western Colorado Grizzly Bears

A little common sense goes a long way in the Centennial State. Bears in Colorado's wilderness would like to avoid you just as much as you would like to avoid them. The gallery below offers ten tips from Colorado Parks and Wildlife for avoiding a bear encounter while hiking.

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Hiking in Colorado Bear Country

The most recent Bear Report (2023 data) from Colorado Parks and Wildlife lists Pitkin, Boulder, and El Paso as the counties reporting the highest number of bears. Here are some of Colorado's popular hiking regions and specific trails where sightings are more likely. Just be sure to watch from a distance.

• Region 🐻: Maroon Bells–Snowmass Wilderness (near Aspen)
• Location 📍: Pitkin County
• Features🐾: Deep wilderness, alpine environments, and lots of berries
• Wildlife Trails 👀: Maroon Lake trail, Crater Lake trail, or Four Pass Loop

• Region 🐻: Rocky Mountain National Park
• Location 📍: Larimer and Grand Counties
• Features🐾: Bears can often be seen near trails and campsites
• Wildlife Trails 👀: Bear Lake (hmm), Fern Lake trail, Mills Lake (Glacier Gorge)

• Region 🐻: San Juan National Forest (near Durango, Silverton, Ouray)
• Location 📍: Southwest Colorado
• Features🐾: Isolated and Rugged terrain. Perfect feeding ground for bears.
• Wildlife Trails 👀: Engineer Mountain trail, Ice Lakes Basin, Hermosa Creek trail (use caution near streams and berry bushes).

• Region 🐻: Uncompahgre National Forest (Western Slope)
• Location 📍: Ridgway, Montrose, and Telluride
• Features🐾: Remote terrain with lots of cover and food for bears.
• Wildlife Trails 👀: Blue Lakes trail, Courthouse Mountain trail (dry summer months mean more bears roam this area).

Read More: What It Looks And Sounds Like to Get Attacked by a Grizzly Bear