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BEAR ACTIVITY UPDATE (August 20, 2026)
(Banff National Park East Gate to Bow Valley Provincial Park)
There continues to be lots of bear activity within the Bow Valley and Kananskis Country. It is all about dogwood berries for the bears right now and the bears are seeking out any areas where there are berry patches. Bears have their heads down and are focused on eating berries, which increases the chance of surprise encounters. Always be prepared and on the lookout for bears feeding on berries while you recreate, as many berry bushes are found along popular trails. To avoid negative wildlife encounters, make lots of noise to alert wildlife of your presence, travel in groups, stay on designated trails, keep dogs on a leash at all times, be extra aware of your surroundings and always carry bear spray in an easily accessible location (not your backpack) and know how to use it!
If you see a bear: stop, speak calmly, and slowly leave the area - give them plenty of space, at least 100m! Do not try to sneak past them and don’t expect bears to move off a food source. Bears can be very possessive of their berry patches and may exert their dominance. Give them the space they need to forage undisturbed as these next few weeks are the most important time for them to feed and take in these precious calories for their survival.
Dogwood is a big attractant for bears and it’s found in residential areas, along the river trails and at campgrounds throughout the Bow Valley. People need to expect to encounter bears out in the park areas, and we can expect to see more bears in the Canmore area in the coming days and weeks. As such, residents should be removing berry bushes and any fruit from the trees in their yards now to help keep bears out of trouble!
Bears in Day Use Areas - People think that because they are in a day use area and there are lots of people around that they do not have to think about bears - not true! Bears are often coming through or spend time on the edges of the day use areas and campgrounds looking for berries, even when there are many people around.
Having a picnic? Whether you are sitting at a picnic table, or along a river or lake - try not to have too much food out on your table and do not let bears and other wildlife get any food rewards. If you are sitting and eating and a bear starts approaching your food and table - yell and shout to try and scare the bear away, do your best to secure your food by moving your food into your hard-sided vehicle/trailer or locker nearby, and use your bear spray to prevent the bear from getting that food reward. It is crucial that you do your best to make sure bears do not get any food rewards as it could result in bears getting relocated or killed. Your safety and the bear’s life might depend on it!
Properly managing and storing wildlife attractants (such as food, drinks and garbage) is of utmost importance as bears continue to be seen in and around campgrounds and day use areas! ALL attractants need to be secured in your vehicle, hard-sided trailer or bear-proof lockers. Never leave food and scented items in tents as bears can easily access them and always dispose of garbage in bear-proof bins. Never leave your food unattended - even for a minute!
Bikes, berries and bears! High-speed encounters with bears feeding on berries along trails are happening! Mountain bikers and Trail Runners who are moving quickly (and often quietly) need to be extra vigilant and making lots of noise utilizing their voices (yelling and shouting) on the trails. Bears are feeding on berries very close to trails and bikers/runners are coming up on them quickly with little warning to the bears. In addition to letting wildlife know they are coming down the trail (by making noise), bikers/runners should slow down to avoid surprise encounters with wildlife, especially around blind corners, at the tops of hills, or in areas with thick vegetation and poor sight lines. They should also always be carrying bear spray.
To trail users - If a bear is feeding along a trail, do not disturb it, and do not try to sneak past it. Wait until it leaves, turn around, or find another way around giving it lots of space. It is not fair to the bear if you spray it while it is feeding and minding its own business just so you can walk past it. Remember you are in their backyard, not yours, so if they are behaving and doing what they are supposed to, we need to respect that, give them space (at least 100m) and leave them alone.
IMPORTANT: If a bear is walking down the trail towards you (and if safe to do so), simply try moving off of the trail to let them pass, but always have your bear spray out and ready just in case. If the bear continues past, you were just in the way. If the bear turns to follow you, there is more going on and you should have your bear spray out and be ready to spray the bear.
During this busy summer season, there have been many bear jams, which puts unnecessary stress on the animals and causes public safety concerns. Motorists should obey posted speed limits and slow down near roadside wildlife - but don’t stop and cause (or be part of) a bear jam on the highway. Give bears at least 100m of space at all times and do not linger near wildlife feeding roadside - keep moving along and never get out of your vehicle! The Friends of Kananaskis Country have some great Tips for Roadside Wildlife Viewing for motorists and cyclists.
Archived photo of grizzly bear in K-Country. Photo by Jamin Mulvey.
VIEW CURRENT WARNINGS AND CLOSURES
Bear Warning - Many Springs Trail due to multiple black bears that have been seen feeding on berries in the area.
Bear Warning - Three Sisters Campground due to multiple black bears that have been observed within the campground recently.
Bear Closure - Mt. Lorette Ponds Day Use Area due to bear activity in the area.
Bear Warning - Interlakes, Boulton Creek and Lower Lake Campgrounds due to bears frequenting the area.
Bear Warning: Lake Louise Village, Lake Louise RV Campground and Bow River Trails due black and grizzly bears that are frequenting this area to feed on berries.
A reminder to please report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in the Bow Valley or K-Country to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403-591-7755. In Banff, call Dispatch at 403.762.1470. They prefer to get first hand reports from the people who see the wildlife!
SOME THINGS TO ‘BEAR’ IN MIND
Put your Food away! A fed bear is a dead bear and one lazy act could cost a bear its life! It is very important to properly manage wildlife attractants such as food and garbage while hiking, camping and at Day Use Areas. Always dispose of garbage in bear-proof bins. If you see garbage on the ground, pick it up and put it in a bear-proof bin. If the bin is full, take your garbage to another bin or take the garbage home with you, but NEVER leave garbage on the ground where it is accessible for wildlife! For campers - Never leave food and scented items in tents as bears can easily access them. ALL attractants need to be secured in your vehicle, hard-sided trailer or bear-proof lockers. Even open and closed beverage containers are considered a wildlife attractant. Bears will bite and puncture beer and pop cans to drink the contents as they contain a lot of calories and sugar! Attractants include coolers, food, beverages, toiletries, pet food, garbage, recyclables and other scented items.
Never leave your food unattended - even for a minute - and try not to have too much food out on your table. It sounds like common sense, but never feed any wildlife (yes, that includes squirrels and chipmunks). Putting your food away is crucial - watch this catchy video below to learn more!
Keep wildlife and people safe by properly storing all of your food and garbage while in the parks. Officials will remove unattended attractants if they are not stored correctly, and an enforcement action may follow! All park visitors and campers need to be extra vigilant in securing their food and other items that attract wildlife, even when they are still at their campsite or picnic area. It is important to always have your bear spray ready and available, just in case you get any unwanted four-legged visitors.
WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WORDS OF WISDOM
In the heart of berry season, both Black Bears and Grizzly Bears leave telltale signs they're around. One is that they damage the berry bushes themselves. Have a quick peek with Wildlife Ambassador Derek at what that looks like in this 1-minute video.
WEEKLY WILDLIFE AMBASSADOR WHEREABOUTS
In case you have not seen them yet, our amazing Volunteer Wildlife Ambassadors have been heading out onto trails and trailheads! You can find them talking to people about responsible trail use and staying safe while recreating in bear country. Note: their locations may change at the last minute. August 22 - Boulton Creek Campground Store and Ptarmigan Cirque in Peter Lougheed PP.
August 23 - West Bragg Creek and United Fest 2026 at Centennial Park in Canmore.
FOOD FOR THOUGHT?
As the Buffaloberries are starting to wane, Dogwood berries are starting to ripen and make an appearance in the Bow Valley. Fruit trees and shrubs are the main attractants that will draw bears into residential areas and NOW is the time to remove the fruit before a bear points out the problem. Leaving fruit (such as crabapple, mountain ash, chokecherry and dogwood) in your trees can attract bears into residential areas, putting bears and people at risk. The best practice is to remove fruit bearing trees and shrubs from your yard, however if you decide to keep your fruit bearing trees and shrubs, please ensure the fruit is removed BEFORE it is ripe! Canmore residents can be fined for letting fruit and berries accumulate on trees and on the ground in their yards as per the Community Standards Bylaw. It is your responsibility to make sure that bears do not have a reason to linger in your yard, resulting in bears being relocated or killed.
WildSmart has pruning shears and extendable pole saw pruners and fruit pickers that can be borrowed (free of charge) to assist Bow Valley residents in removing fruit and berry bushes from their property. Please send an email to resource@biosphereinstitute.org to make arrangements to borrow the fruit removal equipment.
If you prefer to remove and replace your fruit tree (recommended), there are still funds available for the Town of Canmore’s Fruit Tree Removal and Replacement Incentive Programs so take advantage NOW before the money runs out AND before you attract a bear into town and/or get a large fine! Applications are still open while limited funds are available so click here to apply now!
Our extendable pole saw pruner in action removing Mountain Ash berries. We have 12ft and 18ft pruners available to borrow.
WILDLIFE IN THE NEWS
Canmore wildlife conservationist questions call not to investigate Alberta parks minister.
Woman fined after grizzly bear run-in with off-leash dog in Banff National Park.
Conservation officers say RCMP weren't mistaken in shooting bear that attacked 3-year-old.
Athlete uses bear spray to fend off animal attack on popular trail in Alaska.
Young grizzly bear with limp killed in Nelson, B.C., sparks rally.
Mother grizzly bear killed by Conservation Officer Service in Nelson.
Bear dies after becoming trapped inside car in Colorado.
'No risk' to public safety after grizzly bear escaped enclosure, Calgary Zoo says.
Fitz the grizzly bear briefly escapes his enclosure at the Calgary Zoo.
Gorging on bearcam: the livestream of big beasts eating that draws millions.
Bears cool off in a backyard pool in Los Angeles.
Grizzly bear sighting in Lions Bay, B.C. has experts divided. Is it a black bear?
CURRENT OPPORTUNITIES
The Biosphere Institute is hiring an Environmental Educator and Program Coordinator (Maternity Leave Contract) for our Future Leader Program, supporting the ecological literacy of children and youth in the Bow Valley. The Environmental Educator and Program Coordinator is responsible for organizing and delivering the Future Leaders programming including outdoor learning classes and field trips aligned with the Alberta curriculum, coordinating the Future Leaders Youth Council and maintaining strong relationships with funders while supporting the program’s fund development plan. The position will be based out of our office in Canmore.
This is a full-time maternity leave contract position, between 12 and 18 months in duration, with a start date of October 1, 2026. Click here for the full job description and requirements!
If you are interested in applying for this opportunity please email a resume and cover letter with the subject title “Future Leaders, Maternity Leave Contract” to education@biosphereinstitute.org by 5:00 p.m. MST on September 1, 2026.
AND NOW SOME PAWS-ITIVE NEWS
The 2026 summer season is coming to a close for the amazing Alberta Parks Interpretive Shows in the Bow Valley and Kananaskis Country but if you have not yet seen one of their shows - you are missing out!
Join Alberta Parks Interpreters for a variety of informative and funny theatrical presentations about a wide range of wildlife and environment related topics and themes. They are very clever and entertaining. All shows start at 7:30pm, they are FREE and they are 1-hour long. Click on each of the links below to see the dates and locations for all the available shows. Some of them end in August and others in early September so go and check them out now - You won’t regret it!
Click here for shows at Bow Valley Amphitheatre in Bow Valley Provincial Park.
Click here for shows at Elkwood Amphitheatre in Peter Lougheed Provincial Park.
Click here for shows at Mount Kidd Amphitheatre in Mt. Kidd RV Park.
Here are some examples of the current Interpretive shows that are playing in the Bow Valley and K-Country.
UPCOMING EVENTS
August 27 - Direct Outdoor Gear & Mountain View BearSmart are pleased to invite you to attend a bear and cougar safety and awareness presentation on Thursday, August 27 from 7-9pm at the Direct Outdoor Gear store in Sundre (102 6th Street NW, Sundre, AB).
Indoor presentation from 7-8pm will include:
how to id grizzly bears and black bears
the biology and behaviour of bears and cougars
managing attractants when hiking, camping, or living in bear country
how to avoid an encounter with a bear or cougar and how to act correctly when one has an encounter
how to use bear spray
From 8-9pm there will be outdoor bear spray training with inert spray in the parking lot (weather permitting). Space is limited so please register by emailing: info@directoutdoorgear.com or call: 403-636-4669.
Please bring a $10/person donation to support the Mountain View BearSmart Society and its volunteers, programs, and projects in their efforts to reduce human-bear conflicts in Mountain View and Clearwater counties. Click here for more info!
Please remember BEARS CAN BE ENCOUNTERED ANYWHERE, ANYTIME!
Report any sightings of a bear, cougar, wolf or any aggressive wildlife in Kananaskis Country or the Bow Valley to Kananaskis Dispatch at 403.591.7755