If you’ve always wanted to see a bear up close and personal, you may want to head to Colorado or California this summer. The state says that it has experienced an increase in bear activity in 2026, and wildlife officers say they have fielded almost 2,000 calls about the furry creatures this year alone, according to Good Morning America.
And while that may not seem like a lot in an area that is in such close proximity to wildlife, officers tell GMA that the figure is double what they had received in the same time frame last year. Colorado isn’t alone in the rise in bear sightings. The Wall Street Journal reports that South Lake Tahoe has also seen a spike in calls, with 174 reported this year.
So what’s behind the spike in bear activity this summer? Conservation efforts appear to be working well, and bear populations are on the rise. However, that has had a negative side effect, and now bears are traveling into more heavily populated areas in search of food.
Here’s what we know about the spike in bear encounters and what you need to do to stay safe if you live in an area with bears.
Bear Sightings Have Increased 155 Percent in Parts of Colorado
In Douglas County, Colorado, bear activity has seen a massive spike. Kara Van Hoose, public information officer with Colorado Parks and Wildlife, spoke to CBS News about the increase in bear-related calls, telling the publication that a variety of factors are causing the increase in bear activity, including the drought. “We are experiencing just an extraordinary bear year,” she said.
This has pushed many bears into the suburbs where they aren’t usually seen, as they go sniffing around after things like bird feeders, trash cans, and even pet food. “We still don’t really see them in Denver proper, which is great,” Van Hoose said of the increased activity.
However, that doesn’t mean they aren’t seeing them at all. Denver resident Matthew Kalan said he spotted a large bear raiding his neighbor’s trash one morning. “I’ve seen bears in the mountains before but never this far down in the suburbs,” he recalled.
Bears Are Also Causing Chaos in Parts of California
Over the Fourth of July holiday, a man went viral after a security camera caught him fending off a bear with a can of bear spray as he was standing in front of his garage. The Sacramento Bee reports that Cortlandt Koerwitz was uninjured in the attempted attack, even if he was left “scared and confused” by the encounter.
A separate story from the publication dated April 2026 predicted that bears would be more active in the late spring and early summer due to low snowpack and warmer temperatures. These conditions can shorten the region’s growing season, leaving the bears with fewer natural food sources, forcing them into more populated areas.
NBC News affiliate KSBY 6 also credits conservation efforts with the increased bear activity. Wildlife ecologist Dr. Rae Wynn-Grant told the publication that all of this is a good sign. “It means all of the great conservation work that has been done to protect the species and actually restore the population is going well,” Dr. Wynn-Grant said. “In the spring, black bears are moving around a lot; they are actually traveling the most.”
Of course, all of this activity means more chances for bear encounters, and the National Park Service (NPS) says that you need to be extra vigilant when you’re out in areas where black bears have been spotted. The NPS says some things you can do to keep yourself safe when you see a black bear include staying calm, waving your arms, and speaking calmly so that the bear will recognize that you’re human and not a potential meal.
Additionally, you should avoid running and pick up any small children that may be with you. And most importantly, if you see a mama bear with cubs, you should never get between the bear and her babies. Instead, you should move away “slowly and sideways,” which will allow you to keep an eye on the bear as you make your escape.