Beware of These 8 Bear Hotspots in Colorado
#6 Durango
Durango, Colorado is known for its snowy winters and steep mountains.
A town in the San Juan Mountains, Durango gets special mention on our list because of its notoriety when it comes to bear attacks. In early summer 2021, a woman was killed by a bear when she was out for a simple walk with her dogs. Bear encounters are usually limited to sightings and trash-related incidents. But this 2021 encounter was unfortunately fatal for the woman. Alaska is the state with the most fatal bear attacks but even their numbers are low. Fatal bear attacks are rare in Colorado. So when a bear encounter turns deadly, it is sure to put the location on the map of hotspots.
#7 Manitou Springs
Pike’s Peak is located near Manitou Springs and is one of the most-visited summits in the entire North American continent.
This town near Colorado Springs was the site of a 2020 bear attack. At around 11:30 pm, a woman walking home in downtown Manitou Springs was attacked by a black bear. She managed to get away with only scratches. Another woman was chased down a nearby street later that night, likely by the same bear. Because bears often return to continue looking for food or eat the food that they found, officials had to track down the bear and euthanize her to prevent further attacks. They relocated her cubs to a rehab facility. Once they are old enough, the cubs will be released. Colorado Parks and Wildlife followed the reports with a public statement urging residents to keep their trash locked and secured.
#8 Rocky Mountain National Park
Rocky Mountain National Park is a natural habitat for black bears in Colorado.
Rocky Mountain National Park covers just under 266,000 acres and is home to many species of wildlife, including black bears. Grizzly bears used to call the area home as well but are no longer living in Rocky Mountain National Park or anywhere else in Colorado. Black bears tend to avoid humans in the park, although you should still take care to follow the recommended steps to be bear-aware and avoid confrontation. The park requires visitors camping or hiking in the backcountry to use a bear-proof storage container for all scented items like food and water. At designated campsites, food storage lockers provide a safe place to store your items.
