The Colorado Parks and Wildlife Department estimates that there are more than 20,000 bears in Colorado, and the population is steadily increasing. The black bear is the only species of bear in the state. Despite the name, colors include brown, blonde, cinnamon, and black.
Rick Spitzer/Photo provided
As the summer camping season begins, White River National Forest officials are stressing the importance of following food storage rules to ensure safety and minimize conflicts with wildlife, especially black bears.
The 2.3 million-acre White River National Forest has many campgrounds and natural areas frequented by campers and black bears. Paula Peterson, development and recreation program manager for the U.S. Forest Service, emphasized the importance of storing food properly.
“Every year, campers and backpackers have conflicts with bears because they don't properly store food, trash, and other attractants according to regulations,” Peterson said in a news release. “Storing these items in a way that black bears cannot access them is important for the safety of you and your family, campers who may be following you in the area, and the bears themselves.”
The new food stockpile order applies to all developed campgrounds and many dispersed campgrounds throughout the forest. The law requires food, trash, and other attractants to be stored in hard-sided vehicles, bear-proof food lockers, or certified bear-proof containers.
“The basic rule of food storage orders is to store food, food scraps, coolers, pet food, canned or bottled beverages, and other bear attractants in hard-sided vehicles,” Peterson said. said in a statement. “Unless you are actively preparing food or preparing food within 100 feet during the day, bear-resistant food lockers, which are provided at many development sites, or an approved bear-resistant Please use a food container.
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Backpackers, especially those in the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Preserve, must use approved bear-resistant food containers. These containers are critical to preventing bears from accessing food in the backcountry and can be purchased or rented at most outdoor stores or online. A list of approved containers is available on the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee website.
In recent years, there have also been significant changes to camping rules to manage their impact on the environment. Dispersed camping is currently limited to designated areas in Summit County, with more than 60 free sites available in popular areas such as North Rock Creek and Boreas Pass Road. Meanwhile, Eagle County currently has a seven-day stay limit in place during the summer on roads such as Homestake and Muddy Pass.
Last summer, backpackers looking to camp in popular areas of the Maroon Bells-Snowmass Preserve, such as the Four Pass Loop and Capitol Lake, began requiring lodging permits, which are available online. . Most natural areas within the forest require self-registration at the trailhead, but advance reservations are required for these specific areas.
If you plan ahead, you can make reservations for many developed campgrounds on Recreation.gov. Later this summer, a new feature in the recreation.gov mobile app will allow campers to use their QR code and mobile device to pay for on-site, first-come, first-served campgrounds and day-use sites. Masu.
Forest Orders, including Food Storage Orders, information on fire danger and fire restrictions, and other updated information are also available on the official White River National Forest website.