Best chance of seeing bears?

[sheilauk]

We are trying to plan a 20 day trip to Canada and Alaska and wanting to see as much as possible. Coming from the Uk, we are thinking , fly to Calgary, then Banff for a couple of nights, thentake Rocky Mountaineer, stopping off at Kamploops and on to Vancouver. Take a 7 night cruise to Anchorage and hire RV to go to Denali National Park. Back To Anchorage and fly home.

 

Not sure if there is enough time available to do this, has anyone managed to fit all this in? The highlight of this trip would be any opportunity to see bears in their own environment, so I am not sure if the trip to Denali is the right place to go? Is there anywhere in the Vancouver vicinity that you could recommend for wildlife/ possible bear sightings, maybe instead of Denali?

[5soccer9]

I went on cc this morning to ask the same thing. We did an Alaska cruise four years ago in June and the bears were not out yet. We are looking at doing a one way cruise next year in August and the main thing I want to see is the bears. I didn't know if August may be late. I read something saying July and September are the best time for bear watching and would like to find out if that is true. We would love to know about late August. Your trip sounds wonderful.

[rachelfran]

There are many threads here and on tripadvisor about bear viewing ... Based on these threads - I booked a trip to the Anan Observatory from Ketchikan by plane to see bears feeding on salmon on August 3.

 

I could be wrong but I think unless you specifically go where the bears are feeding - any other viewings are purely by chance... Yes, Denali has bears but they roam everywhere and your best chance of seeing them would be multiple long days in the park. I'm going but only have time for one day in the park.

 

 

Rachel

 

 

 

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

[mapleleaves]

what type of bears .... black? brown?

what type of viewing experience do you want.. from a platform? or at a falls catching salmon? a fly in trip for a few hours? an overnight at a lodge to have 2 days of viewing?

There are peak periods of time at the various locations, usually tied to a salmon run, so you need to determine WHAT you want to see as well as WHERE and WHEN. And some places require a permit.

I've been to Denali 4 times and have always seen bears and cubs. They weren't close to the bus but we could easily see them grazing on the hill and playing w/ binoculars. That's close enough for me. When we were in Valdez in mid Aug, black and brown bears were crossing the road to the hatchery every evening to catch salmon. That's a common occurence around many fisheries.

Lots to research! Start with the Alaska forum of tripadvisor, where there is a bear viewing thread under Top Questions. Read some trip reports from last yr to see what others have done.

Look at this info from Alaska Fish and Game.

http://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=viewing.landmammals&species=bears#anchor

 

Google towns like Homer, Soldotna, Juneau, Ketchikan to learn about bear viewing oppportunities.

 

At the north end of Vancouver Island there are excursions for viewing brown bears. Google Vancouver Is Visitor information to learn more.

Hope this helps.

[Terella]

I have only seen a bear one time in Denali. The most bears I have ever seen has been in Haines and Skagway. Haines, I have seen them around the outskirts of town. We saw several around the Ferry terminal last year at the end of May. Skagway, we usually see a couple driving up through the pass and all the way up to Whitehorse. We drove Whitehorse to Haines, Ferry to Skagway and back to Whitehorse last year in late May and saw about 20 bears on the trip. Most just on the side of the road.

[WalleyeLJ]

We are trying to plan a 20 day trip to Canada and Alaska and wanting to see as much as possible. Coming from the Uk, we are thinking , fly to Calgary, then Banff for a couple of nights, thentake Rocky Mountaineer, stopping off at Kamploops and on to Vancouver. Take a 7 night cruise to Anchorage and hire RV to go to Denali National Park. Back To Anchorage and fly home.

 

Not sure if there is enough time available to do this, has anyone managed to fit all this in? The highlight of this trip would be any opportunity to see bears in their own environment, so I am not sure if the trip to Denali is the right place to go? Is there anywhere in the Vancouver vicinity that you could recommend for wildlife/ possible bear sightings, maybe instead of Denali?

 

Unfortunately I can't speak to wildlife viewing in the vancouver area. When are you planning on traveling to Alaska? The "when" will dictate the where. Do you have just enough time to RV to Denali, or will you have more days to spend exploring post cruise? We viewed Brown bears in Katmai and near Lake Clark National Park the second week of July last summer. Bear viewing in different areas there (Hallo Bay, Brooks Falls, Silver Salmon Creek, Wolverine Creek, etc) run from late May into September. Not all those areas, all the time, but somewhere in the mix you'll be able to find Browns.

 

 

At Wolverine Creek we saw both Black bears and Brown bears. Kenai, Soldotna or Homer would all make for a good jump off points (3.5-5.5 hours from Anchorage depending on traffic, road construction, moose). You could also do a fly out straight from Anchorage depending on your schedule. Our one trip to Denali, we saw two sets of female grizzlies with twin cubs, as deescribed by one of the other posters out at binoculr/telephoto lens range. At least one other group that day had their bus stop to allow a mother andd her cubs to cross the park road. Near or far - luck of the draw. In Katmai, on the other hand, we were within 50-75 feet of the some of the Browns - a VERY surreal experience!

 

 

 

Bears (and people) in Hallo Bay, Katmai National Park

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Black and Brown bears at Wolverine Creek near Lake Clak NP:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

In 2015 we're going back the end of August/beginning of September, basing our travel schedule around bear viewing trips and Silver salmon runs - ust about the coolest thing ever was watching bears salmon fishing live in the wild! I hope this helps a bit - goodd luck with your planning!

 

 

 

 

L.J.

[mr green]

The best chance to see bear is in early May, when they are still sleepy, and less inclined to run.

 

john

[WalleyeLJ]

The best chance to see bear is in early May, when they are still sleepy, and less inclined to run.

 

john

 

LOL - half of 35 mph is STILL faster than I'll ever run...;)

 

L.J.

[Budget Queen]

I am currently in Alaska and have always seen brown bears in Denali, with the exception of one trip. This has been with entry from June 1, through second week of Sept. Today was my third trip to Wonder Lake, with bears seen every day. the key here, is to get INTO the park, at least to Eielson.

 

My two trips to Katmai were both canceled, even with extra days. :)

 

I have had good luck seeing brown bears out of Hoonah, with an independent vendor. Ketchikan fly ins are good choices as well going when peak season is at the particular area. This is mostly black bears however.

 

Denali browns are smaller, due to NO salmon.

 

I have also had good luck seeing browns with driving the Klondike Highway out of Skagway, but spending the entire day out, in May.

 

So, you need to figure out what you want to see, and plan your time around the peak season for that particular area.

[5soccer9]

WalleyeLJ, I love your pictures. I could look at them all day. We are planning on going and bear watching August of 2015. Thank you for all your information.

[micruiser12]

I am currently in Alaska and have always seen brown bears in Denali, with the exception of one trip. This has been with entry from June 1, through second week of Sept. Today was my third trip to Wonder Lake, with bears seen every day. the key here, is to get INTO the park, at least to Eielson.

 

My two trips to Katmai were both canceled, even with extra days. :)

 

I have had good luck seeing brown bears out of Hoonah, with an independent vendor. Ketchikan fly ins are good choices as well going when peak season is at the particular area. This is mostly black bears however.

 

Denali browns are smaller, due to NO salmon.

 

I have also had good luck seeing browns with driving the Klondike Highway out of Skagway, but spending the entire day out, in May.

 

So, you need to figure out what you want to see, and plan your time around the peak season for that particular area.

 

Can you supply the name of the independent vendor that you used in Hoonah? Appreciate your help.

[ehogan]

Had to laugh about your question about bears in Vancouver! We are currently having quite a few problems in our suburbs with black bears wandering into back yards, and attacking farmyard pets! But I'm pretty sure you don't mean those kind of bears.

 

More to the point, we were on an HAL cruise in mid August a few years ago that went into Haines and we did their "sunset" wildlife tour. We saw six grizzly bears at fairly close range. they were feeding on salmon... It was an amazinfpg experience,but I can't speak to whether or not that is a common sighting.

 

Few cruise ships go into Haines, I think it might be only HAL 14 day trips.

[bottom-dragger]

 

Denali browns are smaller, due to NO salmon.

 

.

 

hmm, then why aren't the black bears in SE larger than interior (salmonless) blacks?

[Budget Queen]

Can you supply the name of the independent vendor that you used in Hoonah? Appreciate your help.

 

Teckk Outfitters. I have gone on both their bear searches and whale watches. I have been very happy with my tours with them.

[micruiser12]

Teckk Outfitters. I have gone on both their bear searches and whale watches. I have been very happy with my tours with them.

 

 

Thank you Budget Queen! Your various info has been very helpful for our planned cruise coming up in Aug. Can't wait!

[sheilauk]

Thank you to everyone who has posted. I think we have decided on visiting in late August and will most likely take an organised trip to see the bears on the salmon run. Just need to persuade my husband who really wants to be in Calgary for the Stampede in July........ Why is there always so much to try and fit in on holiday, I guess maybe the cruise might have to go 😉

[vbmom87]

Thank you to everyone who has posted. I think we have decided on visiting in late August and will most likely take an organised trip to see the bears on the salmon run. Just need to persuade my husband who really wants to be in Calgary for the Stampede in July........ Why is there always so much to try and fit in on holiday, I guess maybe the cruise might have to go

 

You could go to the Stampede and then head to AK. I have read of July bear tours. You just have to do the research to figure what areas are peak viewing in July.

[cruisingberger]

We were in Banff last year in late July and saw several bears feeding from the road. You may see them there as well.

[Kerry's Girls]

Just wanted to chime in that last week we rented a car in Skagway and on the way back from the suspension bridge we saw two bears (each alone in different areas) on the side of the road munching on grass or daisies. More interesting were the brilliant folks who parked their car and crossed the road to take photos of a young bear. No way they could have made it back to their car if the momma bear had come running.

[libtrek]

Just back from Denali (last Wednesday). On Elison shuttle saw many bears. At first in the distance, then just off the road. One blonde came right up to the bus and basically posed for pictures. On way back to WAC, saw a blonde just off the road, on her back, like a dog enjoying the sun. What a photo moment!

Lib

[huskyguy]

Saw 5 bears right beside the road between Skagway and Carcross yesterday! I've only missed seeing bears on 2 of my many, many trips into Denali, and I still consider it to be the best opportunity for those who aren't in the air-excursion-budget group.

[cjankowski]

We seen a bear on the side of the road eating flowers last week !!!!!!!