Trails for everyone, forever

Home Go Outside Trail Smarts How To How to Hang a Bear Bag

How to Hang a Bear Bag

The best way to reduce your chances of seeing a bear is to keep food food, trash, and scented toiletries like toothpaste, sunblock, or hand-sanitizer out of reach and secure. The most common method to do so is a by hanging a bear bag, which despite the name, also protects from other animals, like squirrels and raccoons.

The best way to reduce your chances of seeing a bear is to keep food food, trash, and scented toiletries like toothpaste, sunblock, or hand-sanitizer out of reach and secure. The most common method to do so is a by hanging a bear bag, which despite the name, also protects from other animals, like squirrels and raccoons.

Hang your bag before it gets dark to make it a little easier. Photo by emma.
Hang your bag before it gets dark to make it a little easier. Photo by emma.

There are several methods for hanging a bear bag. The most common is to put your food in a nylon stuff sack (or an Ursack) with a drawstring cord and tie it (or connect it with a carabiner) to a length of lightweight 50-foot nylon cord. Tie one end of the cord to the stuff sack and the other to a rough-edged rock that easily fits in your hand. You can also use a very small stuff sacks to hold the rock.

Select a tree at least 200 feet away from your tent that has a branch about 15 feet off the ground. Ideally, the bear bag should hang 10 feet away from the trunk and 15 feet above the ground. The point is to keep it out of reach of the bear from the ground, and if he was to climb out on a branch.

Hold the loosely-coiled rope slack in one hand and throw rock above the sturdy branch. Once you've got the cord over the branch, hoist your food bag up with the free end. Tie off the free end to the tree trunk.

Established backcountry camps with a history of bear problems are sometimes equipped with bear wires, which allow you to clip your bag onto a metal wire and hoist it to the required height. Other camps have bear poles or bear caches. These are your best bet for food storage if they are available.

You can also use a bear canister. Although bulkier to carry, bear canisters have been rigorously tested to keep wildlife out of your food. Some areas known for their bears, like Olympic National Park, require bear canisters. Check land manager regulations before you head out.

Need a visual? Watch a video from the folks at Leave No Trace

For more tips on Hiking with Bears