The Best Places to See and Photograph Grizzly Bears
YOUNG MALE BROWN BEAR FISHING IN HYDER, ALASKA, ONE OF THE ULTIMATE DESTINATIONS TO SEE AND PHOTOGRAPH BROWN BEARS. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
This is the fourth in The Brown Bear Series By Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
With tips and images from wildlife photographers: Sandra Birdwell, Deanna Cagle, Drew Hamilton, Dave Pecunies, Scott Stone, Jack Uellendahl, Steve Williamson, and Chrissie Visser, and the good folks from Cassiar Cannery Vacation Rentals .
JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN, VANGOPHOTOS WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, AND TEAM MEMBER
A pungent odor permeates the forest as thousands of fish decay on the stream's edge. As bone-crunching sounds echo between the trees, it is time to grab your camera and shoot some bears!
Although there are several places on the American continent where you can photograph brown bears in the wild, none are as reliable as the ones in Canada and Alaska, where the annual salmon runs offer an easy meal for the hungry bears. Some of these spots are easily accessible by car, some require a boat or floatplane ride, and some are so exclusive that it takes the luck of the draw even to get to visit them.
Every wildlife photographer I know who is passionate about brown bear seems to be equally enthusiastic about their favorite destination. I’ve asked a few of my friends to share them with us. They agreed. As long as we don’t tell.
Pack those extra camera batteries, bring rain protection for your camera gear, and let's take a journey to some of the best spots to photograph brown bears.
VIEWING IN HYDER IS FROM A PLATFORM, GOOD FOR THE PHOTOGRAPHERS AND THE BEARS. IMAGE: ©CLAUDIA AND PJ POTGIESER
Katmai National Park, Alaska
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, JACK UELLENDAHL CAUGHT THIS IMAGE AT ALASKA’S KATMAI NATIONAL PARK IN AUGUST. IMAGE: ©JACK UELLENDAHL
✓ Trip Tips
Katmai National Park, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
Salmon Run! June - August
July is the most crowded.
How to Get There: By Air
1) Major Airline: Anchorage to King Salmon
2) Floatplane: From King Salmon, Homer or other small towns.
Where to Stay:
Accommodations available at Brooks Lodge inside Katmai National Park or the campground. NOTE: Advanced reservations required!
The Most Famous Brown Bear Photo of All Time
BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year Thomas Mangelsen immortalized the genre with his famous image of a brown bear standing on the crest of a waterfall, his mouth wide open and a salmon jumping right into it. You may even say his image ruined it for the rest of us – just kidding. He made the image in Katmai National Park at the famous Brooks Falls. The [Explore.org] 24/7 live webcam pointed at the falls, the bears and the salmon during peak season is making it even more renowned. This place gets busy and deservedly so.
To capture his iconic image, Mangelsen used a 600mm lens with 1.4x teleconverter mounted on a film camera, the equivalent of today's digital full-frame sensors.
Katmai National Park, established in 1918 to protect Mount Katmai and the Valley of Ten Thousand Smokes, is the most famous location for observing brown bears in the wild. During peak season, you can count on multiple bears being visible at the [Brooks] falls at any given time. The Park is so remote; however, that it takes considerable effort to reach it: no roads lead to the Park, all visitors are required to fly in.
LOOKING OUT OVER THE VALLEY OF TEN THOUSAND SMOKES, KATMAI NATIONAL PARK, ALASKA. IMAGE THANKS TO: THE NATIONAL PARKS SERVICE
The Park – a massive 4 million acres in size – is open year-round, but most visitors flock there in summer. An estimated 2,200 bears live in the area, and many of them visit the falls during the salmon run: as many as 60-70 brown bears can be seen at the falls at one time, fishing for salmon. Wooden platforms are available overlooking the Brooks Falls.
THE SALMON RUN IN KATMAI STARTS IN LATE JUNE AND RUNS (NO PUN INTENDED) INTO LATE AUGUST. GOOD FOR THE BEARS AND THE BEAR PHOTOGRAPHERS. IMAGE: ©JACK UELLENDAHL.
Arizona-based wildlife photographer Jack Uellendahl visited the area in August as part of a road trip that brought him from his home in Arizona to mainland Alaska. At Brooks Falls, He used his Nikon 80-400mm and 200-500mm lenses on both crop and full-frame camera bodies, which proved to be an excellent focal length range.
Plan for the Salmon Run
The salmon run usually starts in late June and lasts into August. The best time to see the maximum number of bears is July. The platform can get crowded with other visitors, and in July, the rangers usually only allow 40 people at one time onto the platform for a maximum of one hour. As a photographer, you'll want to spend the maximum amount of time possible on the platform, so I recommend that you stay overnight and visit the platform either early or late in the day, avoiding the day visitors.
A Plane Ride But No Hiking
By air. Major airlines fly from Anchorage to King Salmon, near the Katmai National Park. From King Salmon (or nearby towns like Homer), you take a floatplane into the Park and land on Naknek Lake. Jack notes that the plane ride offered spectacular views, and once you land on the lake, no hiking is required so you can bring some of your big (and heavy) camera gear with you.
Admiralty Island, Alaska
SAYS DAVE PECUNIES, IT WAS THE END OF DAY ON ADMIRALTY. WE WERE THE LAST VISITORS.WE WERE SITTING IN ONE OF THE VIEWING AREAS WAITING FOR OUR PLANE JUST TALKING TO ONE OF THE RANGERS. ALL OF A SUDDEN A MOTHER AND CUBS CAME WALKING RIGHT BY US (AS THEY TEND TO DO ON ADMIRALTY) WE SPENT THE NEXT 45 MINUTES WATCHING THEM THEM FISH AND SWIM UP AND DOWN THE RIVER, IT WAS THE HIGHLIGHT OF OUR TRIP TO ALASKA. AT ADMIRALTY ISLAND, ALASKA. IMAGE: ©DAVE PECUNIES PHOTOGRAPHY
✓ Trip Tips
Admiralty Island, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
Season June 1-Sept. 10.
Note: July 5-August 25, only 24 visitors per day allowed
How to Get There:
Boat or via a 30-minute floatplane ride from Juneau, Alaska
Where to Stay:
Juneau or nearby islands
How about trapping yourself on an island with the world's largest density of brown bears? Admiralty Island near Juneau, Alaska, is the place for you. It is possible to find an astonishing one bear per square mile on the island, adding up to about 1,500 brown bears: the world's most significant density and more than all the lower 48 U.S. States combined!
Kootznoowoo,
The Fortress of Bears
Originally named 'Kootznoowoo' by the native Tinglit community, the name translates to Fortress of the Bears. Admiralty Island National Monument is now a protected wildlife and nature reserve where the bears live an undisturbed life, fishing for salmon, digging up clams and eating sedge (a grasslike plant). Keep in mind that permits are required for all visitors between June 1 and September 10.
SAYS DAVE, YOU KNOW WHEN YOU ARE FLYING IN AND YOU SEE A MOTHER AND CUB ON THE BEACH, IT IS GOING TO BE A GOOD DAY… (ADMIRALTY ISLAND) IS TRULY A SPECIAL PLACE. IMAGE: ©DAVE PECUNIES
The U.S. Forest Service, together with the Alaska Department of Fish & Game, manages the "Pack Creek Bear Viewing Area" on the island from June 1 through September 10. Between July 5 and August 25, only 24 visitors per day are allowed. This is a wilderness area: no facilities or bathrooms exist on site. The wildlife viewing area, which is an observation tower, is the only shelter available. Keep that in mind as the island is located in the temperate rainforest of the Tongass National Forest.
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Alaska
“THE LOOK-OUT” IMAGE: ©DREW HAMILTON. JUST NORTH OF KATMAI IS THE REMOTE MCNEIL RIVER STATE GAME SANCTUARY USES A LOTTERY TO RESTRICT BEAR ENTHUSIASTS.
✓ Trip Tips
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
July to mid-August
How to get there?
By float plane from Homer, Alaska
Where to stay?
The camp in the sanctuary
(2-mile hike from falls)
Few places offer the experience that McNeil River State Game Sanctuary gives you. Here you live amongst brown bears in a remote tent camp and photograph the bears with only a line in the sand between you - literally! Whereas most other destinations listed here provide the – relative – security of a wooden boardwalk or platform, at McNeil bears walk by you at very short range. Still, McNeil boasts a perfect safety record for 40+ years and counting.
McNeil River State Game Sanctuary was established in 1967 to preserve the concentration of brown bears that gather at the McNeill river falls during the salmon run. As many as 74 bears have been seen at the falls at one time! Located just north of Katmai National Park, the sanctuary is so famous that a lottery system has been put in place to limit access and preserve the experience. Only ten visitors are allowed per day, but each is entitled to four days. The bears outnumber humans by far. You won't have crowds – well, at least not of people - to deal with, as in most of the other locations listed in this article.
✍︎ Editor’s Note: The proposed Pebble Mine, if it comes to reality, will cause irreversible harm to the headwaters of Bristol Bay, as well as negatively impacting the nature and biodiversity of three ultimate brown bear destinations: Katmai National Park, Lake Clark National Park and McNeil River Sanctuary. Thanks to photographer Drew Hamilton for his work with the Friends of McNeil River and their fight to protect it for future generations.
Kodiak Island, Alaska,
The World’s Biggest Brown Bears
SAYS SCOTT: I WENT ON A COUPLE OF BEAR VIEWS … (TO KODIAK ISLAND) AND WAS HOOKED, SINCE THEN I HAVE DEVOTED MY LIFE TO BEARS AND PHOTOGRAPHY. … IT’S THE MOST AMAZING THING I’LL GET TO DO IN MY LIFE AND I FEEL BLESSED. THANKS TO: SCOTT STONE PHOTOGRAPHY
✓ Trip Tips
Kodiak Island, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
July through September.
Note: The islands most consistent location is on the Frazer river, (fish ladder) accessible by floatplane.
How to get there?
By air or boat.
The Alaska State Ferry (9.5 hrs from Homer)
Where to stay?
Options available on the island.
Brown, Grizzly, or Kodiak Bears … What's in a Name?
They are all Ursus Arctos, but the Kodiak and grizzly are considered subspecies.
Brown bears that live inland are typically called "grizzlies" (Ursus Arctos Horribilis). "Kodiak" bears (Ursus Arctos Middendorffi) are found on the Kodiak archipelago. And the brown bears that live along the coast are simply referred to as "brown bears," except for Hyder, Alaska, where they refer to their brown bear as "grizzlies."
The Kodiak bears were isolated on the Kodiak archipelago approximately 12,000 years ago. Because of the abundance of food sources (clams, fish, deer, sedge, berries), they have evolved into the biggest brown bears in the world. An adult male Kodiak bear can reach an astonishing height of 9 ½ feet when standing on its hind legs! Large sections of the archipelago are protected in the Kodiak National Wildlife Refuge.
Look for the bears in and along the rivers filled with spawning salmon from July through September. Some are accessible by road once you get to the island, others by floatplane. The most consistent location on the island is the Frazer river, with its fish ladder, accessible by floatplane.
Lake Clark National Park and Preserve, Alaska
THIS BEAR WAS CAUGHT ON THE MUD FLATS ALONG LAKE CLARK. BUT BRING YOUR ZOOM LENS TO CONTROL WEIGHT, YOU WILL BE HIKING HERE. IMAGE: ©JACK UELLENDAHL
✓ Trip Tips
Lake Clark National Park And Preserve, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
June through September
How to get there?
Only accessible by plane
Where to stay?
Privately operated lodges available in the Park
Next door to Katmai National Park and McNeil River State Game Sanctuary lies Lake Clark National Park and Preserve. The National Park was designated in 1980 to protect 4 million acres of land, which includes Mount Redoubt, an active volcano. When the salmon are running, the bears congregate at Chinitna Bay and at Silver Salmon Creek. Up to 20 brown bears have been spotted at the same time feeding on salmon and sedges.
As at McNeil, there are no wooden boardwalks to keep you separate from the bears here.
About Lake Clark National Park & Preserve
SEABIRDS ABOUND AT LAKE CLARK NATIONAL PARK, INCLUDING HORNED PUFFINS. IMAGE: JACK UELLANDAHL
Wildlife photographer Jack Uellendahl stayed at one of the lodges in the Park this past summer. The small floatplane dropped him right on the beach in front of the lodge, and he loved the intimacy that this location offers:
"In particular being at ground level with no barrier between you and the bears was awesome! At times we were within 20 feet of a bear but they mostly ignored us. On one of the hikes, I saw a mother bear with her three cubs, and we got to watch them for 45 minutes!" There is hiking involved, so you may want to reconsider bringing a heavy prime lens with you, depending on your physical strength (or ability to pay for a sherpa).
Jack used his 80-400mm and 200-500mm lenses to good effect.
Brown Bear Photo Ops Without Flying
For those of us who don't necessarily enjoy flying, the following are some locations you can get to in your car or R.V. Haines (just like the next locations of Hyder, Alaska, and Bella Coola, Canada) is part of the good old road system. Flying to remote areas also tends to be more expensive than traveling by car plus if you drive, you'll be able to bring all your favorite camera gear: no need to choose only one or two lenses that fit on the small floatplane!
Haines, Alaska
THE CHILKOOT RIVER AT HAINES ALASKA IS FAMOUS FOR ITS BROWN BEARS AND BALD EAGLES. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
✓ Trip Tips
Haines, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
Late August through September.
Note: In recent years, up to ten bears daily on river fishing salmon.
How to get there?
By car or boat.
Note 1: No fuel available from the Alaska Highway turn in Haines Junction until Haines.
Note 2: Sandra says: .. beautiful drive with opportunity to spot grizzly bears, foxes, and moose.
Where to stay?
In Haines, hotels, motels, B&B as well as R.V. parks.
Haines, accessible via the Alaska State Ferry, is a town of around 1,700 people in Southeastern Alaska. Famous for its winter gathering of bald eagles, the town attracts many brown bears and photographers to its Chilkoot River every summer.
Wildlife photographer Sandra Birdwell from Texas is a regular visitor to Haines to photograph the bears: "The Chilkoot River and Lake are one of the most beautiful places to view and photograph coastal brown bears. The river is full of large rocks; the bears are often on the rocks and jumping into the water. The vegetation surrounding the bears makes for nice landscapes along with wildlife photos. The Lutak Inlet at low tide brings the bears and their coy to dig in the sand and lounge around in the tall grass."
I asked Sandra for some of her favorite moments, and she recalled, "one morning we photographed a bear and two first-year cubs for several hours, playing and digging: it was amazing. On another occasion, a bear and her cub sat on the rocks watching the sun go down along with the tourists. It's a most amazing peaceful spot to visit."
TIP FROM WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, SANDRA BIRDWELL, A TELEPHOTO LENS IS A GOOD OPTION AS BEARS TEND TO STAY ON THE FAR SIDE OF THE RIVER. IMAGE: ©SANDRA BIRDWELL
At the time of writing, there is no bear viewing platform at Haines. Be aware and cautious as visibility can be limited, and bears can show up anywhere at any time.
Hyder, Alaska
BEARS IN A GHOST TOWN? THAT CAN ONLY BE HYDER, ALASKA WHERE BEARS OUTNUMBER PEOPLE. IMAGE: ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
✓ Trip Tips
Hyder, Alaska
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
Late July through September:
Note: Viewing platform opens on July 1. But in recent years first salmon (and most of the bears) start arriving later in July
How to get there?
By car or by floatplane from Ketchikan, Alaska
Where to stay?
In Hyder: A campground, and a few lodging options and restaurants. Additional options just across the border in Stewart, Canada.
With a population of approximately 90 people, more bears live in Hyder than people. The Friendliest Ghost Town in Alaska is located just across the U.S-Canadian border, south of Haines, at the end of a road off the Cassiar Highway. Hyder has no border checkpoint and relies on the Canadian town of Stewart for most of its services, including utilities such as electricity.
Every summer, nearby Fish Creek supports several salmon runs, swelling the town with wildlife and tourists. The first run, chum salmon, usually arrives mid-to-late July. The chum salmon here are the largest known per the Forest Service, so big that they were once thought to be a different species!
The National Forest Service has built a platform along a stretch of the creek to allow visitors to observe grizzly bears in relative safety. The site is open from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. daily between July 1 and September 15. There is an entry fee. No hiking is required as you can park your car right at the entrance to the boardwalk.
Wildlife photographer Jack Uellendahl visited Hyder on his long road trip last summer. He used both his 80-400mm and his 600mm lenses. Since you are on an elevated platform, I mainly used my 600mm. To get more eye level, it helps to be further away and bring them in with the long focal length.
THE PLATFORM BUILT BY THE FORESTRY DEPARTMENT ALONG A STRETCH OF FISH CREEK KEEPS VIEWERS SAFE AND BEARS UNBOTHERED. MAKES FOR GREAT PHOTOGRAPHY. IMAGE: ©JACK UELLENDAHL.
Wildlife photographer, Deanna Cagle from Arkansas, is a regular Hyder visitor. "Hyder is located in a rainforest, so I recommend bringing good rain gear for your equipment. I mostly use my 500mm lens, but as the bears often walk the entire creek in front of the platform, there are ample opportunities to use shorter focal lengths."
WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER, DEANNA CAGLE, FROM ARKSAS, A FREQUENT VISITOR TO HYDER, ALASKA, FINDS THE PLATFORM OFFERS GREAT PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES. IMAGE: ©DEANNA CAGLE
Deanna vividly remembers her very first visit to the platform. I walked out early in the morning, and just a few people were standing at the far end. I stopped at what is called the lagoon (a small pond of blue water) to shoot a heron. Suddenly, a brown bear sow appeared across the lagoon, climbed down into the water, swam around, washed her face, and ended up lying her head down on a tree root in the water as if she was resting or soaking in a bath. I was hooked from that moment on!
Bella Coola Valley, Canada
THE BELLA COOLA VALLEY, IN THE HEART OF THE GREAT BEAR RAINFOREST, ANOTHER AMAZINGLY BEAUTIFUL PLACE FOR BROWN BEAR WATCHING. IMAGE: ©DEANNA CAGLE
✓ Trip Tips
The Bella Coola Valley, British Columbia, Canada
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
September through mid-October
How to get there?
By boat, air or car.
Note: The Highway 20 drive into the Bella Coola Valley is notorious for a section called "The Hill." At Heckman Pass, the highway descends for 19km steeply toward the sea with switchbacks and grades up to 18%, into the valley .
Where to stay?
Campgrounds and lodging in Hagensborg and Bella Coola.
The Bella Coola Valley, protected since 2006, is in the heart of the "Great Bear Rainforest." And Additionally, part of the area protected since 1938 as Tweedsmuir Provincial Park.
Home to less than 2,000 people, the bears are attracted to this beautiful area by salmon runs in the valley's rivers and creeks. Although there are many areas in the valley where you'll be able to see bears, most photographers prefer a few select locations.
During peak season, Tweedsmuir Provincial Park operates the Belarko viewing station. This fully staffed platform provides a relatively safe way to watch fishing grizzlies up close. Nearby is the Fisheries Pool campground with popular spots to see the bears. One of the best ways to view the bears is to drift the Atnarko River: several commercials outfits offer this opportunity.
Deanna Cagle mostly uses her 500mm lens as the bears can be far away along the river but she recommends bringing a wider lens too. "Bear sightings on float trips can be close, and the Belarko viewing station is right on the river, so depending on the bear's proximity, a big lens may not be needed as they walk by."
ONE OF THE BEST WAYS TO VIEW BEARS IS FROM A RAFT ON THE ATNARKO RIVER IN THE BELLA COOLA VALLEY. IMAGE: ©DEANNA CAGLE.
Cagle remembers some of her favorite moments: "I took one of the raft tours of the river. One early morning as we were loading into the raft, a large brown bear appeared in the river nearby. We just sat there and let her pass us by. I also had the opportunity to watch several bears from the roadside as they fished in the river. Two appeared to be siblings. They kept their distance from each other while fishing but came back together to cross the highway and go up into the woods. I watched one of these bears sling a fish around in the air as if they were just playing with it. I also watched them snorkel as they were sucking eggs off the bottom of the river."
Telegraph Cove and Knight Inlet, Canada
BEARS LOOKING FOR CLAMS ON THE RIVER BANK WAS JUST ONE OF THE WILDLIFE SPECIES NEW ZEALANDER, CHRISSIE VISSER SPOTTED ON ONE OF HER MULTIPLE TRIPS TO KNIGHT INLET. IMAGE: ©CHRISSIE VISSER, WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHER
✓ Trip Tips
Telegraph Cove and Knight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
Late August through early October
How to get there?
By boat
Where to stay?
Telegraph Cove
Protected since 1992 in British Columbia's largest marine park, "Broughton Archipelago Provincial Park," visits to Knight Inlet start in Telegraph Cove on Vancouver Island. A 2-hour boat ride brings you into the longest inlet on the west coast: Knight Inlet. As the boat patrols the coastline, you have an excellent chance of seeing grizzlies feed on sedge grasses and, during the season, salmon. I recommend having a big lens as the boats stay at least 50 meters away from the bears on the shoreline.
Wildlife photographer Christine Vitter from New Zealand visited on multiple occasions already. "On just the boat trip there, you see eagles, whales, orcas, and seals. We were lucky to see bears along the coastline looking for shellfish too on the way there. Each time we were lucky enough to see moms with their cubs."
Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary, Canada
THE SKEENA RIVER, ONE OF THE LONGEST UN-DAMMED RIVERS LEFT ON EARTH. ITS BIODIVERSITY IS MATCHED ONLY BY ITS BEAUTY. IMAGE: THANKS TO CASSIER CANNERY.
✓ Trip Tips
Khutzeymateen Grizzly Sanctuary, British Columbia, Canada
Ultimate Time to Photograph Bears
Mid-May through mid-July
How to get there?
By boat (a 2-hour ride) or by air (20-minutes by floatplane) from Prince Rupert, B.C. or ViaRail by request.
Where to stay?
In Prince Rupert or on a boat if you're taking a multi-day boat tour into the Sanctuary.
Located in British Columbia’s Great Bear Rainforest, the "Khutz" is Canada's only grizzly bear sanctuary. Established in 1994, it preserves and protects 170+ square miles of the last remaining intact coastal temperate rainforest. Home to the largest concentration of brown bears in Canada, it is also home to a unique sub-species of black bear: the Kermode or Spirit bear is a white-colored black bear. Sometimes mistaken for an albino or polar bear, the Spirit bear is in fact a black bear which white color is caused by a recessive gene.
Wildlife photographer and conservationist, Steve Williamson lives on Vancouver Island and is a frequent visitor on multi-day trips into the sanctuary.
"The inner area of the Khutz is a wild grizzly bear sanctuary. It is their home, a place set aside for them. Access is strictly controlled by the issue of permits, please make sure to only visit the area with a licensed permit holder. The outer area is a grizzly bear conservancy and access is permitted to anyone by boat. Keep in mind that there is no shore access allowed in either area, so you'll be on a boat all the time. Viewing with the operators is usually from small inflatable boats. You can expect to see up to 10 brown bears per day: bears swimming past the boat, mums nursing cubs, day to day interaction between different bears – wrestling, chasing each other, etc."
TWO YOUNG MALE GRIZZLY BEARS IN EARLY SPRING, STEVE SAYS, … AFTER SUCH A LONG REST, THEY CAN SEEM TO HAVE A LOT OF ENERGY TO BURN, AND WHEN YOUNGSTERS THAT KNOW EACH OTHER MEET UP AGAIN, THEY’LL OFTEN HAVE A WRESTLE AND A PLAY.
Since you will be photographing from a boat, Steve recommends carrying lenses that you can handhold. "I mainly use my 70-200mm and 200-400mm lenses but also carry a wide-angle lens to capture the great scenery. Bring rain gear for yourself and your camera."
THE SCENE FROM THE OLD CANNERY, PART OF IT HAS BEEN TURNED INTO (RESPONSIBLE TOURISM) LODGES FOR NATURE LOVERS, PHOTOGRAPHERS, ARTISTS AND FOLKS JUST WANTING TO GET AWAY. IMAGE: THANKS TO ©CASSIAR CANNERY.
✍︎ Editor’ Note: Cassiar Cannery, a former salmon cannery turned to conservation tourism (book in advance,) is located at the mouth of the Skeena about 25 minutes from Prince Rupert. ViaRail will stop “at their door” if requested in advance. They will connect you to permitted guides for bear viewing.
The Ultimate Brown Bear Conclusion
FEW THINGS MATCH THE EXCITEMENT OF OBSERVING WILD BROWN BEARS MUNCHING ON SALMON - RED EGGS FLYING THROUGH THE AIR. IMAGE ©JORN VANGOIDTSENHOVEN
Whichever place(s) you decide to visit, few things match the excitement of observing and photographing wild brown bears munching on salmon. As the bears expertly skin another salmon or take a big bite which sends salmon eggs flying through the air, your heart will be pounding and your finger will be on the shutter. Heck, you may even decide to try and visit all the places on the above list. Each site will give you different photographic opportunities. Just remember to pack a clothespin: you never truly get used to that smell!
P.S. No list is ever all-inclusive (even the ultimate ones) You may visit a lesser-known spot that didn't make this list and make the image of a lifetime. Let us know in the comments which place(s) you visited and your vote for the ultimate bear photography destinations.
The Brown Bear Series
By Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven
Charged By A Grizzly Bear. How the Bear, My Dog and I Survived
What I Learned After the Grizzly Charges Me.
Best Practices From
Jorn Vangoidtsenhoven with Jason Wilmot, Wildlife Biologist USFS
My Search for the Best Places
For Grizzly Bears
Yellowstone and Grand Tetons
