The purpose of bear management areas is to reduce human impacts on bears in high-density grizzly bear habitat. Eliminating human entry disturbance in specific areas prevents human/bear conflicts and provides areas where bears can pursue natural behavioral patterns and other social activities free from human disturbance. Types of restrictions include: area closures, trail closures, a minimum party size of four or more people, and travel limited to daylight hours or to established trails.

This Bear Management Map is also available in a pdf format and can viewed and printed using Adobe Acrobat Reader, available free online. (1.6 MB pdf)

A. Firehole (573 Kb pdf): Area (includes Firehole Freight Road and Firehole Lake Drive) is closed March 10 through the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. The Mary Mountain Trail (A1) (443 Kb pdf), from the Nez Perce trailhead to Mary Lake, is closed March 10 through June 15. Through travel from the Canyon trailhead is not allowed, however, travel is allowed from the Canyon trailhead to Mary Lake and back. Streamside use is allowed from the point where Nez Perce Creek crosses the main road to a point one mile upstream along Nez Perce Creek.

B. Richard’s Pond (290 Kb pdf): Area is closed March 10 through the Friday of Memorial Day weekend. From the Saturday of Memorial Day weekend through September 30, Duck Creek, from the park boundary upstream to the Campanula Creek/Richard’s Creek fork, is open to streamside travel. The area upstream from Campanula Creek/Richard’s Creek fork is closed from March 10 through September 30.

C. Gneiss Creek (404 Kb pdf): Area is closed March 10 through June 30. From July 1 through November 10, travel is allowed only on designated trails (off-trail travel is prohibited).

D. Gallatin (658 Kb pdf): From May 1 through November 10, travel is allowed only on designated trails (off-trail travel is prohibited). A minimum group size of four or more is recommended for hiking and camping.

E. Blacktail (502 Kb pdf): Area is closed march 10 through June 30.

F. Washburn (666 Kb pdf): Area is closed August 1 through November 10. From March 10 through July 31, the area is open by special permit only. Contact the Tower Ranger Station for permit information.

G. Antelope (646 Kb pdf): Area is closed March 10 through November 10. The Dunraven Road and related turnouts are open. From May 25 through November 10, foot travel is allowed on the old Road Trail from Tower Falls campground to the Buffalo Picnic Area.

H. Mirror Plateau (723 Kb pdf): From May 15 through November 10, the area is open to day use only with the exception that from July 1 through August 14 overnight camping is permitted for a combined total of 14 nights per summer at the 301 and 5P7 campsites.

I. Pelican Valley (682 Kb pdf): Area is closed April 1 through July 3. From July 4 through November 10 the area is open to day use only between the hours of 9 a.m. and 7 p.m.

J1. Clear Creek (585 Kb pdf): Area J1 - From April 1 through August 10, travel is only allowed on the east shore from Nine-mile trailhead to Park Point. All other trails are closed and off-trail travel is prohibited. Campsite 5H1 is open (no travel from site). On August 11, all the campsites are open and off-trail travel is permitted.

J2 (714 Kb pdf) - From April 1 through July 14, travel is only allowed on the east shore trail from Park Point to Beaverdam Creek. All other trails are closed and off-trail travel is prohibited. Open campsites are 5E2, 5E3, 5E4, and 5E6 (no travel away from campsite). All other campsites are closed. On July 15, all campsites open and off-trail travel is permitted.

K. Lake Spawn (739 Kb pdf): From May 15 through July 14, no off-trail travel allowed and the trail between cabin Creek and Outlet Creek is closed. Open campsites are 7L5, 7L6, 7L8, 7L7, 7M3, 7M4, 7M5, 6A3, 6A4 and 6B1 (no travel away from campsite). Only July 15 all campsites open and off-trail travel is permitted.

L. Two Ocean (716 Kb pdf): From March 10 through July 14 and August 22 through November 10, travel is allowed only on designated trails (off-trail travel is prohibited). From July 15 through August 21, a permit is required for persons wishing to travel away from designated trails. Contact the South Entrance ranger Station for permit information.

M. Riddle/Solution (454 Kb pdf): Area is closed April 30 through July 14.

N. Grant Village (402 Kb pdf): Campground opens June 20 or earlier if bear use of the area spawning streams is over prior to that time. If bears are still frequenting the spawning stream after June 20, the campground loops adjacent to the streams will remain closed until bear activity ceases. Campground closes October 16.

O. Heart Lake (702 Kb pdf): Area is closed April 1 through June 30.