Colorado’s black bears are out and about after winter hibernation, and they are hungry.
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On Tuesday, the White River National Forest banned tents, pop-up tent trailers, truck-bed tent campers and other soft-sided shelters at a campground in Eagle County. The public safety order was issued because a bear “that shows little fear of humans” damaged two unoccupied tents in separate incidents, “and continues to return to the campground,” the agency said.
The order requires all campers at Gore Creek Campground, six miles east of Vail, to use hard-sided campers or trailers. Located at 8,700 feet, Gore Creek Campground has 24 sites. The bear has been visiting at all hours, day and night.
“We’re already starting to see bear activity in the campground this year, and we are taking this proactive step for public safety,” said Eagle-Holy Cross District Ranger Leanne Veldhuis in a statement.
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In addition, the U.S. Forest Service “has a food-storage order in place for all its developed campgrounds and many dispersed camping areas to help prevent black bears and other wildlife from obtaining food from humans and becoming a nuisance or dangerous,” according to the order. “Each campsite at Gore Creek Campground has a bear-resistant food locker, and there is information about proper food storage posted throughout the campground.”
Last summer, around this same time period, the Forest Service posted a similar band and warning at Difficult Campground, located 5 miles southeast of Aspen, after increased bear activity was reported by campers.
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