California Says "No" to Bear Spray. Colorado Says "Bring It."

Outdoor recreation laws are rarely one-size-fits-all, and bear spray is a perfect example.

While Colorado continues to encourage hikers and campers to carry bear spray in grizzly country and other bear habitats, California's national parks continue to prohibit visitors from possessing or using bear spray within park boundaries. The difference is rooted in wildlife management, not politics.

California's national parks are home only to American black bears. According to the National Park Service, black bears in parks such as Yosemite are generally shy, and there has never been a recorded fatal or serious injury caused by a black bear in Yosemite's history. Instead of carrying bear spray, visitors are instructed to make noise, travel in groups, secure food properly, and aggressively scare off bears that approach people or campsites.

Colorado presents a different picture. Visitors may encounter both black bears and, when traveling elsewhere in the Rocky Mountain region, may also recreate in areas where grizzly bear precautions apply. As a result, bear spray remains a widely recommended safety tool by wildlife agencies and park managers in appropriate habitats.

The lesson for outdoor enthusiasts is simple: never assume the rules are the same from one park to another. Federal land managers often establish park-specific regulations based on local wildlife, visitor safety, and environmental conditions.

Whether you're carrying bear spray, pepper spray for personal protection where legal, or simply heading into the backcountry, the best safety equipment is knowing the regulations before you leave home.

Footnotes

1. National Park Service, What to Do if You See a Bear – Yosemite National Park. https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/scarebears.htm
2. National Park Service, National Park Service Reminds Visitors to be Bear Aware as Spring and Summer Bear Activity Increases (May 15, 2026). https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/05-15-2026-bear-safety.htm
3. National Park Service, 36 C.F.R. § 2.4 (Weapons, traps and nets) and park-specific Superintendent's Compendiums governing prohibited weapons within individual national parks.