What Hikers Should Know About Bears On Colorado's Grand Mesa

If you plan to hike the trails on Colorado's Grand Mesa this summer, be prepared to encounter wildlife. According to Axios, a very warm spring woke the bears up early from hibernation.

Earlier this year, KJCT reported a 15% increase in bear sightings and conflicts in Western Colorado in 2024. Now that the summer temps are back in Grand Junction for 2025, the snow is melting on the Grand Mesa, and a family of bears has returned to the area around Island Lake.

Bears on the Grand Mesa in 2024

In late July of 2024, I started to notice people posting photos of bears near the Grand Mesa Scenic Byway (the Cedaredge side). Within two weeks, videos similar to the one above showed a Mama bear and her cubs jump into Cobbett Lake to catch some fish. This lake is right next to the Grand Mesa Visitors Center.

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Grand Mesa Bears Return for 2025

Credit: Grand Mesa Lodge via Facebook

On June 16th, 2025, the Grand Mesa Lodge Facebook page posted this photo. It appears it could be the same Mama bear that was photographed with the cubs last August. These bears are way too comfortable around people and seem to be just fine wandering into congested areas.

Trash = Colorado Bear Magnets

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According to Colorado Outdoors Magazine, as much as 50% of bear conflict in our state has occurred around unsecured trash. Visiting Colorado's bear country means securing trash in bear-proof containers, feeding pets indoors, keeping trash cans and grills clean, and only putting out bird feeders during months when bears are hibernating.

If you see a bear while camping or hiking on the Grand Mesa, the biggest challenge can be staying calm. Slowly back away from bears and give them space. Noise can sometimes scare them off, but bear spray will be your most effective deterrent if kept within arm's reach.

Why Your Actions Matter in Colorado

A bear that finds food in a campground or along a trail will return to that site again the next time they are hungry. Bears that are comfortable being around humans are especially dangerous. The fact that this Grand Mesa bear and cubs are already used to humans could make this a risky summer.

In 2024, 68 bears needed to be relocated away from people to other parts of Colorado. 98 bears had to be euthanized in 2024 as they had become a danger to humans and themselves.

Photo by Rey Emsen on Unsplash

LOOK: 10 Tips To Help Avoid Bears On Colorado's Hiking Trails

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KEEP GOING: 10 Photos of Bears I Saw In the Wild

I was privileged to take a trip to Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone National Park with guys that have been there before to look for bears. That experience paid huge dividends. I am nowhere close to being a professional photographer, but getting these bear shots was a huge thrill.

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