Where Bear Canisters Are Required: 2026 Guide
Bear canister regulations are expanding again. Two major new mandates take effect this year: the Pemigewasset Wilderness in New Hampshire now requires hard-sided IGBC-certified canisters for all overnight visitors (effective May 1), and Olympic National Park has extended its requirement to cover all wilderness areas, beyond the previously limited area of the Seven Lakes Basin and coast.
Below is every park, forest, and wilderness area in the U.S. that currently requires or strongly recommends a hard-sided bear canister, organized on an interactive map. Click any marker for specifics, or use the filters to narrow by region.
Click a marker for details. Pulsing dots = new or expanded for 2026.
What changed this year
The Pemigewasset Wilderness mandate is the bigger story. The Forest Service cited a sharp increase in human-bear conflicts between 2021 and 2025, and declared bear hangs ineffective in the area. Starting May 1, every overnight camper must store food, trash, and scented items in an approved hard-sided canister. The only exception is the Thirteen Falls Tent Site, which has permanent bear boxes. Violations carry fines up to $5,000. Free canister loans are available at WMNF Visitor Centers in Lincoln, Campton, Conway, and Gorham, NH.
Olympic's expansion is less dramatic but still significant. Previously, canisters were required only in the Seven Lakes Basin and along the Wilderness Coast. Now the requirement applies to all wilderness areas in the park. Bear wires and self-constructed hangs are not considered compliant.
The broader trend is consistent: Desolation Wilderness renewed its order through 2028, Rocky Mountain NP maintains its park-wide mandate, and Maroon Bells–Snowmass actively tickets violators. The regulatory map only expands.
Before you go
Confirm current regulations with the managing agency's official website or ranger station. Rules change, sometimes mid-season. This guide is accurate as of April 2026, but always verify.
It's not just food. Every canister requirement applies to all scented items: toothpaste, sunscreen, lip balm, deodorant, insect repellent, and garbage. If it has a smell, it goes in the canister.
IGBC certification is the minimum threshold, but not always sufficient. Some parks, Yosemite and Olympic are notable examples, maintain their own shorter approved lists. Check before you go.
Rangers do check. In places like Maroon Bells–Snowmass, Yosemite, and now the Pemigewasset Wilderness, visitors without approved canisters are ticketed or turned around. Fines range up to $5,000.
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