For the next few days, marvel at the breathtaking salmon run, a vital event where thousands of salmon return to the river to spawn, providing an essential food source for grizzlies and other wildlife. This unique adventure includes two half-day experiences, drifting past feeding bears, paddling along the remote shoreline, and exploring their habitat. Visit the strategically placed viewing platform, perfect for up-close and immersive sightings. Accompanied by expert wilderness guides, delve into the daily lives of these remarkable animals on interpretive walks, offering captivating insights into their behavior.
Insider Tip! To increase the quality and quantity of potential wildlife sightings, it is best to be proactive. We strongly suggest visiting the wildlife viewing platform before breakfast and dinner.
Half-day Grizzly Bear Viewing River Drift:
In the morning, float down the Atnarko River in the presence of grizzly bears. Observe them in their natural environment, searching for food, and looking after their young. Beginning in late August, thousands upon thousands of salmon arrive in the local rivers to spawn—the final phase of their lifecycle.
For the bears, salmon are an easy meal. Many bears and other wildlife congregate on the river to feast and fatten up before the long winter ahead. Due to the abundance of food, the bears are less shy than usual. They are also more tolerant of each other and the people drifting by with their cameras. With breathtaking views of the mountains serving as the backdrop, it is possible to spot a variety of birds and other wildlife in addition to bears.
Duration: 2–3 Hours
Fitness Level: Easy
Half-day Grizzly Bear Ecology Walking Tour
In autumn, Tweedsmuir Park Lodge is all about bears, and a highlight activity is to venture out on foot with a guide to discover these majestic animals in their natural habitat. Guests will learn about bear ecology and how to cohabitate safely amongst these magnificent creatures. Guides will take guests to some of the bears’ favorite hangouts and point out signs of bear activity like claw marks, day beds, scats, and tufts of fur stuck in the bark of rub trees. Other wildlife species that also live in the forest include black bears, mule deer, moose, American beaver, mountain goats, bald eagles, and numerous amphibian species. The adjacent lands are also a significant habitat for Vaux’s Swift, the Peregrine falcon, fish, wolverines, and Townsend’s big-eared bat.
Every tour is planned with safety as a top priority. It should be noted that the objective of these walks is not to see bears but to find the telltale signs of their passing. In the event a bear is encountered, the guides are trained in reading and interpreting bear behavior so that conflicts are avoided. Guests will be briefed on how to act in the wilderness to avoid startling a bear and how to react in case a bear is spotted. All guides also carry bear spray and are trained in how to deploy it safely. They also carry radios to communicate with the lodge in case of an emergency.
Duration: half-day or Full-day
Fitness Level: Easy
The order of activities each day may vary depending on bear sightings or preferences.
