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The salmon run is the most interesting time to view bears in the wild. The annual migration sees thousands of mature adult fish aiming to journey from the ocean to the upper reaches of their native rivers.

The migration is a spectacle in itself, with fish battling against fierce currents and leaping out of the water to negotiate waterfalls and rapids.

The event presents a huge feeding opportunity for bears living upstream. Skilled predators, each spends several daylight hours in the water intercepting fish.

 

 

Here we list the five best places in North America to see bears catching salmon. Bears are dangerous wild animals. Precautions should be taken when visiting bear country. It is most safe to observe them from designated viewing areas in national parks, or under the guidance of experienced tour companies.

 

 

McNeil River Falls – McNeil River State Game Sanctuary, Alaska

Bears: Brown (grizzly) bears
Best months: July to mid-August

Cheap Flights To Alaska

Brooks Camp – Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Bears: Brown (grizzly) bears
Best months: July and September

 

 

Geographic Harbor – Katmai National Park and Preserve, Alaska

Bears: Brown (grizzly) bears
Best months: August

 

 

Fish Creek Observation Site – Salmon River valley near Hyder, Alaska

Bears: Brown (grizzly) and black bears
Best months: July through September

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Glendale River – Knight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada

Bears: Brown (grizzly) and black bears
Best months: September and October

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Roderick Haig-Brown Provincial Park (British Columbia) in early October is also a great place to catch the salmon run, but bears aren’t as prevalent here.

Written by insider city guide series Hg2 | A Hedonist’s guide to…

(Featured image: thaddselden)

About the author

Brett AckroydBrett hopes to one day reach the shores of far-flung Tristan da Cunha, the most remote of all the inhabited archipelagos on Earth…as to what he’ll do when he gets there, he hasn’t a clue. Over the last 10 years, London, New York, Cape Town and Pondicherry have all proudly been referred to as home. Now it’s Copenhagen’s turn, where he lends his travel expertise to momondo.com.

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