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When I packed up my campervan & drove across the border into the territory of our friendly neighbors to the north, I had one item on my bucketlist. See some wild black bears. Or really bears of any kind. Canada is full of them. But after a few days spent looking for reasonably priced tours, we found that for budget travelers, there weren’t many options. Instead, I figured out how to spot bears for FREE on Vancouver Island.
Here’s how you can save $500 & see the black bears without a tour.
Keep in mind…these are wild animals. I can’t guarantee that you’ll be able to spot any bears out in the forest. But neither can the tours. But if you plan your visit during peak bear spotting season (July-September) & allow yourself a few days it’s nearly guaranteed.
Bears in Vancouver Island
Why Vancouver Island? Canada is filled with bears and getting to the island is expensive for budget travelers.
Well, spotting the bears in Canada’s mainland is far more difficult because their location in such a large expanse of land is much harder to predict. And Vancouver Island, with more than 7,000 black bears, has one of the highest densities of bears in the world.
That’s why all the bear tours begin on Vancouver Island.
Keep in mind: Only black bears actually reside on Vancouver Island. If you want to spot Grizzlies or Spirit bears you must book a boat or seaplane tour from the island to explore the isolated uninhabited inlets unreachable by roads from mainland Canada.
Getting to Vancouver Island
Here’s what you need to know about reaching Vancouver Island from Vancouver city.
If you’re crossing with your vehicle it costs $75 USD each way. Unlike most of the Seattle island ferries where you buy a round trip ticket, here you’ll need to pay each way here.
The ferry is from Horseshoe Bay to Nanaimo. Put it into Google maps and it will direct you to the correct terminal about 20 minutes outside Vancouver.
If you’re hitchhiking the ferry operator will call out your route for you on the overhead speakers to help get you a ride on the island. Hitchhiking seems to be a common enough way of traveling in Canada for budget travelers. However, you might find it difficult to get a ride to Campbell River- where the bears are, because it’s a remote region of the island.
Bear Safari Tours on Vancouver Island
Now if you’ve decided that you must see Grizzly Bears I don’t blame you. But you’ll need to shell out some serious cash. Tours start at around $500/person in Campbell River. Here’s a few worth checking out if you’re planning on splurging…
Where to spot bears for free on Vancouver Island
But for those of you, like me, who are here to see some wild bears without shelling out the dough…here’s where you can spot the bears for free in Vancouver Island.
Campbell River
This teeny town is the epicenter of bear tourism. Mostly because the river running through Elk Falls Provincial Park is teeming with salmon from the hatchery upstream. It’s advised that you wear a bear bell on every trail in the park (which translates to…lots of bears here), it’s really the trails along the river that offer the best bear spotting opportunities.
Tip: The best time to spot bears is at dawn and dusk. Bears are diurnal which means they are most active at this time. No need to waste the day wandering aimlessly in the woods. Just get up early and go again right before sundown.
My Experience Spotting Bears in Campbell River
At Spot #1 on the map included below we stealth camped in the dirt parking lot and took to the trails morning and night. We were joined by fellow photographers in the early morning who positioned themselves at the best river-side viewpoints.
Late the second evening we began down the trail, right from the parking lot. We quietly snuck around the trail, until we reached the downed log in the river, after crossing the log on the other side of the wooden stairs. This is the best place to spot the black bears.
Just before dusk, we were very nearly calling it quits when one lone black bear stumbled out of the wilderness. He didn’t see us as we crawled through the underbrush to get the best unobstructed view of the river. Had he– he would have scampered off quickly. We kept a close eye on him, making sure he didn’t get too close- 50 feet was near enough- until a second bear joined him searching the natural dam for stray salmon. This experience will sit in my memory forever. One of those rare wildlife experiences where you are immersed in nature like when we trekked through the Sumatran rainforest to spot orangutans or hired a private jeep to see leopards in Sri Lanka’s massive Wilpattu National Park.
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Tips for Staying Bear Safe
Here’s the deal…I would feel really bad if you stumbled into the wilderness thinking that black bears are some cuddly little teddy bears and not massive ferocious beasts with 6-inch claws and face-tearing teeth.
So, here’s my disclaimer and a few tips on staying safe while searching for bears alone on Vancouver Island.
- Don’t hike after dark. This increases the chance that you will stumble right into a black bear.
- Keep your distance. This seems counterintuitive but try to keep at least the river between you and the bear at all times.
- If you’re nervous- position yourself near the other photographers. Safety in numbers.
- Bear bells are great for keeping bears away but your not going to want to bring them with you when LOOKING for bear encounters. Instead, opt for bear spray and only use it if 100% necessary. Like if a bear chomps down on your arm or something.
Map of Best Places to Spot Bears in Campbell River
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That just about wraps it up. You don’t need to shell out an arm and a leg to see black bears on Vancouver Island. It’s more than possible for travelers of all budgets. Let me know in the comments if you find any other great places to spot Black Bears that I can add to my Vancouver Island list!
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