Bears will sometimes travel along roadways, particularly in the spring as snow is melting out. Please drive carefully and never feed bears - both for your safety and for the safety of the bears.
NPS Photo
Mount Rainier National Park contains a wide variety of wildlife species. Among the largest and most feared are the black bear and the mountain lion. Though you are not likely to see them, they are powerful animals, and your safety depends on how you act around them. Be aware of your surroundings, and follow these guidelines while in the park.
You are far more likely to encounter smaller animals like rodents or insects like mosquitos or ticks. Take precautions to avoid bites and possible exposure to wildlife-carried disease.
Observe wildlife from a distance. All wildlife is protected in the park. Park regulations require that all visitors maintain a distance of at least 50 yards (150 feet/45 meters) between themselves and any park wildlife. Do not approach wildlife. Follow the rule of thumb – if you can “cover” the animal from sight by holding up your thumb, you are at a safe distance. Larger animals require greater distance. Use a telephoto lens to avoid getting close.
Never feed wild animals. This includes all park animals: birds, squirrels, marmots, deer, elk, foxes, etc., not just bears. Learning to beg for and/or rely on human foods is extremely harmful for all wild animals, big or small. Be careful not to leave wrappers, crumbs, or other food trash after picnicking or snacking on the trails. Feeding wildlife damages their health, alters natural behaviors, and exposes them to predators and other dangers. Feeding wildlife can also increase risks to you and other visitors. Keep Wildlife Wild!
A golden-mantled ground squirrel begging for human food. Ground squirrels can become aggressive and bite if you feed them.
NPS/M. Blackburn Photo
Rodents
Rodents like marmots, chipmunks, and golden-mantled ground squirrels are common in the park. While they may look cute and friendly, never feed any rodents or other wildlife in the park or try to touch them. Marmots and ground squirrels that have become used to human food often become aggressive and can bite. Always get any bites checked by a medical professional. Secure your food, trash, and belongs so that rodents do not get access to human food. Please don’t feed any of the animals, not only to ensure your safety but the safety of the animal. Help Keep Wildlife Wild!
A deer mouse, a species that can carry hantavirus.
NPS/J. Good Photo
Mice & Hantavirus
Rodents like deer mice can carry hantavirus pulmonary syndrome (HPS), a respiratory disease caused by a virus that can be shed in the urine, feces, and saliva of infected rodents. The infectious particles are inhaled, ingested, or transmitted through a bite to a susceptible person. The time from the initial exposure to the appearance of symptoms can be 1–8 weeks, with most cases developing symptoms within 3 weeks of exposure. Early symptoms of HPS include fatigue, fever, and muscle aches, and may also include headaches, dizziness, chills, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Four to ten days after the initial phase, late symptoms of coughing and difficulty breathing appear. There is no specific treatment or vaccine for hantavirus, so preventing exposure to the virus is key.
Hantavirus Safety Tips
Avoid contact with rodents: their droppings, urine, saliva, and nesting materials.
Avoid touching live or dead rodents or disturbing rodent burrows, dens, or nests.
Keep food in tightly sealed containers (including those stored in bear boxes) and store away from rodents.
Take care not to stir up dust in areas with rodent activity.
Minimize storage of luggage and other materials on floors.
Contact housekeeping or maintenance if signs of rodents are present, including feces or urine.
Do not pitch tents or place sleeping bags in proximity to rodent feces or burrows or near possible rodent habitat (for example, dense brush or woodpiles).
Avoid sleeping on bare ground. Use a cot with the sleeping surface at least 12 inches above the ground or use a tent with a floor.
Dispose of all trash and garbage promptly in accordance with campground regulations by discarding in rodent-proof trash containers, or packing it out in rodent-proof containers.
If visitors notice rodent droppings or other signs of rodents in guest lodging, buildings, or other structures, they should contact staff immediately. National Park Service and concessioner staff are trained and equipped to respond to evidence of rodent activity.
Comparison of black bears and much larger brown or grizzly bears. There are no brown bears at Mount Rainier.
NPS Graphic
Bears
There are no brown bears or grizzly bears (Ursus arctos horribilis) in Mount Rainier National Park. However, the park is home to black bears (Ursus americanus), which can be black, brown, or cinnamon in color despite their name. Black bears are smaller than grizzly bears and lack the distinctive shoulder hump of a grizzly bear.
Black bears can be found everywhere in the park, even on trails.
NPS Photo
All bears need space, so don't sneak up on them for photos! The recommended distance is 300 feet (approx. 91 meters), or about 20 cars lined up end to end. When humans get too close, over time bears can lose their fear. Never approach cubs and a mama bear, or get close to a bear eating berries. Even if they ignore you, they know you are there. An upset bear might stomp or huff loudly or lower its head.
Staying Safe Around Bears
Learn more about how to view bears safely while avoiding dangerous bear encounters.
Bear Safety Tips
A bear's response to your presence depends heavily on how you respond to the bear's presence.
Never feed a black bear, either intentionally or by leaving food unsecured. Help keep wildlife wild.
Do not approach bear cubs. An adult may be nearby to protect and defend the cubs.
Back away from a nearby bear, even if it appears unconcerned with your presence.
Do not run. Back away slowly. Talk loudly.
A defensive bear will appear agitated and will often give visual and vocal warnings like swatting or stomping the ground, exhaling loudly, huffing, snapping teeth, or lowering the head with ears drawn back while facing you. This response may escalate to a charge.
If the bear stops, slowly back away while talking, keeping the bear in view while leaving the area.
If it continues, act aggressively by shouting and throwing rocks or sticks at the bear.
If the bear attacks and you have food, distance yourself from the food.
If the bear attacks and you do not have food, fight back aggressively. This is likely a predatory attack, and the bear is treating you as prey.
Mountain Lion photographed at Grand Teton National Park.
NPS Photo
Mountain Lions
Mountain lions (also known as cougars) usually do not like confrontation. If you see one, give it plenty of space so it can get away. Never approach cougar kittens. Leave the area immediately.
Report all bear and mountain lion sightings to a ranger. If you come across what you think may be a recent animal kill by a mountain lion, note the location, take photos if possible, and report it to a ranger. Do not linger in the area.
Mountain Lion Safety Tips
Do not run or turn your back on a lion.
Gather children with adults. Quickly pick up and hold small children.
Stand in a group with your companions.
If the lion moves toward you, wave your arms and make noise. Make yourself look large, intimidating and in control: stand up tall, open your jacket, yell, throw things at the animal.
Back away slowly while facing the animal.
If attacked, fight back aggressively. Stay standing. Hit as hard as possible especially to the head. Use a stick or rock as a weapon. Throw dirt in the animal's eyes. Protect your head and neck.
Insects (Mosquitos & Ticks)
Mosquitos
Mosquitos are common in the park during the summer, particularly in subalpine meadows and around lakes. Mosquitoes are an important component of the environment and ecology of national parks, with many mosquitoes being native. Mosquitos eat algae, parasites, fungi, and other microorganisms, remove biological waste from the environment, and play an essential role as pollinators. Mosquitoes also serve as a food source for dragonflies, birds, fish, bats, reptiles, and amphibians.
Over 40 species of mosquitos can be found in Washington State, and some species can transmit diseases like West Nile virus, western equine encephalitis, and St. Louis encephalitis to humans and animals. Sporadic outbreaks have occurred in Washington State. Pathogen transmission from mosquitoes to humans occurs when someone is bitten by a mosquito. Mosquito bites can also cause itchy, red welts.
Mosquito Safety Tips
Wear loose-fitting long-sleeved shirts and pants, high socks, and a hat/head net to help prevent mosquito bites.
Use an EPA-registered personal mosquito repellent when working outside (see EPA’s “Find the Repellent that is Right for You.”) Read and follow the label directions to ensure proper use.
Treat clothing and gear with products containing permethrin.
Consider hiking in areas with fewer mosquitos, such as forests instead of subalpine meadow areas, or hike when mosquitos are less common, in early spring or in the fall. There are also no mosquitos in winter but be properly prepared for winter recreation!
Consider utilizing an ice pack or an over-the-counter antihistamine cream to reduce swelling and itching from mosquito bites.
Seek medical attention if you observe any symptoms of mosquito-borne illness. These vary based on the pathogen but may include fever, headache, body aches, and rash. It’s important to communicate the mosquito bite exposure and timing of symptoms to your medical provider.
Some tick species climb tall grass and vegetation to latch onto animals passing by.
NPS Photo
Ticks
Ticks are small parasitic insects that feed on the blood of other animals. Adult ticks are approximately 3 to 5 millimeters in length (roughly the size of a sesame seed to an apple seed) depending on age, sex, species, and feeding status. Larval and nymphal stage ticks are even smaller. Infected ticks can transmit pathogens (bacteria, viruses, and protozoa) to humans or animals when they bite and attach.
In the Pacific Northwest, relatively few tick-borne disease cases are reported each year in comparison to other regions of the United States. Learn about possible tick-borne diseases and what symptoms of illness to watch for on the Washington State Department of Health website. Your best defense against tick-borne infections is to reduce exposure to ticks.
Tick Safety Tips
Know where to expect ticks. Many ticks live in grassy, brushy, or wooded areas. When possible, avoid wooded and brushy areas with tall grass and leaf litter. Walk in the center of trails, particularly in spring and summer when ticks feed.
Wear appropriate clothing. When in tick habitats, wear light-colored, tightly woven long pants and a long-sleeve shirt. Tuck your pant legs into socks or boots, and your shirt into your pants. This helps keep ticks on the outside of your clothing where you can spot them more easily.
Use tick repellent when necessary, and carefully follow instructions on the label. Apply an EPA-registered repellent effective against ticks, such as those containing DEET, to clothes and exposed skin, and permethrin to clothes and gear. Take care when applying repellent on children.
Check clothing, gear, and pets after being in potential tick habitats. Ticks can hitch a ride into your home on clothing and pets, then attach to you or a family member later. Carefully examine coats, camping gear, and daypacks.
Shower soon after being outdoors. Showering within two hours of being in tick habitat can reduce your risk of getting Lyme disease and may be effective in reducing the risk of other tick-borne diseases. Showering can wash off unattached ticks and it is a good opportunity to do a tick check of your body.
Check your body and your child's thoroughly for ticks. Carefully inspect areas in and around the hair, head, neck, ears, under arms, inside the belly button, around the waist, between the legs, and behind the knees. Ticks can be very small before they feed—look for what may appear like a new freckle or speck of dirt. Continue checking for two to three days after returning from areas with ticks.
Bats & Rabies
Less than 1% of bats in nature have rabies, but bats that act strangely or contact humans are up to ten times more likely to have rabies. Humans can get rabies by exposure to bat saliva through a bite or scratch. Rabies is 100% preventable in humans with proper medical care, but it's almost always fatal if untreated. Rabies is fatal to bats, too.
If you see a dead bat or a bat that is behaving strangely, such as being aggressive, lying on the ground, flying nearby, or making contact with people, tell a park ranger right away, and do not touch it. If you or someone nearby has contact with a bat, then you need to take action to prevent rabies.
Bats play a vital role in healthy ecosystems. Please do not disturb roosting bats or bats behaving normally. Help protect bats as well as yourself by keeping a respectful distance from any bats you may encounter. Learn more about bat species found at Mount Rainier.
Rabies Safety Tips
COLLECT the bat safely to be tested for rabies; don't let it go. Wear gloves and a long-sleeved shirt. Trap the bat in a container. Ask for help from park staff. Then immediately...
CONTACT a park ranger.
CLEAN the contacted area of skin with soap and water, even if you don't see a wound.
CONSULT with a healthcare provider. Remember: Rabies is 100% preventable with proper medical care.
