Colorado campground restricts tents due to bears

Heads up if you’re planning a camping trip near Vail.

The U.S. Forest Service just dropped new rules at Gore Creek Campground because of a bold black bear that keeps showing up — day and night — and has already ripped into two empty tents.

So for now, tents are a no-go there. You’ll need a hard-sided camper or trailer to stay at that campground.

Now, this rule is only for Gore Creek — you can still tent camp at most Colorado campgrounds.

But the entire White River National Forest, which stretches from Vail to Aspen, does have a food-storage order in effect.

That means locking up your food, coolers, trash — anything with a scent — in a hard-sided vehicle or bear-proof locker, no matter where you camp. Lock it all up. The bears are out.

Bear activity is up early this season, so before you load up the car, check the specific rules for your campground at recreation.gov. It’s a great national website.

A little planning keeps you safe, keeps your neighbors safe, and keeps the bears safe too.

Learn more from Parks and Wildlife here