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30 U.S. States Where Bears Still Roam Wild and Free

black bear
A female black bear with her cub walking on a hillside in Yellowstone National Park. Image via Depositphotos

1. Alaska

Polar bear (Ursus maritimus) on the pack ice north of Spitsberg Via Depositphotos

Alaska is home to all three North American bear species: black bears, brown bears (grizzly bears), and polar bears. The vast wilderness and diverse habitats make Alaska a prime location for bear populations.

2. California

Bear footprints. Image via Depositphotos.

California is known for its black bear population, which can be found in the Sierra Nevada mountains and other forested regions across the state. Brown bears once lived here, but they are now extinct in this state.

3. Colorado

black bear
Black bear. Image via Depositphotos

Black bears are common in Colorado, especially in mountainous areas and forests. They are often seen in national parks and wilderness areas.

4. Idaho

Black bear
Black bear. Image via Depositphotos

Idaho hosts both black bears and grizzly bears. Grizzlies are primarily found in the northern part of the state, near Yellowstone National Park.

5. Montana

Black bear
American black bear in Labrador, Canada. Image via Cephas, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Montana is home to both black bears and grizzly bears. The state’s vast wilderness areas, including Glacier National Park, provide ideal habitats for these bears.

6. Wyoming

moon bear
Moon bear on a ledge. Image via Eric Kilby from Somerville, MA, USA, CC BY-SA 2.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Wyoming is known for its grizzly bears, particularly in Yellowstone and Grand Teton National Parks. Black bears are also found throughout the state.

7. Washington

brown bear at safari
Brown Bear at Safari Niagara, Stevensville, Fort Erie, Ontario, Canada. Image via Rlevse, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Black bears are widespread in Washington, inhabiting forests and mountainous regions. There are no grizzly bears in Washington, but black bears are common.

8. Oregon

Bears are territorial animals
territorial animals, leading solitary life. Image via Anil Öztas, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Oregon’s diverse landscapes, from coastal forests to mountainous regions, support a healthy population of black bears.

9. Nevada

grizzly bear via unsplash
grizzly bear via unsplash

Black bears are found in the Sierra Nevada and other mountainous areas of Nevada. They are particularly common near the border with California.

10. Utah

Wild Black bear and cub. Image via despoitphotos.

Utah is home to black bears, which inhabit the state’s forests and mountainous regions. They are most commonly found in the northern and central parts of the state.

11. Arizona

Wild polar bear on pack ice in Arctic. Image via Depositphotos

Black bears in Arizona are typically found in the forested areas of the state, such as the Mogollon Rim and the White Mountains.

12. New Mexico

Bear hidden in yellow forest. Autumn forest with bear. Beautiful brown bear walking around lake with autumn colours. Dangerous animal in nature forest and meadow habitat. Wildlife scene from Finland. Image via depositphotos.

Black bears roam the mountainous regions of New Mexico, including the Sangre de Cristo and Jemez Mountains.

13. Texas

Bear and dog interact. Image via depositphotos.

Texas has a small population of black bears, primarily in the Big Bend region and other remote areas of West Texas.

14. Minnesota

Most Bear-Infested Forests
Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) swimming in a river.
Image via depositphotos.

Minnesota has a significant population of black bears, particularly in the northern forests and along the Canadian border.

15. Wisconsin

Brown horse via unsplash-2
Black bear via unsplash

Black bears are common in Wisconsin’s northern forests. They are often seen in areas with dense vegetation and abundant food sources.

16. Michigan

Bear in Greece
Greece has a rich history with bears. Image via Shahzaib Damn Cruze, CC BY-SA 4.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Michigan’s Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Peninsula are home to a large population of black bears, thriving in the state’s extensive forested areas.

17. North Dakota

Bears attacking each other
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Black bears are less common in North Dakota but can still be found in the forested areas and national parks in the western part of the state.

18. South Dakota

Bear in Alaska national park
Kodiak bear in National Wildlife Refuge, Alaska, United. Image via States.Yathin S Krishnappa, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Black bears occasionally roam the Black Hills region of South Dakota, though their population is smaller compared to other states.

19. Nebraska

American black bear
A large American black bear in the wild. Image via Diginatur, CC BY-SA 3.0 https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0, via Wikimedia Commons

Nebraska has a small but growing population of black bears, mainly in the forested regions along the western part of the state.

20. Oklahoma

Grizzly bear
Grizzly bear sow and cub in shoeshone national park. Image via. Image via U.S. Forest Service, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons

Black bears are found in the southeastern part of Oklahoma, particularly in the Ouachita Mountains and surrounding forests.

21. Missouri

black bear
A female black bear with her cub walking on a hillside in Yellowstone National Park. Image via Depositphotos

Missouri has a growing population of black bears, primarily in the Ozark Mountains and other forested regions in the southern part of the state.

22. Arkansas

American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus), running on shore, Russian River, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA, North America. Image via Depositphotos

Arkansas is home to a healthy population of black bears, especially in the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, where they thrive in the dense forests.

23. Louisiana

Louisiana has a population of black bears, known as the Louisiana black bear. They are found primarily in the swampy, forested regions of the state.

American Black Bear (Ursus Americanus), running on shore, Russian River, Kenai Peninsula, Alaska, USA, North America. Image via Depositphotos

24. Mississippi

Black bear scratching a tree in a forest. Image by Alexandre Brondino on Unsplash.

Black bears are found in the forested areas of Mississippi, particularly in the southern and western parts of the state.

Black bears in Alligator river National Wildlife Refuge. Image by Judy Gallagher, CC BY 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

25. Alabama

black bear via unsplash
black bear via unsplash

Alabama hosts a small population of black bears, mainly in the northern and southwestern regions of the state.

26. Georgia

Young Black Bear Stands In Grassy Field in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

Image by kvddesign on depositphotos.

Black bears in Georgia are typically found in the northern mountains and the Okefenokee Swamp in the southern part of the state.

27. North Carolina

Black Bear.

Image via Pexels.

North Carolina has a significant population of black bears, especially in the Appalachian Mountains and the coastal plain regions.

28. South Carolina

Black Bear
Black bears are excellent climbers and can ascend trees with ease, using their strong claws and agile limbs to reach heights of up to 50 feet. Image by Aaron Brewer via Pexels

Black bears are found in the forested regions of South Carolina, particularly in the northwestern mountains and along the coastal plain.

29. Tennessee

black bear
Black bear. Image via Unsplash

Tennessee’s black bear population is primarily located in the Great Smoky Mountains and other forested areas in the eastern part of the state.

30. Florida

Black Bear
Black Bear. Image by Alex Dugquem via Pexels.

Florida is home to the Florida black bear, which inhabits forests, swamps, and other natural areas throughout the state, from the Panhandle to the Everglades.

These states offer diverse habitats that support healthy bear populations, allowing these magnificent creatures to roam freely in the wild.