Spirit Bear Quest | Search for the Elusive Kermode Bear in Northern BC

When to see the bears

When to see the bears

For the best chance to view the elusive Spirit Bear, we suggest a minimum 5 day/4 night package (as described here) and to consider coming in August, September or October. Visitors earlier in the season or those that stay for a shorter time may well see the Spirit Bear,  but as the bear – known as moskgm’ol – is elusive and shy, sightings are more likely later in the year and if you have more time to spare.

The lodge is open from June 1 to October 10 and each month offers a different opportunity for bear watching, wildlife and other activities.

June is Spring in the Great Bear Rainforest when the sedge grass, the main early season protein food source for the Grizzly Bears, is most abundant.  The combination of the deep green sedge grass and wildflowers is also great for keen photographers. There is a also a good chance of seeing Grizzly mums with cubs in tow or sub-adults who will often seek out the outer fringes of the big coastal estuaries to feed on the grass un-disturbed by the larger males who may still be working their way down from the upper alpine meadows. Humpbacks are also a relatively common sight as they forage the shore for krill, herring and mackerel. Bear in mind that opportunities to view Spirit Bears are limited in June and July as they don’t tend to appear in the river systems until late July. Although chances are low, it is still possible to see Spirit Bears foraging along the shoreline.

July is very similar to June and is also the month with typically the best weather; the warmest days and the most sunshine. The grizzlies will be moving between the estuaries for sedge and the forest for berries. Later in in the month is the beginning of the salmon spawning season in the outer coastal rivers where black bears will begin to to be seen in greater numbers.

August is when the bears start to know that it is the beginning of the great salmon feast. Salmon begin to school in greater numbers at the entrances to the rivers and the bears then begin to congregate near the river mouth of many systems. By mid to late August, the spawning has begun in the inner coastal rivers. Also, although Spirit Bears can be seen anytime after they emerge from their dens in early Spring, the first good sightings are typically in August.

By September, the salmon spawn is well underway and grizzly bears, black bears and Spirit Bears will all be vying for the best fishing opportunities. The bear numbers begin to spike upwards at this time as they are feeding almost continuously.

October often sees another spike in bear numbers as the spawned-out salmon are being pushed back down to the river mouth, making the fishing easier. Bears are keen to fatten themselves up before winter so activity can be busy and exciting. While bear viewing can be excellent in October, this month also often brings with it the start of the seasonal rains that gives the Great Bear Rainforest part of its well-earned name.

Early Season: June 1 – July 31

Shoulder Season: August 1 – August 28

High Season: August 29 – October 10

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