How Fast Can a Bear Run?
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Bears look slow. They're big, round and spend a lot of time strolling around eating berries. That look is very misleading.
Short answer: faster than you
Park rangers put it simply: bears can run as fast as a racehorse, and they can do it uphill and downhill.
For American black bears, park biologists give a number: about 25 to 30 mph (40 to 48 km/h) in short bursts. That's a chunky animal moving at the speed of a car on a neighborhood street.
For grizzlies, you'll find lots of different numbers online, and many of them aren't backed by solid sources. What rangers agree on is the part that matters: a grizzly is far faster than any person.
Could the fastest human escape?
No. The fastest sprinter ever measured, Usain Bolt, hit a peak of about 27 mph (44 km/h), and only for a few seconds, on a flat track, in running shoes. Most of us run much slower than that, and nobody runs that fast through brush, over rocks or uphill.
"Bears can't run downhill" is a myth
You may have heard that bears are clumsy going downhill, so you should run down a slope. It's not true. Rangers specifically warn that bears run fast both uphill and downhill. Running in any direction is a bad idea.
Climbing a tree won't help either
Both black bears and grizzlies can climb trees, and black bears are excellent climbers. Their short, curved claws are made for it, and cubs climb trees to escape danger. As one park service guide puts it, you can't outrun or outclimb a bear.
Bears are also good swimmers. Black and brown bears swim across rivers and lakes, and one polar bear was tracked swimming 427 miles (687 km) over about nine days.
Why running is the worst thing you can do
It's not just that you'll lose the race. Running can start one.
Like dogs, bears may chase animals that run away. Rangers warn that running from a surprised bear can cause a predatory reaction, so a bear that might have walked away could end up following you instead.
What to do instead
- Stand your ground. Stay calm and stay where you are. Pick up small children right away and keep your group together.
- Talk to the bear in a calm, low voice so it knows you're a human, and slowly wave your arms.
- If the bear isn't moving, back away slowly and sideways. Keep watching the bear as you go, and always leave it an easy way out. Moving sideways doesn't look like fleeing.
- If the bear follows you, stop and hold your ground again.
- If it charges, don't run. Many charges are bluffs that end before contact. Have your bear spray ready in case it isn't.
- Don't scream or squeal. High-pitched sounds can sound like prey.
For the full step-by-step guide, including what to do if a bear attacks, read What to Do If You See a Bear.
I don't run often. But when I do, I win.