A grizzly lifts its head from a patch of roots, then rises onto its hind legs to sniff the wind. For a moment it is taller than the door of your house. Then it drops back down and goes on digging.
An adult male grizzly bear in the lower 48 US states usually weighs 180–270 kg (400–600 lb), and a female 110–160 kg (250–350 lb), says the US Fish and Wildlife Service. On all fours a grizzly stands 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) at the shoulder. Salmon-eating brown bears on the Alaska coast get far heavier.
Key takeaways
- Males: usually 180–270 kg (400–600 lb) in the lower 48 states; the heaviest weighed in Yellowstone was 324 kg (715 lb).
- Females: usually 110–160 kg (250–350 lb), about a third lighter than males.
- Height: 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) at the shoulder; very large brown bears reach almost 2.7 m (9 ft) standing up.
- Season matters: a grizzly can gain up to 1.65 kg (3.64 lb) a day before winter, then loses it in the den.
How much does a grizzly bear weigh?
It depends on sex, food and season. The National Park Service says brown bears, the species that includes grizzlies, weigh 90–450 kg (200–1,000 lb) depending on sex, place and season. Inland grizzlies sit near the lower half of that range, and salmon-fed coastal bears near the top.
A thin female leaving her den in spring may weigh less than a quarter of a fat coastal male in October. So when you read a single number for grizzly weight, ask which bears and which season it describes.
| Group | Adult males | Adult females | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lower 48 US grizzlies (typical) | 180–270 kg (400–600 lb) | 110–160 kg (250–350 lb) | USFWS |
| Yellowstone grizzlies (average weighed) | 187 kg (413 lb) | 122 kg (269 lb) | NPS Yellowstone |
| Yellowstone grizzlies (heaviest weighed) | 324 kg (715 lb) | 198 kg (436 lb) | NPS Yellowstone |
| Katmai coastal brown bears, mid-summer | 272–408 kg (600–900 lb) | About one-third less than males | NPS Katmai |
| Katmai coastal brown bears, Oct–Nov | Large males well over 454 kg (1,000 lb) | About one-third less than males | NPS Katmai |
| Kodiak bears (for comparison) | 272–635 kg (600–1,400 lb) | 136–318 kg (300–700 lb) | USFWS |
How much does a male grizzly weigh compared with a female?
Males are much heavier. In Yellowstone, weighed adult males averaged 187 kg (413 lb) and females 122 kg (269 lb), says the Yellowstone grizzly bear fact sheet. The heaviest male was 324 kg (715 lb) and the heaviest female 198 kg (436 lb). At Katmai in Alaska, females average about one-third less than males.
Why the gap? Males compete with each other for mates, and bigger males usually win. Females spend years raising cubs, which uses up a lot of their stored fat.
How tall is a grizzly bear?
On all four feet, a brown bear stands about 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) at the shoulder and measures 1.5–2.1 m (5–7 ft) from nose to tail, says the National Park Service. Very large brown bears can reach almost 2.7 m (9 ft) when they stand on their hind legs. Most inland grizzlies stand shorter than that.
Picture it: a grizzly next to you and a door
Heights drawn to scale. Each dashed line is one metre (about 3.3 ft).
Adult person, 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in), for scale
House door, about 2 m (6 ft 7 in), for scale
Grizzly on all fours: 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) at the shoulder
Very large brown bear on hind legs: almost 2.7 m (9 ft)
Bear heights: US National Park Service. The person and the door are rounded everyday sizes added for scale, not measured averages. The bar for the bear on all fours shows the top of its range; many grizzlies are nearer 1 m.
| Measurement | Typical adult | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Height at the shoulder, on all fours | 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) | NPS |
| Head and body length | 1.5–2.1 m (5–7 ft) | NPS |
| Height standing on hind legs | Almost 2.7 m (9 ft) for very large bears | NPS |
| Tail | 8–11 cm (3–4.5 in) | NPS Yellowstone |
| Front claws | Typically 4.5 cm (1.8 in); longest 15 cm (5.9 in) | NPS Yellowstone |
How tall is a grizzly bear on all fours?
Most adults stand 0.9–1.5 m (3–5 ft) at the shoulder. The highest point is the hump above the shoulders, a mass of muscle that powers digging, as our page on grizzly bear adaptations explains. A big grizzly on all fours can look a 12-year-old in the eye.
How tall is a grizzly bear standing up?
A very large brown bear reaches almost 2.7 m (9 ft) on its hind legs. That is taller than a house door. Bears stand up for a few moments to see or smell better, not to attack.
Why are coastal brown bears heavier than grizzlies?
Food. Grizzlies and coastal brown bears are the same species, Ursus arctos; the National Park Service says the name grizzly usually means bears living inland. The USFWS says coastal brown bears can weigh about twice as much as interior ones, and salmon is the big difference.
Inland grizzlies live mostly on plants, roots, insects and the odd elk calf or ground squirrel. Our page on what grizzly bears eat covers their menu. The Katmai brown bear FAQ says no Yellowstone grizzly has been documented over 408 kg (900 lb), yet big salmon-fed Katmai males pass 454 kg (1,000 lb) by autumn.
How does a grizzly’s weight change through the year?
A grizzly is lightest in spring and heaviest in late autumn. In late summer and fall it eats almost nonstop and may gain up to 1.65 kg (3.64 lb) a day, says the USFWS. It then spends four to six months in a den without eating, usually going in between October and December, and comes out much thinner.
How much does a baby grizzly bear weigh?
About 0.5 kg (1 lb) at birth, says Parks Canada. Cubs are born in the winter den in late January or early February. They weigh around 8 kg (18 lb) when they leave the den in spring and up to 45 kg (100 lb) by their first autumn. A newborn cub is about as heavy as a loaf of bread.
Is a grizzly bigger than a Kodiak bear or a polar bear?
No. A typical inland grizzly is the lightest of the three. Male Kodiak bears weigh 272–635 kg (600–1,400 lb), says the USFWS. Adult male polar bears normally weigh 350–600 kg (775–1,300 lb), according to Polar Bears International. An average Yellowstone male, at 187 kg, is less than half that.
Kodiak bears are brown bears too; see how big a Kodiak bear is. For a side-by-side look, read polar bear vs grizzly bear size.
What is the biggest grizzly bear ever weighed?
For true inland grizzlies, the heaviest weighed male in the Greater Yellowstone area was 324 kg (715 lb), says NPS Yellowstone. Much bigger brown bears exist on the Alaska coast, but those are salmon eaters. Online claims of 725 kg (1,600 lb) grizzlies are not backed by any official weighing we could find.
The famous giant Goliath was a captive Kodiak bear at a New Jersey zoo, not a wild grizzly. Guinness World Records says he reportedly passed 900 kg in the early 1980s. Our page on the biggest bear in the world compares the record holders.
Why does a bear’s size matter to the forest?
A big bear moves a lot of food around its home. In a study on Alaska’s Kenai Peninsula, Hilderbrand and colleagues estimated that 15.5–17.8% of the nitrogen in spruce needles near a salmon stream came from salmon, and that bears had carried 83–84% of it there (USGS record of the 1999 study). Bears eat fish by the stream, then wander into the forest and leave the nutrients behind.
Grizzlies in the lower 48 states are listed as Threatened (USFWS), while brown bears worldwide are Least Concern, reports the International Association for Bear Research and Management. See where grizzly bears live.
Are grizzly bears dangerous because of their size?
A bear this heavy deserves respect. NPS Yellowstone gives its running speed as 56–64 km/h (35–40 mph), so you cannot outrun one. Most bears avoid people. In bear country, stay in a group, make noise, carry bear spray and follow the National Park Service bear safety advice. Never feed a bear. For how that size turns into power, see how strong a grizzly bear is.
Myths about grizzly bear size
Myth: Grizzlies stand 3 m (10 ft) tall.
Fact: The NPS says very large brown bears reach almost 2.7 m (9 ft) standing. The 3 m figure belongs to the biggest Kodiak males. Why people believe it: Kodiak and grizzly figures get mixed up because both are brown bears.
Myth: A 1,000 lb grizzly is normal.
Fact: No Yellowstone grizzly has been documented over 408 kg (900 lb). Bears that pass 454 kg (1,000 lb) are salmon-fed coastal males in autumn.
Myth: The heaviest grizzly ever was Goliath.
Fact: Goliath was a captive Kodiak bear in New Jersey, says Guinness World Records. He was not a wild grizzly.
Test yourself
1. How much does a typical male grizzly in the lower 48 US states weigh?
About 180–270 kg (400–600 lb).
2. When is a grizzly at its heaviest?
In late autumn, just before it goes into its winter den.
3. Why do coastal brown bears grow bigger than inland grizzlies?
They eat salmon, which is rich in fat and protein.
Where to next?
➡️ Go wider: the biggest bear in the world⬆️ Go deeper: the hump, claws and nose of a grizzly🔀 Go sideways: how big a Kodiak bear gets
Frequently asked questions
How heavy is a grizzly bear in kg?
An adult male grizzly in the lower 48 US states usually weighs about 180 to 270 kg, and a female 110 to 160 kg, based on the USFWS figures of 400 to 600 lb and 250 to 350 lb. Weighed Yellowstone bears averaged 187 kg for males and 122 kg for females.
Are grizzlies heavier before or after hibernation?
Before. Grizzlies can gain up to 1.65 kg (3.64 lb) a day in late summer and fall, says the USFWS. They then spend four to six months in a den without eating, living off that fat, so they come out in spring much thinner.
Is a grizzly bear the same as a brown bear?
Yes. Grizzlies are brown bears, Ursus arctos. The National Park Service says the name grizzly usually means bears living inland, away from the coast. Coastal brown bears eat salmon and grow much heavier, but they are the same species.
How long do grizzly bears live?
Wild grizzlies generally live to around 25 years, and some have lived for over 35 years, says the USFWS. In the Greater Yellowstone area, the oldest known grizzly reached 31, according to the National Park Service.
Can a grizzly bear weigh 1,000 pounds?
An inland grizzly almost never does. No Yellowstone grizzly has been documented over 408 kg (900 lb), says Katmai National Park. Salmon-eating coastal brown bears can, though: large Katmai males weigh well over 454 kg (1,000 lb) by October.
Sources
- US Fish and Wildlife Service. Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis).
- US National Park Service. Brown bears.
- US National Park Service, Katmai National Park and Preserve. Brown bear frequently asked questions.
- US National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone grizzly bear facts.
- Parks Canada. Grizzly bears: bears in the mountain national parks.
- US Fish and Wildlife Service. Kodiak brown bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi).
- Polar Bears International. Adaptations and characteristics.
- Guinness World Records. Heaviest carnivore on land.
- Hilderbrand, G.V., Hanley, T.A., Robbins, C.T. and Schwartz, C.C. (1999). Role of brown bears (Ursus arctos) in the flow of marine nitrogen into a terrestrial ecosystem. Oecologia 121: 546-550.
- International Association for Bear Research and Management. Ursus arctos (brown bear).
- US National Park Service. Staying safe around bears.
Sources checked 12 October 2026.
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