Grizzly bears live in western North America: Alaska, western and northern Canada, and a few mountain areas of Montana, Wyoming, Idaho and Washington. The lower 48 US states hold at least 1,923 grizzlies, says the US Fish and Wildlife Service. Alaska and Canada hold tens of thousands more.
| Area | Estimated bears | Legal status | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alaska | About 31,700 brown and grizzly bears | Not listed; hunting managed by the state | International Association for Bear Research and Management |
| Canada (BC, Alberta, Yukon, NWT, Nunavut, and edges of Saskatchewan and Manitoba) | About 26,000 | Special Concern (COSEWIC, 2012) | COSEWIC |
| Greater Yellowstone (Wyoming, Montana, Idaho) | About 1,030 (2023 model) | Threatened (US ESA) | Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team, via WyoFile |
| Northern Continental Divide (Montana) | 765 in 2004; range grew 12% by 2024 | Threatened (US ESA) | NCDE monitoring team, 2024 |
| Cabinet-Yaak, Selkirk and Bitterroot (Montana, Idaho, Washington) | Small or no populations | Threatened (US ESA) | USFWS recovery zones |
| North Cascades (Washington) | Very few; last confirmed US sighting 1996 | Threatened; restoration approved 2024 | National Park Service |
| Whole lower 48 states | At least 1,923 | Threatened since 1975 | USFWS |
Where do grizzly bears live in the United States?
Outside Alaska, grizzlies survive in only a few pockets of the northern Rockies and the Cascades. The US Fish and Wildlife Service manages six recovery zones: Greater Yellowstone, the Northern Continental Divide, Cabinet-Yaak, Selkirk, Bitterroot and the North Cascades (USFWS). Nearly all the bears live in the first two.
Greater Yellowstone covers parts of Wyoming, Montana and Idaho. Its grizzlies grew from about 250 in 1983 to an estimated 1,030 in 2023, according to the Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team’s new population model, reported by WyoFile. The Northern Continental Divide, which includes Glacier National Park, was estimated at 765 bears in 2004. Its occupied range grew by 12% to 62,608 km² (24,173 sq mi) by 2024 (NCDE monitoring report).
The North Cascades in Washington are almost empty of grizzlies. The last confirmed sighting on the US side was in 1996. In April 2024, the National Park Service and USFWS decided to move in three to seven bears a year for 5 to 10 years, aiming for a starting population of 25 (NPS).
Where did grizzly bears used to live?
Much farther south and east. Before 1800, about 50,000 grizzlies lived across 18 western states, says the USFWS. Settlers and government bounty programs wiped most of them out. By the 1930s, grizzlies held less than 2% of their old range in the lower 48.
So if you have searched “did grizzly bears ever live in Colorado or Texas”, the answer is that their old range covered much of the West, and today they are gone from most of it. In Canada, too, grizzlies vanished from the prairies of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba by the early 1900s (COSEWIC).
Where do grizzly bears live in Canada?
Canada has about 26,000 grizzlies, according to the 2012 COSEWIC assessment, though it warns that the estimates are uncertain. They live in British Columbia, Alberta, Yukon, the Northwest Territories and Nunavut, with a few in Saskatchewan and Manitoba. The western population covers about 2.98 million km² (1.15 million sq mi), more than four times the size of Texas.
COSEWIC lists the western population as Special Concern. That means it is not endangered, but it could become threatened because grizzlies breed slowly and are easily killed near roads and towns.
Do grizzly bears live in Alaska?
Yes, more than anywhere else in the US. Alaska has about 31,700 brown bears, according to the International Association for Bear Research and Management. Bears live almost everywhere in the state, except some southeast islands, the western Aleutians and the Bering Sea islands (Alaska Department of Fish and Game).
Alaskans often call inland bears “grizzlies” and coastal bears “brown bears”, but they are the same species (ADF&G). Coastal bears grow bigger because they eat salmon and rich plants, and some reach 680 kg (1,500 lb). The Kodiak bear is a separate subspecies found only on Alaska’s Kodiak islands; see how big the Kodiak bear is.
What habitat do grizzly bears live in?
Almost any wild place with enough food. COSEWIC calls grizzlies “habitat generalists” and lists coastal rainforest, alpine tundra, boreal forest, grassland and Arctic tundra (COSEWIC). What they need most is space and few people.
- Mountains and meadows: Grizzlies dig roots and ground squirrels in open slopes. The National Park Service says their long front claws, about 10 cm (4 in), are built for digging.
- Forests: Trees give cover, berries and pine nuts.
- Salmon coasts and rivers: Coastal bears in Alaska and British Columbia feast on salmon, which helps them grow larger (ADF&G).
- Arctic tundra: In the far north, grizzlies live on open, treeless land, eating roots, berries, ground squirrels and carrion.
Food decides how many bears an area can hold. ADF&G says densities range from one bear per 777 km² (300 sq mi) in poor areas to about one per 2.6 km² (1 sq mi) where food is plentiful. Our page on what grizzly bears eat covers their menu.
How much space does a grizzly bear need?
A lot. In Canada, home ranges average 1,800 km² (695 sq mi) for males and 700 km² (270 sq mi) for females (COSEWIC). In Yellowstone, the averages are smaller: 874 km² (337 sq mi) for males and 281 km² (108 sq mi) for females (NPS). Home ranges of different bears overlap.
In winter they need safe den sites. Grizzlies hibernate for 4 to 6 months a year, entering dens between October and December (USFWS). In the far north, bears may stay denned for up to eight months (ADF&G).
Are grizzly bears endangered?
Not worldwide. Grizzlies are a North American subspecies of the brown bear, which the IUCN lists as Least Concern. About 200,000 brown bears live across North America, Europe and Asia (IBA).
In the lower 48 states, grizzlies have been listed as Threatened under the Endangered Species Act since 1975. In January 2025, the USFWS proposed keeping them Threatened but grouping all six recovery zones into one population across Idaho, Montana, Washington and Wyoming (USFWS). The final rule had not been published when we checked in September 2026.
If you visit grizzly country, follow the park’s bear rules and report any bear sighting to a ranger, as the National Park Service advises. To see how big these bears get, read how much a grizzly bear weighs, and to learn how their bodies are built for this life, see grizzly bear adaptations.
Frequently asked questions
Are grizzly bears and brown bears the same?
Yes. The Alaska Department of Fish and Game says brown and grizzly bears are the same species, Ursus arctos. In North America, 'grizzly' usually means inland bears, which are smaller. Coastal bears that eat salmon are usually called brown bears. The Kodiak bear is a separate subspecies.
How many grizzly bears are left?
Roughly 60,000 brown and grizzly bears live in North America, most of them in Alaska (about 31,700) and Canada (about 26,000 to 28,500). The lower 48 US states have at least 1,923. Worldwide, there are about 200,000 brown bears, according to the International Association for Bear Research and Management.
Which national parks have grizzly bears?
In the lower 48, the best known are Yellowstone and Grand Teton in Wyoming and Glacier in Montana. About 300 grizzlies live in the Glacier ecosystem, based on DNA from hair samples. Alaska's parks, such as Denali and Katmai, and Canada's Rocky Mountain parks also have grizzlies.
Do grizzly bears live near polar bears?
In a few places, yes. Grizzlies live on Arctic tundra in Alaska and northern Canada, near the coasts that polar bears use. The two species have even mated in the wild. Our page on pizzly bears explains these rare hybrids.
Sources
- US Fish and Wildlife Service. Grizzly bear (Ursus arctos horribilis).
- US Fish and Wildlife Service (2025). USFWS proposes update to grizzly bear ESA listing and management.
- Alaska Department of Fish and Game. Brown bear species profile.
- Government of Canada, Species at Risk Public Registry (2012). COSEWIC assessment and status report on the grizzly bear, Ursus arctos, in Canada.
- International Association for Bear Research and Management. Ursus arctos (brown bear).
- US National Park Service, Yellowstone National Park. Yellowstone grizzly bear facts.
- WyoFile (2024). The new way biologists count Yellowstone-region grizzly bears, explained (reporting Interagency Grizzly Bear Study Team estimates).
- Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks and NCDE monitoring team (2025). Northern Continental Divide Ecosystem grizzly bear population monitoring, 2024 report.
- US National Park Service, North Cascades National Park (2024). Agencies announce decision to restore grizzly bears to North Cascades.
- US National Park Service, Glacier National Park. Bears.
Sources checked 15 September 2026.
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