National Parks

[ltrcrr]

I would like to go out to Yellowstone National Park with my popup. Are they permitted in the camping area? Are popups permitted in the camp grounds seeing that they have easy access for wildlife (canvas popouts). Are there many bear problems. Seems to me that a bear could come right up, rip open the canvas and have a snack when ever they get hungry...

[AustinBoston]

I would like to go out to Yellowstone National Park with my popup. Are they permitted in the camping area? Are popups permitted in the camp grounds seeing that they have easy access for wildlife (canvas popouts). Are there many bear problems. Seems to me that a bear could come right up, rip open the canvas and have a snack when ever they get hungry...

They are not allowed at the Fishing Bridge campground.

Follow the instructions you will receive at the gate to the letter and you should not have a problem, especially not storing food or similar items in the camper.

Every bear attack on a sleeping camper that I've heard of (anywhere, not just Yellowstone) was in the back country and in a tent.  Can it happen?  Yes.  Is it likely?  No.  If it was a regular occurence, they would take action or close the campground.  There's something about dead or mauled campers that rangers don't like.

Austin

P.S. - In many places, bears are famous for breaking into cars.  I don't recall hearing of that in Yellowstone.

[dthurk]

A bear is capable of getting into just about anything it wants to get into, popup, hardsided camper, motorhome, car, truck, whatever.  The secret is to keep it from wanting to get into whatever you don't want it to get into.  Keep a clean campsite with nothing outside.  Keep anything you used when cooking, including clothes somewhere other than your camper.  Your tow vehicle would work.  Keep all your food and scented items in your car also.  You can also hang some of these things from trees, at least 10' up and 4' away from the trunk.  In the end, you might be more afraid of the bears than the bears are of you.  Just be mindful of and observe the bear rules and enjoy yourself after that.

[tlhdoc]

Seems to me that a bear could come right up, rip open the canvas and have a snack when ever they get hungry...

Yes they can, to a PU or a tent.  As the others have said keep all food, food scented items (clothing, cooking supplies, etc), and any other items that have a scent (hygiene products) out of the camper.  

[coach]

I would like to go out to Yellowstone National Park with my popup. Are they permitted in the camping area? ...

You'll love it. If I ever get to go back I won't be staying in the reservable campgrounds near the lodge, diner, grocery store, gas station.
I'll be at the non reservable more secluded sites.

The host made daily rounds reminding you to keep food stuff put away (in a hard sided vehicle). They suggested they actually had one bear siting in the campground that year!

[dthurk]

Here's a link of bear avoidance tips: http://www.yellowstoneparknet.com/traveltips/bearsafety.php.  A bear encounter is really a very remote possibility if you observe precautions.  In most cases, they want to avoid you as much as you want to avoid them.
     
     Interestingly, I did have a bear encounter hiking the Finger Lakes Trail in New York State last spring.  I had just started a hike, my wife dropped me off and I was hiking back to my car, which was about 11 miles away.  I looked up and saw I was following a black bear about 100 yds in front of me.  The bear was unaware of my presence.  I pulled out my keys and shook them and the bear ran away.  This created another problem, the bear was now in the woods somewhere and between me and my car.  I continued to jingle my keys and searched the woods carefully for the next mile, even spinning around occasionally to make sure it wasn't coming up behind me.  I never saw it again.