Be Bear Smart!
The foothill community of Three Rivers, CA is the cherished home of humans and some very smart American Black Bears. Join us in creating a joyful, litter-free environment where bears and people thrive together.
Living With Bears
Explore educational material and guidance for residents, businesses, hosts, and visitors.
Our Bears
Meet the Three Rivers bears.
Get Involved
Join the team, donate to the cause, or report a sighting or incident!
Latest News
Explore stories about Three Rivers and its bears. Read tips on how to coexist peacefully. For more news, visit our News page.
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Cherokee Oaks
The relatively dense Cherokee Oaks neighborhood has supported three garbage-rummaging bears in 2025. According to some reports, more than half of the houses are operated as short term rentals (STRs). […]
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Mineral King’s Grizzly
The following story is excerpted from ‘Heading for the Hills: A Trip up the Mineral King Wagon Road in the Late Eighteen-Nineties’, written by Alice Crowley Jackson (1894–1969). In the […]
Resources
Explore our curated selection of educational materials and deterrents.
It Takes a Team
Join us in creating a joyful, litter-free environment where bears and humans thrive together.
Upcoming Events
Community Meeting
October – Date TBD
Join us to learn practical ways to keep bears and people safe together.
Bear-Friendly Gardening Tips
Date TBD
Explore how to design your garden to protect wildlife and reduce bear encounters.
Neighborhood Cleanup Day
Date TBD
Help keep Three Rivers litter-free to save bears’ lives and help them become wild again.
Wildlife Conservation Talk
Date TBD
Engage with experts discussing responsible wildlife management in our region.
Three Rivers by the Numbers
17
Bears
As many as 17 bears, including 7 cubs, have been sighted in Three Rivers in 2025. Two of this year’s cubs are believed to be dead, and we have confirmed two injured adult bears.
<2000
Residents
The number of full-time residents in Three Rivers has been declining due to the increase in short term rentals.
1,300,000
Visitors
Three Rivers is the primary gateway for Sequoia National Park, which received 1.3 million visitors in 2024. About 75% of the human-bear incidents have involved visitor trash.
326
Incident Reports
This summer, there have been about 219 reports of garbage access, 34 reports of attempted access with adverse impact, 5 reports of structure entry, 2 reports of attempted structure entry, 1 report of livestock attacks, 3 reports of property damage.
Contact a Volunteer at Bear Smart Three Rivers
Do you have a question or an excellent idea? We’d love to hear from you. Have you seen a bear? Has a bear been feasting on your garbage? Has one killed your livestock or entered your home? Don’t “bear” it alone… let us know! We can help.