Parks Canada charges hikers after grizzly bear encounter with off-leash dog in Banff National Park

Two hikers with an off-leash dog have been charged after coming close to a grizzly bear in Banff National Park. Parks Canada charged them after a TikTok post generated several million views after being published on July 21.

James Eastham, a spokesperson for Parks Canada’s Lake Louise, Yoho and Kootenay field unit, told the CBC that “Failure to keep your pets leashed in the national parks poses risks to pets and wildlife. Bears and other wildlife may react aggressively toward dogs they view as threats, resulting in their injury or death.”

Canadian law states that people must keep their pets on a leash of three metres or less in national parks. If found guilty, the two hikers could face a fine of up to $25,000!

In other words, it's not illegal to take a dog on a hike in grizzly country in Canada, only that it must be kept on a leash. However, multiple studies and historical analyses by wildlife biologists indicate that the presence of dogs more than doubles the odds of a human-bear conflict, and frequently acts as a catalyst for defensive attacks. Most recently, a "New analysis of more than 300 bear encounters suggests our canine companions often increase odds of conflict and rarely serve as early warning systems many recreationists assume." You can find more statistics here.

In America, dogs are not allowed on backcountry trails in most national parks. However, I've seen several hikers flout this law in places like Glacier, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain and the Great Smoky Mountains.

Here's a CTV News report, which includes the social media video that led to the charges:





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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

On this date in hiking history: Earl Shaffer becomes the first person to thru-hike the Appalachian Trail

The following is an excerpt from Ramble On: A History of Hiking. [Note: Amazon is currently offering the book at a 29% discount]

After World War II, many soldiers came home after serving overseas and began heading to the mountains for reasons that were vastly different from previous generations. Many veterans sought the wilderness as a way of escaping or coping with the horrors of war they had experienced. One such individual was Earl Shaffer, the man who would become the first person to thru-hike the entire length of the Appalachian Trail. In 1941, Shaffer volunteered

with the U.S. Army and served as a forward-area radar technician in the South Pacific. In addition to the horrors he witnessed himself, the Pennsylvania native also suffered the loss of a close childhood friend, who was killed during the invasion of Iwo Jima. A couple of years after the war had ended, Shaffer read an article about a handful of adventurers who had hiked the entire Appalachian Trail in a series of “section hikes,” and decided that he would try to do it himself in one continuous “thru-hike.” The following year, in 1948, he accomplished this goal by hiking the entire route in 124 days. In his trail journal, which eventually became a book, Shaffer wrote that the war had left him “confused and depressed.” He thought that a long-distance hiking trip might provide a remedy, stating that he wanted to “walk the army out of my system, both mentally and physically.” In 1965, Shaffer reprised this historic feat by walking the “long brown path” in just 99 days. On the 50th anniversary of his first thru-hike, Shaffer hit the trail once again. This time, at the age of 79, he completed the 2158-mile trek in 173 days.



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Virtually no one went hiking before the 19th century. What occurred that inspired ordinary people to take a walk through the woods for pleasure? Ramble On: A History of Hiking explores the rich history of hiking, and how it evolved into one of the most popular pastimes in the world.

National Park Foundation Awards More Than $10 Million to Spark Innovation Across the National Park System

The National Park Foundation is excited to launch dedicated funding for parks and park partners to collaborate on innovative projects that will strengthen parks, expand what is possible, and ensure these extraordinary places endure for generations. The inaugural cohort, announced today, includes 18 grants totaling more than $10 million awarded to support 21 national parks.

National parks are rooted in natural, historic, and cultural wonders, but they originated as a novel idea, and their future depends on continued innovation. Often called "America's best idea," the national park concept set the blueprint for protecting extraordinary places and sharing them with the world.

With the support of generous donors and partners, NPF is helping parks carry that spirit forward by creating more room to innovate, collaborate, and experiment. These grants provide funding directly to those who know parks best, empowering them to test new approaches, implement scalable technologies, and share what they learn so parks are stronger, and visitors can have better experiences.

NPF has received more than 200 proposals for innovation funding so far. Among those submissions, 18 projects were identified for immediate funding, with an initial focus on real-time information and traffic management, connectivity, data-informed decision-making, and more. These first projects include the following:

* Friends of Acadia and Schoodic Institute will work with Acadia National Park to deploy sensors, predictive analytics, and communication tools that give visitors and park managers real-time information about congestion and wait times along key corridors.

* Grand Canyon Conservancy will expand the ways that visitors can engage with Grand Canyon National Park by increasing connectivity and introducing digitally integrated interpretation of the park, enabling visitors to learn more and go deeper into the story of the iconic landscape.

* Glacier National Park Conservancy will help Glacier National Park deploy bypass lane transponders and badge readers at park entrances, automate passenger counts on shuttle buses, and install real-time parking displays at visitor centers

* Friends of Virgin Islands National Park will install Starlink satellite internet at seven land sites and five marine sites in the remote Virgin Islands National Park to offer connectivity for visitors and to improve emergency communications.

Funding for the inaugural cohort came from NPF's generous donors and partners, including Lilly Endowment Inc. View the full list of projects here.

NPF first invested $2 million in pilot projects led by the National Park Service and Preservation Maryland to advance technologies and experiment with novel equipment across multiple park sites in support of emergency response, asset management, and more efficient park operations. Interest in the pilot proved the need and potential impact of continued, dedicated investment in innovative technologies and creative solutions.

With growing support from NPF's donors and partners, including Robert and Kitty Brunswick, Mr. Cody J Smith, The Ball Foundation, and Arconic Foundation, NPF will award additional grants to parks and park partners in the coming months to support innovation in other focus areas, including natural resource management and interpretation.

NPF will also facilitate learning groups that bring together grant recipients to share information, ideas, and lessons learned to inform and inspire other parks.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

Road work planned on North Park Road starting tomorrow

Grand Teton National Park, in partnership with the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) Western Federal Lands Highway Division, will begin a roadway rehabilitation project on North Park Road (U.S. Route 89/191/287) starting in early August. The project is expected to take about two months to complete.

A series of landslides have caused ongoing damage to North Park Road about seven miles north of Colter Bay and 11 miles south of the Yellowstone National Park boundary. Ground movement has created uneven rises and dips in the road surface, requiring patching nearly every year and posing a safety concern for drivers.

"North Park Road is an important travel corridor for visitors and local communities, connecting Grand Teton and Yellowstone national parks," said Grand Teton National Park Superintendent Chip Jenkins. "This project will create a smoother driving experience through an area that required frequent repairs. We appreciate visitors' patience as crews complete the work."

This summer's project will dig out and rebuild a roughly 500-foot section of the road to stabilize the slide area and smooth out the road surface. Additional drainage, guardrail, and signage improvements are also planned. The result will be a safer road that requires less ongoing maintenance.

Travelers driving the popular corridor between Jackson and Yellowstone on U.S. Route 89/191/287 will pass through this work zone and should plan accordingly. Additionally, Jackson Lake Overlook and Mudflats Overlook may be closed during construction to safely stage equipment and materials.

What to expect:

Traffic will be reduced to one lane through the work zone. On Monday, August 3, expect daytime (8 a.m. to 5 p.m.) delays of up to 15 minutes. Starting the week of August 10, nighttime (9 p.m. to 6 a.m.) delays of up to one hour are possible during active construction. Most work will be conducted at night to minimize daytime impacts on visitors.

Visitors are encouraged to plan extra travel time when using North Park Road. For the latest road conditions and construction updates, click here.



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Check out our online trail guides:

• Glacier National Park: HikinginGlacier.com

• Grand Teton National Park: TetonHikingTrails.com

• Rocky Mountain National Park: RockyMountainHikingTrails.com

• Ramble On: A History of Hiking

Two Medicine projects impact trails

Glacier National Park posted this on their social media today:

Watch out! We're getting some work done in Two Medicine this summer, so access to the North Shore Trail is a little different. There is a re-route that crosses the creek to access both the North Shore Trail and the trail toward Old Man Lake and Pitamakin Pass. If you want to stay dry, stick to the South Shore Trail and destinations accessible from there. Stay safe and please respect the construction closure.

This construction project includes replacement of the full water distribution system in the Two Medicine developed area and campground. To facilitate construction, Two Medicine Road will be closed at the Running Eagle Falls Trailhead beginning September 8, 2026.

Last fall, Two Medicine Road was closed as part of a large, multi-year project which includes full rehabilitation of the Two Medicine Road from the MT-49 intersection all the way to the Two Medicine parking lot. The work includes ditch re-establishment, road repair, parking lot construction, replacement of entrance station buildings, and paving. This road work is scheduled to resume this fall and be completed in late 2027, but may continue into 2028.

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Glacier National Park preserves more than a million acres of some of the most spectacular scenery on Earth. With more than 740 miles of trails meandering throughout this vast park, how will you find and choose the most scenic and rewarding hikes?

Exploring Glacier National Park takes all the guesswork out by focusing on the most amazing hikes, and provides you with handpicked recommendations that will allow you to make the most of your trip to Glacier: