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The Four Corners region has some of the most rapidly changing weather in North America. Conditions that look benign at 8am can become life-threatening by 2pm. This is not exaggeration — most backcountry rescues in the region involve weather events that were forecast and ignored.

The Four Corners region supports black bears, mountain lions, rattlesnakes, and abundant other wildlife. Encounters are rare — and serious encounters are rarer still — but knowing how to respond before an encounter happens is the difference between a remarkable moment and a dangerous one.

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Black Bears — Be Bear Smart

Black bears are present throughout the San Juan National Forest and surrounding mountains. They are generally not aggressive but are smart, persistent, and highly motivated by food. The vast majority of bear conflicts are caused by unsecured food, not by bear behavior.

• Store all food, trash, and scented items in a bear canister or bear box — never in your tent or a soft-sided cooler in your vehicle
• Cook and eat at least 200 feet from where you sleep
• Pack out all food scraps, trash, and grease. Leave no trace
• If you encounter a bear: stay calm, speak in a firm calm voice, do not run, back away slowly
• If a black bear charges: stand your ground, make yourself large, and fight back if attacked
• Carry bear spray and know how to use it — it is more effective than firearms in surprise encounters
• In Durango and Cortez: bears are active in neighborhoods. Secure trash, bird feeders, and pet food

Bear Smart Durango ↗ USFS Bear Safety ↗

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Mountain Lions (Cougars)

Mountain lions are present across the region but rarely seen — they are secretive and usually more afraid of you than you are of them. However, they are ambush predators, and lone hikers and children are statistically more at risk. Most sightings occur at dawn and dusk.

• Hike in groups; keep children close — do not let them run ahead on trails
• If you encounter a lion: do NOT run (triggers prey response). Face it, stand tall, make yourself look large
• Speak firmly and loudly. Maintain eye contact. Back away slowly
• If attacked: fight back aggressively. Mountain lion attacks are rare; fatal attacks are very rare
• Report sightings to Colorado Parks & Wildlife

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Rattlesnakes

Western rattlesnakes are common throughout the lower-elevation desert and canyon areas of the Four Corners — Sand Canyon, Phil's World, Monument Valley, Canyons of the Ancients, and canyon country generally. They are most active in warm months, especially in the early morning and evening when temperatures are moderate.

• Watch where you step and where you put your hands — never reach into crevices or under rocks
• Stay on the trail; be extra alert near rocky outcrops, brush, and warm surfaces
• If you hear a rattle: freeze, locate the snake, then back away slowly and give it a wide berth
• If bitten: stay calm, immobilize the bitten limb below heart level, remove constrictive items (rings, watches), get to a hospital immediately. Do NOT cut, suck, apply ice, or use a tourniquet
• Most bites occur when people try to handle or harass the snake. Leave them alone

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Other Wildlife — General Principles

The region also hosts coyotes, elk, mule deer, wild turkeys, golden and bald eagles, raptors, and an extraordinary diversity of desert and mountain birds. All wildlife should be observed from a distance.

• Never feed wildlife — it habituates them to humans and leads to euthanasia
• Stay at least 100 yards from bears and wolves; 25 yards from all other wildlife
• Moose (rare but present in NW Colorado): are more aggressive than bears. Give them space and do not come between a cow and calf
• Ticks are present spring through fall — check yourself thoroughly after hiking in brushy areas
• Hantavirus: a very rare but serious disease transmitted by rodent droppings. Avoid disturbing rodent nests. Do not sleep in enclosed shelters with signs of rodent activity

These principles apply regardless of whether you're on a 2-mile day hike or a multi-week thru-hike. Most backcountry rescues involve people who skipped at least one of these.

The Four Corners region is one of the most biologically diverse landscapes in the American West. Mule deer, elk, black bears, mountain lions, wild turkeys, pronghorn, raptors of every kind, and hundreds of migratory bird species live here — alongside the people, roads, and trails that cross their habitat. The way we move through this landscape matters.

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Driving at Night — The Single Biggest Risk

More wildlife is killed on roads than by any other human cause in this region. Mule deer, elk, and pronghorn are most active at dawn, dusk, and after dark — exactly when they are hardest to see and when drivers are most tired. A mule deer collision at highway speed totals most vehicles and can be fatal to occupants.

• Slow down significantly after dark — especially on Highways 160, 491, 145, and 666. These are among the highest wildlife-collision corridors in Colorado.
• If you see one animal crossing, assume there are more — deer and elk travel in groups.
• Use high beams on open roads when no other vehicles are present. Watch for eye-shine in the distance.
• If a collision is unavoidable, brake firmly and do not swerve — swerving causes most human fatalities in wildlife strikes.
• Report significant wildlife injuries to Colorado Parks & Wildlife: 1-800-842-4938.

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Respecting Wildlife & Their Habitat

The stress of a human encounter — even one that seems brief and harmless — can cost an animal critical energy during breeding season, winter, or migration. Habituated wildlife (animals that lose their fear of humans) almost always die as a result. Your restraint directly protects the animals you came to see.

• Never feed wildlife — not birds, not deer, not ground squirrels at trailheads. A fed animal is a dead animal.
• Stay at least 100 yards from bears and mountain lions; 25 yards from all other wildlife. Use binoculars or a telephoto lens.
• Do not approach nesting birds or animals with young — maternal instinct is strong and disturbance causes nest abandonment.
• Stay on trails to avoid crushing vegetation and disturbing ground-nesting birds and reptiles.
• Pack out all food scraps, even crumbs. A chipmunk conditioned to raid packs gets euthanized when it bites someone.
• Keep dogs leashed on trails — a dog running loose stresses wildlife, even small prey animals, and can trigger a mountain lion response.

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Raptor Country — Special Considerations

The Four Corners region is one of the most important raptor habitats in North America. Golden eagles, bald eagles, peregrine falcons, red-tailed hawks, ferruginous hawks, and great horned owls all nest and hunt throughout this landscape. Several cliff areas are closed seasonally to protect nesting raptors.

• Observe seasonal climbing and trail closures near cliff faces — these protect nesting peregrines and golden eagles.
• Check BLM and USFS alerts for current raptor nesting closures before technical climbing or drone use near cliff areas.
• Drones are prohibited in many NPS units and near active raptor nests — check regulations before flying.
• Bald and golden eagles are protected by the Bald and Golden Eagle Protection Act — disturbing a nest is a federal offense.