Bear-resistant canisters will be mandatory for all overnight campers in New Hampshire’s Pemigewasset Wilderness beginning May 1.
Citing a sharp increase in bear incidents in the Pemi Wilderness in recent years, U.S. Forest Service officials announced the new rule earlier this week.
Officials said the number of human-bear conflicts in the area has risen sharply in the past five years driven by a healthy bear population, a surge in visitor use, and ineffective food storage. They said these conflicts pose significant risks to public safety and lead to bear habituation.
The new rule takes effect May 1, 2026 and requires all overnight visitors in the Pemi Wilderness to store all food, food containers, scented items (such as soap, lip balm, and toothpaste) and refuse in a cylindrical, hard-sided, non-pliable Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) certified bear-resistant canister.
Officials said alternative methods for storing food and scented items, such as bear hangs, will no longer be permitted because they have proven to be less effective than canisters.
The only exceptions to this new rule are the bear-resistant food boxes located at the Thirteen Falls Tent Site.
The Forest Service offers a bear-resistant canister loan program, allowing hikers and campers to rent the canisters free of charge at White Mountain National Forest Visitor Centers in Lincoln, Campton, Conway and Gorham.
Bear-resistant canisters are also available for sale from most outdoor equipment stores.
