Updated 08/25/2025

Proper food storage is critical while backpacking — not only to protect your food supply, but also to prevent wildlife from associating humans with food.

Why Food Storage Matters

While keeping your food safe for your own use is important, proper storage also protects animals. When wildlife – especially bears – learn to associate people with food, they can become a nuisance. In some cases, these animals are then euthanized for public safety. Please do your part: never feed wildlife, and always store your food responsibly.

It’s not just bears you need to think about. Small critters can be even more persistent. I’ve been on trips where mice and chipmunks gnawed through backpacks and tents just to get at anything with a scent — even an empty snack wrapper. Birds can also be food thieves; here in the Pacific Northwest, some are nicknamed camp robbers for their ability to snatch food straight from your hands.

For these reasons, food (and all scented items) should never be stored in your tent or left on the ground. Instead, keep them at least 100 feet from your camp.

Methods for Storing Food

Food storage requirements vary by location, regulations, and the presence of storage infrastructure. National parks often provide bear boxes, bear poles, or bear wires in backcountry campsites. Where those aren’t available, they may require bear canisters. In many national forests and wilderness areas, you may need to hang your food. Specialized products like bear-resistant bags are also available.

Hanging food

Hanging food from a tree is a classic method, but it’s not always easy. In bear country, the standard recommendation is to hang your food 15 feet off the ground and at least 8 feet away from the trunk. The problem? Many people don’t do it correctly, and some experts advise against hanging in high-bear areas for this reason.

In areas without bears, a critter hang can protect your food from raccoons, mice, foxes, and other small animals. If you do plan to hang food, choose a spot with a strong branch and follow a proven method to keep it secure.

Recommended gear for hanging food

While any type of dry bag or stuff sack will work for hanging food, here are a few bags and kits made specifically for this purpose:

• Zpacks Bear Bagging Kit
  This kit includes a large stuff sack made with waterproof Dyneema fabric, a small rock sack, carabiner, and Z-line slick cord.
• Hilltop Packs Food Bag
  This food bag has a flat bottom that stands on its own, a snap closure, laminated and seam-taped construction for weather protection, and a durable, abrasion-resistant outer shell.

Bear Bags

My go-to method is a bear-resistant bag made from bulletproof fabric that animals can’t chew through. They’re lighter and less bulky than canisters, and they don’t need to be hung in the traditional way.

To use one, seal it according to the manufacturer’s instructions, then secure it to a low branch or around the base of a tree. I place all food in an odor-proof plastic bag first, which helps reduce smells and makes wildlife less likely to investigate. As with any food storage method, don’t keep it in your tent or on the ground.

Recommended bear bag:

• Ursack Major XL  (8 oz)
  This bear bag holds 15 liters, which I find suitable for up to 3-5 day trips. Additional sizes are available.
  

Bear Canisters

Bear canisters are the most secure food storage option and are required in some areas. They’re designed so bears can’t get inside, even if they manage to move them around. Ranger stations often rent or loan them in places where they’re mandatory. Store canisters at least 100 feet from camp, ideally in a flat spot where they can’t roll away if bumped.

Recommended bear canisters:

• Wild Ideas Bearikade Scout (1 lb 12 oz)
  This carbon fiber bear canister weighs much less than other bear canisters – at a steep price. The Scout’s capacity is 500 cubic inches, which can hold up to 5 days of food.
• BearVault BV450 Jaunt (2 lbs 1.6 oz)
  BearVault offers multiple sizes of their popular (and lower priced) bear canisters.

Bear Wires

Some backcountry campsites in national parks have wire pulley systems for hanging food, often in high-use areas with habituated bears. I’ve mainly seen them in Olympic National Park. Always check with the ranger station to confirm they’re functional — storms can damage them.

Bear Boxes

These heavy-duty metal lockers are common in some parks and are designed to keep even the most determined bear out. Use them whenever available. In the Pacific Northwest, I’ve encountered them mostly in the North Cascades National Park.

Bear Poles

Mount Rainier National Park provides tall bear poles with hooks at many backcountry sites. You’ll use a long pole with a hook to hang your food bag up high. Before your trip, confirm that the poles are in good condition, as storms sometimes damage them. A lightweight, waterproof food bag works best for this setup.

Proper food storage in the backcountry protects both your meals and the wildlife that call these places home. Whether you’re hanging a bag, securing a canister, or using provided facilities, choosing the right method for your location helps keep animals wild and your trip worry-free.

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