Parks Canada Imposes No-Stopping Zone Along Bow Valley Parkway After Bear Jams

Parks Canada has reinstated a 1.5-kilometre no-stopping zone along the Bow Valley Parkway near Protection Mountain after a series of wildlife viewing incidents involving a well-known grizzly bear family prompted concerns about both visitor safety and bear survival.

The restriction took effect June 3 and remains in place until further notice. It covers a stretch of Highway 1A between Baker Creek Chalets and Protection Mountain Campground, an area where Parks Canada says bears have been drawing increasing crowds of visitors.

According to the agency, staff have responded to multiple reports of "bear jams," unsafe roadside parking and people leaving their vehicles to approach bears in the area.

The closure comes less than three weeks after a grizzly cub from the Bear 142 family was struck and killed by a train near Protection Mountain on May 17. It also follows viral footage published this week showing Bear 142 and her remaining cub narrowly avoiding an oncoming train while feeding beside the railway corridor in the same general area.

The video, captured by wildlife photographer Sadra Semnani Rahbar, showed the cub standing on the tracks while its mother fed on dandelions nearby. Moments before the train arrived, both bears moved off the rail line and into the forest.

For Parks Canada, the concern extends beyond traffic congestion.

Officials say crowds gathering to view the bears can create additional stress and interfere with the animals' ability to move safely through the area.

"In this specific instance, crowds of people can block escape routes for the bears trying to avoid oncoming trains," Parks Canada said in a public notice announcing the restriction.

The timing is particularly sensitive because June marks the peak of grizzly bear mating season. Adult male bears are actively searching for mates and can display more unpredictable behaviour than at other times of year.

The area around Protection Mountain has become a focal point for bear activity this spring. Parks Canada previously imposed a temporary no-stopping zone after the May 17 train strike involving the Bear 142 family, but lifted the restriction on May 19 after determining the bears had moved away from the immediate area.

The bears have since returned.

Bear 142 is one of Banff's more recognizable grizzlies. She is the daughter of the famous grizzly known as The Boss, a dominant male whose offspring have become some of the park's most closely watched bears.

Parks Canada has repeatedly warned that even well-intentioned wildlife viewing can have long-term consequences. When visitors stop repeatedly to observe roadside bears, the animals can become habituated to people and vehicles, making future encounters more likely and often more dangerous.

Historically, habituated bears have faced a greater risk of management intervention, relocation or mortality.

The agency also noted that traffic congestion itself can become a hazard. Vehicles stopping unexpectedly along the narrow parkway can create backups and gridlock, while crowds gathering near the roadside can encourage additional drivers to stop.

Under the restriction, motorists are prohibited from stopping anywhere within the signed 1.5-kilometre zone. Violators can be charged under the Canada National Parks Act, which carries maximum penalties of up to $25,000.