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⚡ Quick Answer: To hang a bear bag, get your food at least 12 feet off the ground and 6 feet from the trunk and any branch. Throw a line over a sturdy branch, hoist your food sack, and tie it off. The PCT method is the most reliable way to hang without leaving a rope a bear can reach.
Keeping your food away from bears protects both you and the bear, since a bear that learns to raid camps often ends up being killed. Where bear canisters are not required, a proper bear hang is the classic solution, and it also foils raccoons, mice, and other clever critters. Here is how to do it right, including the reliable PCT hang used by long-distance hikers.
Know the Numbers
The standard target is to suspend your food at least 12 feet off the ground, 6 feet out from the trunk, and 6 feet below the branch you hang from. Those distances put the bag out of reach of a standing bear and away from any branch a bear or a smaller animal could climb along. Check local rules first, because many popular areas now require an approved bear canister and ban hangs entirely.
What to Put in the Bag
Store all food, trash, and anything with a scent, including toothpaste, sunscreen, lip balm, and the clothes you cooked in. Bears follow their noses, so a stray candy bar in a tent pocket undoes all your work. Pack these items in a dry sack you can cinch closed, and cook and eat well away from where you sleep.
Choose the Right Tree
Look for a live, healthy branch about 15 to 20 feet up that is stout near the trunk but tapers thin where your rope goes over, roughly 6 feet out. A limb that thins to less than wrist thickness at the hang point stops a bear from crawling out to it. Set your hang a good distance downwind of your tent, never directly over it.
The Basic Hang
Tie a rock or a fabric bag of dirt to the end of your cord, then throw it over the branch at the right spot. Clip or tie your food sack to the line, hoist it up to at least 12 feet, and tie the other end off to the trunk. The weakness of this simple method is the rope tied to the tree, which a determined bear can bite or paw.
The PCT Method, Step by Step
- Throw your line over the branch about 6 feet from the trunk and bring the throwing end back down.
- Attach your food bag to that end with a carabiner, and tie a small loop in the line just above the carabiner.
- Haul the bag all the way up to the branch using the other side of the line.
- Reach up as high as you can and clip or tie a stick to the hanging line, then let the bag slide back down until the stick jams against the carabiner.
- The stick now holds the bag at height with no rope tied off low for a bear to chew. To retrieve it, pull the bag up slightly to free the stick.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
Do not hang too close to the trunk, do not use a branch thick enough to hold a bear, and never hang your food over your tent or cooking area. In heavy bear country, or anywhere hangs are banned, use an approved bear canister instead, which is easier, faster, and far more reliable than any hang.
Bag It and Sleep Easy
A good bear hang is a simple skill that protects your food, your safety, and the bears themselves. Learn the distances, practice the PCT method in your yard, and you will hang a solid bag in a few minutes at camp.
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Frequently Asked Questions
How high should a bear bag be hung?
Aim to suspend your food at least 12 feet off the ground, 6 feet out from the trunk, and 6 feet below the branch. Those distances keep the bag out of reach of a standing bear and away from any limb an animal could climb along. Always check local rules, since many areas now require a bear canister.
What should go in a bear bag?
Store all food, trash, and anything with a scent, including toothpaste, sunscreen, lip balm, and the clothes you cooked in. Bears follow their noses, so even a forgotten candy bar can draw them in. Cook and eat well away from where you sleep, and hang everything scented together.
Is a bear canister better than a bear bag?
In many cases, yes. An approved bear canister is faster, easier, and far more reliable than a hang, and it is required in a growing number of parks and wilderness areas. A bear hang is a good option where canisters are not required, but a canister removes the guesswork entirely.
Written by Jake Miller · Camping & Gear
Jake grew up pitching tents before he could drive and has spent 15+ years camping, car-camping, and gear-testing his way across the country. If it can be cooked over a fire or packed into a trunk, he has an opinion on it.
