Backcountry Food Storage

White Rim Campsite

NPS/Chris Wonderly

• Aggressive rodents, living off the careless food storage habits of backpackers, river runners, and people accessing the backcountry with their vehicles have overrun popular backcountry campsites— especially along the White Rim Road.

• Ravens, attracted to food wrappers and plastic, pilfer backpacks and any exposed trash in vehicles.

The notion that critters may be lurking in the backcountry waiting to steal their food irritates some visitors to Canyonlands. Remember, you are a guest in their habitat. For your safety, the welfare of the wildlife, and the safekeeping of your equipment, you must make your food supply—a foreign substance in the backcountry—as undetectable and unobtainable as possible.

Your actions can put future people at risk of food pilfering, since animals regularly revisit areas where they easily obtained food, like campsites along the White Rim Road. At worst, your behavior may lead directly to the death of a wild animal. These guidelines are meant to protect people, equipment, and the wildlife.

Food Storage

Use an animal-proof food storage container such as a rat sack, ursack, bear canister, hard-sided plastic tub, or a heavy-duty dry bag. The Needles district has a very limited amount of rodent proof sacks and bear canisters available to borrow. Campsites in the Salt Creek area of the Needles district require the use of approved hard-sided food storage containers (e.g. bear canisters). Never leave food, even in your pack, unattended. Carefully inspect your cooking/eating area. Clean up any food crumbs or other trash. Pack out all your trash, including left-over food.

Anything aromatic—powder, ointment, toothpaste, sunscreen, lotions, utensils—must be stored with your food in your animal-proof container. Animals are not selective; they are drawn by any enticing smell. Leave nothing inside your pack overnight, and leave all pockets and compartments unzipped. This allows nocturnal visitors to snoop around without tempting them to gnaw at your gear out of curiosity. Hanging food is not recommended. Hanging food can damage trees—a valuable shade resource in the desert. NEVER FEED WILDLIFE.