A Castle Rock black bear had a rougher Wednesday than most of us.
On Sept. 16, Castle Rock resident Evan Elmore says the bear had climbed inside a trash container — right as the container was picked up and emptied into the back of the truck, bear and all. Per Elmore's account to CBS Colorado, the bear eventually climbed down the side of the truck, and employees scared it away from the area.
Elmore caught part of the encounter on video — CBS aired his footage of the bear on top of the truck, and within a day the clip had jumped well past Colorado: NBC Philadelphia and FOX 5 New York both shared it, along with Denver's KYGO.
Why bears are in town right now
The timing isn't random. Per CBS Colorado's reporting, bears are deep into hyperphagia — the pre-hibernation feeding push — and the state's prolonged drought and late frost have knocked out many of their usual food sources, sending them further into populated areas to eat. Colorado Parks and Wildlife says 2026 has seen a record number of bear sightings statewide.
What CPW asks of the rest of us
Colorado Parks and Wildlife's guidance, per the same report: put away anything a bear could treat as a meal — trash cans, bird feeders, pet food. Leaving food out can habituate bears to urban environments and make them dependent on people, which puts both the bears and the people at risk. Intentionally leaving food sources out can also draw a fine.
Wildlife on the move is turning into a theme of the season here — the same week this video ran, CDOT's numbers showed the Greenland wildlife overpass south of Castle Rock has cut animal-vehicle collisions 91%.
This one, at least, ended with everyone walking away — the bear included.
Castle Rock Parks and Rec's current advisory
Bears are still active around town. On Oct. 1, 2026, Castle Rock Parks and Recreation posted that bears are now in hyperphagia, the pre-hibernation stretch when they eat as much as possible, and that drought conditions have thinned their natural food sources, pushing more of them into neighborhoods looking for an easy meal. The department's current advice:
- Secure trash or keep it indoors until the morning of pickup
- Remove bird feeders through November
- Clean grills after each use and store them securely
- Don't leave food in vehicles parked outside
- Keep garage doors, windows and exterior doors closed and locked
- Never leave pet food outside
- Give bears plenty of space, and never feed or approach them
As the department put it: "Once a bear finds an easy food source near a home, it's more likely to return."
It's the kind of story that doesn't show up in any ranking, but it's the sort of local color that comes with being one of the best small cities in America, per WalletHub's 2026 list.
Sources: CBS Colorado, Sept. 21, 2026. Video: Evan Elmore. @crparksrec, Oct. 1, 2026 (current advisory). Checked Oct. 5, 2026.