Summer vacation is more than just a break from school. It’s a time for kids to embrace childhood and learn through exploration, rather than textbooks, and it’s also the most popular time to travel.
For my family, who lived in the San Francisco Bay Area while I grew up, a summer trip to Lake Tahoe was practically a given. With so many places to explore and sunny spots to relax, it’s the perfect travel destination for everyone! However, we always knew that we shared the space with wild animals of all sizes, and we even saw a few adorable deer, chaotic raccoons, and even black bears during our visits.
It seems like bears have become more and more common sightings in the Lake Tahoe area in recent years, and 2025 is no exception. On June 23, a traveler named Ant recorded mind-blowing footage of a massive bear ‘going for a jog’ in a Tahoe town, and people can’t get enough.
If you ask me, Ant was brave (or perhaps reckless?) for capturing this windows-down footage. This is a once-in-a-lifetime bear encounter for sure!
@antdagooner Tahoenians are cool people #laketaho #california #nature #bear #nevada #fyp
That’s too close of a call if you ask me! Even though the bear never looked like he was going to charge at the car, my heart would have skipped a beat seeing it turn toward me. Somehow, Ant kept a steady hand while recording this incredible moment!
If anything, this Tahoe bear was actually quite calm and polite. It even looked both ways before crossing the street!
“Is he domesticated?” one commenter joked. “He’s more well-behaved than my kids!” Black bears have lived in California longer than people have, so we shouldn’t be all that surprised that they’re just as comfortable in our towns as we are.
The Tahoe Bears
Many others immediately recognized this area as King’s Beach on Tahoe’s North Shore, where bears are often found looking through cars or sauntering down the street, but most often, they’re just minding their own business.
The Tahoe bears are a wonderful reminder that we can coexist with animals big and small, even if we aren’t used to it. After all, they were here first!
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