Humans have been on the North American scene for an estimated 30,000 to 15,000 years. Our arrival was preceded by the grizzly bear by perhaps 20,000 years – who would cross the same tenuous landscape bridge, arriving in North America some 50,000 to 60,000 years ago. It is estimated that by the time of the Lewis & Clark Expedition, upwards of 50,000 to 100,000 grizzly bears roamed the American West. The settlement period of the West would see a dramatic decline in grizzly bear numbers and a corresponding decrease in available habitat. Now, as New West meets Old West, grizzly bear numbers are a focal point of concern and contention. Join Smith in a biological, cultural, and philosophical look at the grizzly bear in contemporary Montana.

Greg Smith lives in Bozeman and was a Ranger Naturalist and Backcountry Ranger in Glacier National Park for nearly 20 years. A longtime believer in the power of education, Smith now works with kids and adults as a storyteller, naturalist and historian. In his spare time, Greg enjoys trail running, backpacking, Nordic skiing and traveling the world on his bike.