If you’re planning an overnight trip into New Hampshire’s Pemigewasset (Pemi) Wilderness, there’s an important update to keep in mind before you head out. Beginning May 1, 2026, all overnight visitors will be required to use a bear-resistant food canister to store food, trash, and scented items.
This change, announced by the U.S. Forest Service, comes in response to a rise in human–bear interactions, most often tied to unsecured food. It’s a step toward keeping both people and wildlife safe and preserving the experience of being in one of the Northeast’s most treasured backcountry areas.
What This Means for Your Trip
Starting May 1, if you’re camping overnight in the Pemi Wilderness, you’ll need to store all food and scented items in a hard-sided, bear-resistant canister certified by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC). This includes everything from meals and snacks to toiletries and trash.
Except when you’re actively cooking or eating, these items should be secured in your canister at all times.
Traditional food hangs will no longer be allowed in this area, as they’ve proven less effective. The only exception is at Thirteen Falls Tent Site, where bear-resistant food storage boxes will still be available.
Why This Change Matters
The Pemi is a place many hikers return to again and again for its rugged terrain, remote feel, and interconnected trail network. In recent years, increased visitation combined with improper food storage has led to more frequent bear encounters.
When bears gain access to human food, they can become conditioned to seek it out. That shift in behavior puts people at risk and can ultimately threaten the well-being of the bears themselves.
Requiring canisters is a proactive way to reduce these encounters, protect wildlife, and support a safer experience for everyone on the trail.
USFS Map of Bear Food Storage Container Requirement in the Pemigewasset Wilderness
Where the Requirement Applies
This requirement applies within the boundaries of the Pemigewasset Wilderness in the White Mountain National Forest. If your trip includes an overnight stay within that boundary, even if you’re only passing through, you’ll need to carry a compliant canister.
Outside the wilderness boundary, canisters aren’t required, but proper food storage is always encouraged wherever you travel.
Visiting AMC Huts Near the Pemi
If your trip includes a stay at AMC’s Greenleaf, Zealand Falls, or Galehead huts, it’s helpful to keep this new requirement in mind. While these huts sit just outside the Pemigewasset Wilderness boundary, many common routes to and from them travel through wilderness areas where bear-resistant canisters are required for overnight use.
If you’re passing through the Pemi on your approach or departure and are planning on an overnight stay in the Pemi wilderness, be sure to carry and use a compliant canister to store any food, trash, or scented items along the way.
Planning ahead for your full route, not just a night at a hut along the way, can help ensure a smoother trip and support responsible travel throughout the region.
Planning Ahead
Here are some tips for a smooth trip this season:
- Bring an IGBC-certified bear-resistant canister
- Make sure it fits all food, trash, and scented items
- Use food lockers at Thirteen Falls if you’re camping there
- Plan ahead if you don’t own a canister
The White Mountain National Forest offers a free bear canister loan program at select ranger stations and trailheads, including Lincoln Woods, Campton, Conway, and Gorham. Availability can be limited during busy seasons, so it’s best to plan ahead.