A Casper Mountain Park Sees Bear Activity

Crimson Dawn Park & Museum is a busy place during the summer. Visitors are coming and going, and enjoy learning about the area's history. The summer solstice party is one well-attended get-together.

Since it's on Casper Mountain, you never know who will stop by, and that was proven this week when a black bear dropped in to say hello.

If you watch the video closely, you'll notice that the bear gets spooked and decides it doesn't want to be there, so it gets out of dodge.

There's something magical about the area surrounding the rustic cabin, now museum, of Neal Forsing. The museum houses many family memorabilia, paintings by Mrs. Forsing, and other interesting items found in the area.

Included in those items were character shrines and earth art, like the Topaz Witch and the Phantom Woodchopper.

In the 1930s, they began hosting Midsummer's Eve parties and telling stories about the mystical creatures on the mountain. The popularity of the stories and the party led to the event's annual growth.

In 1973, the cabin was donated to Natrona County with the stipulation that the Midsummer's Eve parties continue, which they still do.

Crimson Dawn is part of WyoGives in 2025, and is looking to raise money to keep the tradition and history alive at the park.

The bear looks to be a little spooked at one point. Did it encounter one of Casper Mountain's Mystical Creatures? It was likely the thunder and lightning that frightened it.

Either way, it's pretty impressive to see the footage of a healthy-looking bear.

Seeing a black bear on Casper Mountain isn't a shock, by any means; there are quite a few that call the mountain home. The Wyoming Game and Fish Department encourages campers, hikers, nature lovers, and others recreating in the mountains to be Bear Wise and know how to act if they encounter a bear.

A bear will become food-conditioned if it's allowed easy access to food sources. If a bear becomes food-conditioned, it is less likely to avoid humans and may become aggressive and dangerous in its pursuit of human food.

If this happens, it could be bad news for the bear, and it may need to be put down.

Here's what you can do to avoid bear interactions:

• Store all your food, garbage, and pet food in bear-proof storage.
• Never store attractants inside your tent.
• Store clothes worn while cooking, away from your tent, and store them with other attractants.
• Burn all grease off campstoves.
• Dispose of garbage properly and pack out what you cannot dispose of.