How Fast Can A Bear Run? Bear Speed Explained

If you’ve ever spent time outdoors where bears are part of the local wildlife, you may be wondering: how fast can a bear run?

Bears can reach top speeds of up to 35 mph depending on the type of bear.  Grizzly bears can run up to 35 miles per hour, black bears can run up to 30 miles per hour, and polar bears can run up to 25 miles per hour.

There are several other components that determine bear speed which we’ll cover in this guide.

How Fast Can A Bear Run?

how fast are bears
How fast do bears run? Bear top speeds can reach between 25-35mph depending on the type of bear.

Depending on the environment, season, and type of bear, bear top speed is about 35 mph.

We’ll go into the specifics that determine how fast bears run to narrow this down.

Grizzly Bear Top Speed35mph
Brown Bear Top Speed35mph
Black Bear Top Speed35mph
Polar Bear Top Speed25mph
Kodiak Bear Top Speed35mph
Bear Speed For Each Type Of Bear

Are Bears Fast?

Bears are generally considered fast over short distances thanks to their top speeds of 25-35 mph.

At this speed, they can outrun or match the top speeds of most other animals in their environments, including deer (35mph), moose (35mph), horses (27mph), dogs (15-20mph), and humans (8mph).

How Fast Can A Grizzly Bear Run?

how fast can a grizzly bear run
How fast does a grizzly bear run? The grizzly bear top speed is 35 miles per hour.

So how fast is a grizzly bear?

The grizzly bear top speed can reach 35 miles per hour when at its lowest body weight, typically right after hibernation.

The grizzly bear (also known as a brown bear) can reach these fast speeds primarily on flat ground.

How Fast Do Brown Bears Run?

how fast can a brown bear run
How fast are brown bears? The brown bear top speed is 35 miles per hour.

Brown bears are the same as grizzly bears, so the brown bear speed tops out at 35 miles per hour.

Factors that affect how fast brown bears can run are the terrain and their body weight based on the season.

Brown bears will run faster when right out of hibernation due to lower body weight.

How Fast Can A Black Bear Run?

how fast can a black bear run
How fast are black bears? Black bears can reach top speeds of 30-35 miles per hour.

The black bear top speed clocks in at about 30-35 miles per hour, making it pretty close to the speed of a grizzly or brown bear.

Black bear speed is highest when the bear is an adult and just coming out of hibernation (around Spring).

How Fast Can A Polar Bear Run?

how fast can a polar bear run
How fast are polar bears? A polar bear can reach a top of 25 miles per hour.

Polar bear speed tops out at around 25 miles per hour.

The reason polar bears have a lower average bear speed than brown or black bears is because they have a bulky frame and they tend to swing their limbs as they run, which causes them to use more than twice as much energy to run than other bear species.  

How Fast Can A Kodiak Bear Run?

How fast is a kodiak bear? Kodiak bear top speed reaches 35 mph.

Kodiak bears are a subspecies of brown bear, and can run at up to 35 miles per hour for short distances.

This is the same top speed as other brown bear variants like the grizzly.

These bears don’t often run or sprint, but you better hope you’re nowhere near them when they do!

Can You Outrun A Bear?

can you outrun a bear
Can a human outrun a bear? No.

Can a human outrun a bear? No.  The average human running speed is only 8mph, which is significantly less than a bear’s top speed of 25-35 mph, so a human cannot outrun a bear.

Even the world’s fastest sprinter Usain Bolt clocked in at 27mph at his absolute fastest running speed, which is not fast enough to outrun most adult bears!

Can A Bear Run Faster Than A Horse?

is a bear faster than a horse
Bears can outrun the average horse for short distances.

Bears can run faster than the average horse for a short distance, as the top bear speed is 35mph and the average speed of most horses is 27mph.

Now the exception would be over long distances, as horses have more stamina than bears.

Can Bears Run Downhill?

Yes, bears can run downhill and uphill at top speeds of 25-35mph depending on the type of bear, which is just as fast as bears can run on flat terrain.

What Is The Fastest Bear?

fastest bear in the world
The fastest bear mph is the brown bear at 35 mph.

The fastest bear in the world in general is the brown bear with an average top speed of 35 miles per hour.

However, there was an American Black Bear once caught on radar in Pennsylvania that came in at nearly 45mph! 

How Fast Are Bears? Wrapping Things Up

In conclusion, bears are at the top of the food chain for a reason.

Their formidable size, strength, and high speeds allow them to take down nearly any type of prey in their environments – including humans.

If you find yourself in a bear encounter, do not attempt to flee as humans are not able to outrun bears.

Check out our other guides for additional useful tips on wildlife, camping, and survival:

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