Black bear spotted near Lacamas Lake in Washington

A bear was spotted in a tree on Lake Lacamas near Camas, June 11, 2024 (Arianne Melton)

PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) — A black bear was spotted in the Lacamas Lake area and filmed while hiking along a nearby trail.

The Washington State Department of Fish and Wildlife was notified of the bear sighting, but did not find the animal when it arrived. However, local resident Arianne Melton took a photo of the bear in a tree.

“It is not uncommon to see a black bear in this area, with several black bear sightings in the Lacamas Lake area each year,” WDFW said in a statement. “The area is located near contiguous green space between the Washougal River watershed and the south end of Lake Lacamas. Black bears use these areas as travel corridors.

While it can be exciting to see bears up close, wildlife officials say it's best to leave the animals alone and avoid leaving food for them to search.

“Often people leave food for bears so they can take pictures of them or show them to visiting friends. More than 90 percent of human-bear conflicts result from bears being conditioned to associate food with humans,” according to WDFW.

In fact, area residents are encouraged to keep their trash away from places where bears might find it. On collection days, residents can take out their bins shortly before collection.