22 Million People Have Watched These Texas Bears Climb a Canyon Wall

TEXAS -- How cute! These bears rock-climbing in Santa Elena Canyon in Big Bend National Park in Southwest Texas are the content we need to see today.

Ya know, I was already contemplating a visit to Big Bend National Park in Southwest Texas. But I think it may be watching these bears rock climbing that has finally inspired me to make a plan forthwith.

Santa Elena Canyon Is One of Big Bend's Biggest Attractions

My first stop at Big Bend National Park? Oh, it's definitely going to be to the Santa Elena Canyon. Santa Elena Canyon is considered to be one of the most beautiful parts of Big Bend. TexasHillCountry.com describes it this way:

"With walls upwards of 1,500 feet, Santa Elena Canyon has the tallest cliffs forming this Texas canyon, but it also has something else quite unique, rock-climbing bears."

Yep. That's all ya had to say.

Seeing Bears Climb Canyon Walls Isn't Something You Expect

One thing that makes this video even more special is just how uncommon it feels. Most people picture bears wandering through forests or fishing in rivers, not carefully scaling towering canyon walls better suited to mountain goats. Watching them navigate the nearly vertical rock face is equal parts impressive and adorable.

These Mexican Black Bears Are a Texas Conservation Success Story

Back in March of 2014, YouTuber Stephanie Latimer was doing a kayaking trip through the canyon when she noticed endangered Mexican Black Bears climbing up the canyon wall. Since she uploaded it to her YouTube Channel, this simple but adorable video has been viewed more than 22 million times as of July 2026. Watch the video in its entirety below.

Big Bend Offers Incredible Wildlife Beyond This Viral Video

In addition to the rock-climbing bears, we know that Big Bend is home to a wide variety of wildlife and amazing sights. Have you ever been to Big Bend National Park? Please send your favorite parts of the trip over to me at tara.holley@townsquaremedia.com. I'll definitely add those to my list of "must-sees and do's."

While seeing a bear in Big Bend is exciting, park officials always remind visitors to admire them from a safe distance. Bears may look calm, but they're still wild animals. Keeping plenty of space between you and any wildlife helps protect both the animals and the people enjoying the park.

However, my first stop? Yep. The Santa Elena Canyon where I hope I'll be blessed to see these rock-climbing bears. Here's that video, as promised.

Read More: I Had No Idea One of Texas’ Clearest Rivers Looked Like This