Black bears (Ursus americanus) have begun to recolonize portions of their historic range in western Nevada, expanding from the Sierra Nevada into increasingly human-dominated landscapes. Understanding how environmental and anthropogenic factors influence this expansion is critical for proactive management. We used GPS collar data 52 of adult bears monitored between 2008 and 2024 to model habitat selection across western Nevada using a random forest classification framework. Environmental covariates included elevation, slope, north-south aspect, ruggedness, tree cover, shrub cover, perennial forbs and grasses, and distance to roads and water. Bears most strongly selected for mid-elevations with moderate slope, higher tree and shrub cover, and proximity to water, while areas with high ruggedness or dense road networks showed reduced predicted use. Spatial predictions revealed tracts of suitable but unoccupied habitat in northern and central mountain ranges. These results provide a quantitative basis for forecasting recolonization potential and identifying regions where human-bear conflict is most likely to occur, supporting data-driven management of Nevada’s recovering bear population.