Bears chase, bite visitors at Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Summary
Parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park were closed after several black bears acted aggressively toward visitors, including chasing and biting some people. Rangers responded to incidents on two popular hiking trails, temporarily closing one area to monitor bear activity.Key Facts
- Six bear incidents happened over the weekend on Ramsey Cascades and Abrams Falls hiking trails.
- Bears chased visitors, took backpacks, and one bear bit a person who entered a closed area.
- Ramsey Cascades Trail and its access road remained closed to monitor the bears, while Abrams Falls Trail was reopened after no recent bear activity.
- The park is home to about 1,900 black bears and is the most-visited national park in the U.S.
- Spring is a sensitive time as mother bears with cubs look for food, increasing bear activity.
- Visitors are advised to keep distance from bears, store food and trash properly, and not feed the animals.
- Feeding bears can make them dependent on humans, risking safety for both visitors and bears.
- Last summer, a visitor received a citation for feeding a mother bear and her cubs in this park.
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