According to bear.org, black bears hibernate for up to 7.5 months a year. Please use them to dispose of garbage. So on your next trip, be sure to carry binoculars and a camera, keep a safe distance from the bears and you will certainly have the trip of a lifetime! Bearpacker is Backpackers annual celebration of bear safety, science, and stories. Black bears in the mountains dont actually hibernate in the winter months, but they do sleep for longer periods of time when it gets cold. The elk population saw a sharp decline between the 80s and 90s but was reintroduced to the Park in 2001. Black bears in the Smokies are black in color, but in other parts of the country they may be brown or cinnamon. Want to get listed and grow your business? Several cultures believe that bear gall bladders, paws, and claws have medicinal powers or consider them gourmet delicacies. Want to get listed and grow your business? Not only could bear's food source of acorns be affected, but some of the prime denning spots in old growth trees may be lost. The black bears can be seen in all elevations of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and the surrounding areas. Past the campsite the trail starts climbing, gaining 2,000 feet in only 3 miles. Learn what to do if you see a bear by watching this short video. If the bear gets closer, talk loudly or shout at it. Cades Cove is one of the best places for bear-spotting in the park, but most visitors only see it from the road, slogging through slow-moving lines of cars full of tourists. This massive park stretches over 522,427 acres of mountains, lush forests, streams, and valleys. Home Blog Smoky Mountain Wildlife Top 4 Places to See Bears in the Smoky Mountains. The loop road is not only a great place to spot bears in the Smoky Moutains, but its also famous for fantastic hiking trails, historical structures, rushing streams and majestic waterfalls! Black bears usually step away when they feel a human presence unless you get too close and give them a hand or if they are scavenging garbage. The idea is to "make yourself big" and scare the bear away. Bear Safety: Rule #1 Keep your distance. With numbers like that your odds of seeing a bear are pretty good, but picking the right spot can stack the deck. About 1,500 black bears call the park home, for an average of two bears per square mile. Another one of the top places to see bears in the Smoky Mountains is along Newfound Gap Road, which is also known as Highway 441. Don't run, but slowly back away, watching the bear. Now you know even more about black bears in the Smoky Mountains! This incredible park is bursting with wildlife, plant life, and exciting adventures to be experienced. The family was asleep in their tent when they awoke at approximately 5:20 a.m. to a bear tearing into their tent. Copperheads are shy and tend to hide from open view. If you are carrying bear spray, begin to discharge it when the bear comes within 20 yards of you. It is illegal and irresponsible to feed the black bears in the Smoky Mountains. 865-436-7318, EXT 321. About 85 percent of their diet is berries, plants, and nuts. Poaching activities can be somewhat curtailed, and bear populations can eventually rebound from the losses. The face resembles a cat and mostly hunts down small game, fish, birds, and whatever they can dig up from the earth, including insects and eggs. They mostly hunt fish, frogs, rabbits, and rodents. There are many old cabins and historical type sites you can see. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. World renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains, and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian mountain culture, this is America's . A three-year-old girl and mother both sustained superficial lacerations . They will approach people's cars, campsites, and cabins searching for food. Park rangers patrol picnic areas and campgrounds to enforce evening closures, littering and food storage regulations. Commonly known as Bucks in the region, they grow uneven horns every spring; used to fight other deers for mating rights by fall. Click Here, Top 4 Places to See Bears in the Smoky Mountains. Black bears love Cades Cove because it has a suitable ecosystem and a variety of food sources. Past the campsite the trail starts climbing, gaining 2,000 feet in only 3 miles. Keep them away from your area by hanging food and other fragranced items (like toothpaste, bug repellent or soap) in trees and out of reach. The mountain Cougars seem shy and withdrawn, so they tend to stay out of sight, but they are dangerous. This equals a population density of approximately two bears per square mile. The Chimneys Picnic Area also provides an excellent chance of spotting a bear! The best season to visit the Great Smokies Park is in the spring and at the onset of summer. Humans are discouraged from feeding them because it reduces their lifespan significantly. At a safe distance of at least 150 feet this is a good opportunity to enjoy the sight before quietly moving away. It is said that bears who have had regular access to human food may only live for half of this time. Also, you can find Rainbow Falls here which is a really popular waterfall. Backcountry regulations require that all food and odorous items be stored with the bear cable system at each campsite or shelter. 250 pounds. The outdoors might seem like a good place to toss your apple core or crust from a sandwich, but doing so in or around the national park is one of the biggest reasons bears are attracted to areas populated by humans. During this time, they double in weight to protect themselves from the cold. In the Woods of Oklahoma, Researchers Are Helping to Rebuild a Bear Population. You should use binoculars, cameras, or spotting scope to look at bears up close instead of trying to physically get near them. The Little Cataloochee Baptist Church, 2 miles in, offers good views of the surrounding fields (now being reclaimed by the forest) and works well as a turnaround point. Click Here, 6 Facts You Should Know About Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains. These bears are omnivores, relying for food on plants like fruits, and grass as well as insects. If you find your cabin does not have this, arrange for an employee to bring you one. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. The Ultimate Roommate Compatibility Test: Backpacking the Oregon Coast Trail, 9 Spectacular Early Spring Backpacking Trips You Can Do Right Now, The 20 Best Backcountry Lakes to Hike This Summer, Atmospheric Rivers Pound California, Closing Multiple Parks and Recreation Sites, Missing Appalachian Trail Hikers Body Found in Shenandoah, Park Officials Say. Do not run away from black bears as this may trigger a chase response. These cats hunt small deers, rabbits, rodents, and birds as prey.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[336,280],'smokymtnopry_com-large-mobile-banner-1','ezslot_9',178,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smokymtnopry_com-large-mobile-banner-1-0'); Bobcats are solitary animals and prefer to establish their territories and use scents to mark them against prowlers. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, biologists estimate there are about 1,500 black bears. These Appalachian Mountains not only offer us a view of the picturesque beauty of nature but also let us experience its thrill by capturing the animals in the wild; in their natural habitat. In the year 2000, the Chicago Tribune reported that a woman was killed by a black bear within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 10 miles away from Gatlinburg. The black bear is kind of like the mascot for the Smokies, you see black bears on everything you can buy or rent. Yes, there is with the black bears being the majority at approximately 1500. Provided that you escape the encounter, immediately report it to a park ranger or the Wildlife Resources Office. The black bear is kind of like the mascot for the Smokies, you see black bears on everything you can buy or rent. Feeding bears in the Smokies by the way is a big no-no and illegal. Based on what Ive read, a lean black bear can run up to 30mph. Wild berries like blackberries, blueberries, and huckleberries grow throughout the valley and are easy to harvest by bears. Head left at the junction with Crooked Arm Ridge trail at mile .5, keeping an eye out for mountain laurel blooming among the hardwoods. Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Photo: Saw a Bear! by cletch is licensed under CC BY 2.0, Photo: Hannah Cabin, Little Cataloochee, NC by w_lemay is marked with CC0 1.0, Photo: File:Gregory-bald-fp1.jpg by Brian Stansberry is licensed under CC BY 2.5, Its hard to say whos more excited about the blueberries crowding this peak every August, the hikers or the bears. If you travel to Gatlinburg expecting to see black bears everywhere you go, you may be disappointed. Bears have fantastic color vision and an amazing sense of smell. A total of 750,000 black bears reside in North America but are only responsible for less than one death per year, showing that it is very uncommon for them to attack you unprovoked. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States! This area is usually perfect for wildlife viewing because it is a wide valley surrounded by mountains, and Cades Cove bears are often sighted in the open valley. They are omnivores and eat things like fish, nuts, berries, and plants. It is thought that around 1,500 bears live in the park, this is roughly two bears per square mile.Source: @carlosfineartphoto, It is not uncommon to see a black bear during a visit to the Smoky Mountains, especially during the early morning and late evening hours in spring and summer.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'smokymtnopry_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_10',163,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smokymtnopry_com-medrectangle-3-0');if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[320,50],'smokymtnopry_com-medrectangle-3','ezslot_11',163,'0','1'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smokymtnopry_com-medrectangle-3-0_1');.medrectangle-3-multi-163{border:none!important;display:block!important;float:none!important;line-height:0;margin-bottom:7px!important;margin-left:auto!important;margin-right:auto!important;margin-top:7px!important;max-width:100%!important;min-height:50px;padding:0;text-align:center!important}. So pack accordingly. 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