bears in the smoky mountains

Many are hit by cars and become easy targets for poachers. 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 . In 2006, biologists estimated that the bear population in the national park was around 1,500, which means there is an average of two bears every square mile. Increase the distance between you and the bear. 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. If you spot one while hiking in the Park, stay away or back away slowly and calmly to avoid a wild chase. Bears do not truly hibernate, but enter long periods of sleep. 865-436-7318, EXT 321. The biggest salamander can grow to more than two feet long. NPS photo. Therefore, take a look at our tips for safe wildlife viewing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park to have a safe and enjoyable visit to the park! Past the campsite the trail starts climbing, gaining 2,000 feet in only 3 miles. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the largest protected areas in the eastern United States where black bears can live in wild, natural surroundings. They are immensely athletic, run at incredible speeds, and can quickly leap over an 8-foot fence. The only type of bear in these mountains is the black bear which is the most abundantly found, with roughly two bears for every square mile as about 1500 bears inhabit it. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Start from the Gregory Ridge Trailhead, passing backcountry site 12 at mile 2 (make a. to extend your trip from a day to a weekend). Cades Cove Visitor Center: 686 Cades Cove Loop Road, Townsend, TN 37882. In many cases, a startled bear is an aggressive bear. Better yet, bears are plentiful in the Smokies and live in all elevations of the park. Another place to see a bear is Ober Gatlinburg. If you are careless with your food or litter, YOU may be responsible for a bear's death! If your presence causes the bear to change its behavior (stops feeding, changes its travel direction, watches you, etc.) He was obviously begging for food, someone must have been dropping him snacks. Remember: if it changes its behavior, youre too close. Bears unafraid to approach humans teach this behavior to other bears and become a threat to the public, which often leads to euthanasia. With numbers like that your odds of seeing a bear are pretty good, but picking the right spot can stack the deck. See winners from every year of the contest. Keep this fact in mind when planning your hikes and activities. Most cabins have bear-proof trash containers, which you must use, and latch closed. Their diet mostly consists of plants like berries and nuts, but they do seek animals and insects as a source of protein. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, biologists estimate there are about 1,500 black bears. You may also have the opportunity to spot white-tailed deer . In the Smoky Mountains, almost all of the bears are black, but in other regions, the bears can be brown or even cinnamon. The black bear is kind of like the mascot for the Smokies, you see black bears on everything you can buy or rent. Bears inhabit all elevations of the park. 107 Park Headquarters Road Most of the time bears will flee when they encounter humans, however in the national park these bears are protected and are probably pretty bold. The best time to spot wildlife is at dawn when they come out of hiding to drink from the creeks or look for prey. Colonial Properties Logo | Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals. Bobcats are solitary, reclusive felines that live in theSmokies. This massive park stretches over 522,427 acres of mountains, lush forests, streams, and valleys. Learn what to do if you see a bear by watching this short video. Theyre just one of the many animals that live in the national park, but they are by far the most popular! Garbage Kills Bears! WARNING: Willfully approaching a black bear within 50 yards (150 feet), or any distance that disturbs or displaces a bear, is illegal in the park. Commonly born in pairs, the cubs will remain with the mother for about eighteen months or until she mates again. Bear proof dumpsters or trash cans can be found in all campgrounds and picnic areas. 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 dont like extreme cold or extreme heat. 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. Allow 2-4 hours time for this excursion, maybe more if you plan on doing a bit of exploring or having a picnic perhaps. Here are the top 4 places to see bears in the Smoky Mountains: 1. While this might seem obvious, a visit to Cades Cove or the Cherokee Orchard area will quickly prove that our visitors are guilty of this countless times every year. So much so, that the Smokies are considered black bear sanctuaries. Feeding the bears teaches them to forage for food from and around humans. They like to howl at night. The Red Fox is a solitary animal typically hunting alone. Smoky Mountain Black Bears (American Black Bear) are most active during morning and early evening during Spring and Summer. Dispose of all food scraps or garbage in bear proof garbage containers or take it home with you. This incredible park is bursting with wildlife, plant life, and exciting adventures to be experienced. If a bear just leisurely approaches you at your campsite or while you are out hiking, you should scare it off with loud noises like Get out of here bear! Something like that. You should stand your ground and wave your arms in the air and make noises to deter the bear. You should yell or throw a rock; they usually run away. They usually keep to themselves, and rarely attack unprovoked, so as long as you maintain a distance and observe with binoculars and cameras, you are set to have an incredible experience without mishaps! Bears attacks are usually caused by food, as they can get very hungry and desperate for food. Want to get listed and grow your business? If a bear sees you, back away slowly. It will all depend on the areas you go and the time of year. They are bears, sure they can be dangerous if provoked or threatened. But once the critical habitats are destroyed, major declines in bear populations are inevitable. Consider traveling with a group, as groups can be noisier and easier to detect. Do not approach the bear. All you need to know about the most visited national park in the country. Others wander in terrestrial environments, including eerie caves in the high mountain forest. Spotting a bear in the Smokies can be a wonderful experience, but it's important to remember that these majestic creatures can also be dangerous - and we can be dangerous to them. The drive also includes scenic overlooks, hiking trails, picnic areas and even a waterfall that can be seen from the road! Of course it most likely would never come to this as bears as long as you follow these basic guidelines for bear encounters, but maybe better safe than sorry? Throw non-food objects such as rocks at the bear. If the bear continues to follow you, stand your ground. Make yourself look bigger to the bear. It is illegal and irresponsible to feed the bears. If you know you are going to be exploring the outdoors ahead of time, plan on bringing something appropriate to contain your trash. Black bears are perhaps the most "famous" wildlife in the Smoky Mountains (photo by Tom Middleton/shutterstock.com) 1. Join Outside+ to get access to exclusive content, 1,000s of training plans, and more. " The black bear is the symbol of the Smokies ," says wildlife biologist Bill Stiver. Explore the most visited national park in the country. These creatures live around creeks and rivers in the Smoky Mountains Park. There is only one species of bear in Tennessee and that is the black bear. The Timber Rattler has the most toxic venom of the two species. They are omnivores and eat things like fish, nuts, berries, and plants. Female black bears in the Smoky Mountains average around 100 pounds, while the males hover around 250 pounds. LeConte! Bear management is really people management. Wild berries like blackberries, blueberries, and huckleberries grow throughout the valley and are easy to harvest by bears. Since the national park is 800 sq. They confiscate unattended food or coolers and clean up food scraps left behind by careless visitors. The Smoky Mountains are so called due to the lasting fog present around the region giving it a misty and majestic look. Based on what Ive read, a lean black bear can run up to 30mph. Though populations are variable, biologists estimate approximately 1,500 bears live in the park, a density of approximately two bears per square mile. When you click and buy we may earn an affiliate commission at no cost to you. During the warm winter days, you may have a chance to also see bears coming out of these shelters. Source: @carlosfineartphoto These creatures can be about 6 feet long and three feet tall at the shoulder. On August 21, 2017 the western half of Great Smoky Mountains National Park will lie within the path of totalit How well do you know our Smoky Mountain home? The Red Fox resembles a domestic dog in size, except for the white-tipped tail and black limbs, weighing up to 24 pounds. Click Here, 6 Facts You Should Know About Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains. 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. One common location is Cades Cove. Additionally, if a park ranger catches you, you can receive a fine of up $6,000 and a jail sentence of up to 6 months. Therefore, keep your camera ready and stay alert! Rangers often remind visitors that though these animals are cute and fluffy, they can be aggressive and behave unpredictably - especially when there are cubs to protect. Bears who lack fear of humans have shorter life spans and become easy targets for poachers. Black bears, much like the Goldilocks story, like the weather just right. The symbol of the Smokies, the American Black Bear, is perhaps the most famous resident of the park. Create a personalized feed and bookmark your favorites. Skip the traffic jam and head into where the bears really live on the 8.5-mile Rich Mountain Loop. Every time we looked off of our balcony there he was. Thank you for visiting! Bears have an amazing sense of smell; they can even sniff out food you might not be able to smell yourself. Bears that obtain human food and garbage damage property and injure people. The mountain Cougars seem shy and withdrawn, so they tend to stay out of sight, but they are dangerous. The Gray Fox differs from the red ones with their black-tipped tail, unlike the red foxes with a white tail. Coyotes grow to about 4 feet in length and weigh up to 50 pounds. Keep an eye out for tracks, scat, digs, and trees that bears have rubbed. Some Timber Rattlesnakes have a solid black hue and can grow up to 4.5 feet long. However, unlike popular belief, black bears are rarely aggressive towards people. As the name suggests, the Northern Copperhead comes in copper, pink, and orange shades, with brown patches crossing the body. Meadows interspersed through the forest bloom with azalea, ragwort, and butterfly weed, as well as offering a better range of vision for catching a glimpse of an elusive black bear. It's essential to keep your distance for your own safety, the safety of those around you, and the bear itself. Not only do these bears have a shorter lifespan from eating human food; they are much more likely to be euthanized for attacking humans. If a bear starts pursuing you, consider throwing an item like a camera or purse away from you. The red-cheeked salamander is lungless and breathes through their skins, and visitors are advised not to touch or try to pet one if they spot it. So much so, that the Smokies are considered black bear sanctuaries. The One Subscription to Fuel All Your Adventures. Try to protect others as safely as you can. The Bears are mainly vegetarian; they like to eat plants - squawroot, insects, wild berries, and nuts are their favorite. So, when you visit this amazing Park, keep a keen eye on its inhabitants from a safe distance. Stay calm. The most recent bear attack in Great Smoky Mountain National Park involved a family of five and their dog camping in the park's Elkmont Campground on June 12. Don't forget to read about bear safety before you explore. Furthermore, bears also snuggle up in dens during the winter that they make in tree trunks and hollow stumps or in shallow caves below boulders to avoid any disturbances by hikers. There is an average of 1,500 black bears, which is about 2 bears every square mile. The parks omnivorous black bears eat about 85% fruits and nuts, with meat providing the remaining 15%, which makes berry patches an extremely important resource as they prepare for hibernation. There is only one species of bear found in Tennessee, and that is the black bear. Don't run and don't turn away from the bear. The Great Smoky Mountains are home to the densest population of black bears in the United States. 4 Interesting Facts About Salamanders in the Great Smoky Mountains, Top 3 Safety Tips About Viewing the Smoky Mountain Wildlife, Top 3 Reasons Why You Can See Salamanders in Great Smoky Mountains National Park During the Winter, 3 Reasons Why Black Bears in the Smoky Mountains Dont Truly Hibernate, Top 6 Historical Places in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, How to See Your Favorite Smoky Mountain Wildlife in the National Park, Top 10 Things to Know About the Great Smoky Mountains National Park Before You Go. However, if you are ever attacked you should not play dead. 3. If you're one of the latter, Great Smoky Mountains is the place. We came across a Huge Bear in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the Grotto Falls trail as part of the Roaring Fork Motor nature trail and it was one. The National Park Service requires you to always stay 50 yards or 150 feet away from wildlife. Bear attacks in the Smoky Mountains are incredibly rare and deaths even more so. One of the most important things to remember if you are lucky enough spot a bear is to keep a safe distance of at least 150 feet (50 yards) and do not approach. Females give birth in late winter and can sire up to six kittens, which they raise for 6-8 months at most. There are no grizzlies in the Smokies, or Tennessee at all for that matter. If you want to see black bears during your visit, we recommend heading to the Smoky Mountains during Spring or Summer. The best season to visit the Great Smokies Park is in the spring and at the onset of summer. With the Great Smoky Mountains National Park CSGM Theme by carodactyll | Digital Marketing by YlliB, Inc. By continuing to use our website, you are accepting the use of cookies. 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