‘Aggressive’ bears close camping sites on part of Appalachian Trail in Tennessee
“Aggressive” bears forced part of the Appalachian Trail to close to campers in Tennessee, officials said.
Cherokee National Forest announced the shut down Wednesday, the same day a North Carolina hiking group warned that a bear was spotted stealing food near the trail that spans more than 2,000 miles over mountainous terrain.
As of Wednesday, hikers are still allowed on the Appalachian Trail but are banned from camping between miles 451 to 464. That section stretches from the Double Springs Shelter to the entrance to Backbone Rock Side Trail, the forest service said.
The affected area is in northeastern Tennessee, near the Virginia border, WJHL reported.
In addition to camping areas along the trail, the U.S. Forest Service said McQueen’s Knob and Abingdon Gap shelters are also not accepting visitors “until further notice.”
The closures are “due to multiple reports of aggressive bear activity and evidence of bears entering campsites and taking food,” according to a news release.
Meanwhile in North Carolina, the Nantahala Hiking Club shared details about a bear seen along Betty Creek Gap, a hiking spot near the Appalachian Trail. The area is in southwestern North Carolina and close to the Georgia border.
In a report that the hiking group shared to Facebook, a visitor described a black bear that took a backpacker’s food and tried to pull down a bag that had been suspended from a tree.
“A large adult bear that is not afraid of people has become skilled at stealing food at this location,” the report said. “He is persistent and does not leave when scared off — he just waits nearby and comes back.”
Though the bear wasn’t aggressive, whistling and throwing rocks didn’t make the animal leave, according to the Facebook post.
If you encounter a bear, wildlife experts recommend making noise and tossing objects while backing away. Bears often avoid contact with people but may come around homes and other populated areas in the late spring as they search for mates, McClatchy News reported.
To help stop bear encounters, people are urged to never feed or approach the animals. While on camping trips, other suggestions include leaving food far from tents and putting trash in bear-proof containers.
“Black bears in the wild are opportunistic, feeding on whatever is readily available,” the forest service said. “Food odors and improperly stored garbage will attract bears to campsites and picnic areas, even when humans are around.”
This story was originally published June 3, 2021 at 12:35 PM with the headline "‘Aggressive’ bears close camping sites on part of Appalachian Trail in Tennessee."