Bear encounters close trails

Great Smoky Mountains National Park temporarily closed Ramsey Cascades Trail and part of Ramsey Prong Road after three bear encounters in one weekend. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said rangers responded at Ramsey Cascades Trail to two incidents in which a bear approached visitors and took two backpacks, plus a third encounter in which a bear briefly chased a group. (nps.gov) The closure covers Ramsey Prong Road past Old Settlers Trailhead and Ramsey Cascades Trail, according to a park alert posted April 18, 2026. Rangers said the shutdown will stay in place while they monitor bear activity in the area. (nps.gov) Ramsey Cascades is one of the park’s best-known hikes: an 8-mile round trip to a 105-foot waterfall, with the Park Service warning hikers to expect extreme crowding and limited parking. (nps.gov) The closures come during spring, when the park says human-bear conflicts tend to rise as black bears become more active and visitors return in larger numbers. Great Smoky Mountains National Park reports an average of 339 negative human-bear encounters a year over the last decade. (nps.gov) Park officials told visitors to stay at least 50 yards from bears, never feed them, and keep food and packs secured because bears that get human food can become more dangerous around people. (nps.gov) Great Smoky Mountains is the most visited national park in the United States, and the Park Service says hikers should check bear warnings and bear closures before heading out. (nps.gov; nps.gov) For now, the park’s message is simple: Ramsey Cascades and the closed stretch of Ramsey Prong Road are off limits until rangers decide the bears have moved on. (nps.gov)