Bear Closures in the Smokies
- Multiple bear incidents prompted temporary trail and area closures in the Great Smoky Mountains, according to recent park posts. (x.com) - Social updates and park notices flagged closures while rangers responded to the encounters and safety concerns. (x.com) - Visitors are being advised to obey closure signs and ranger instructions as officials manage human-wildlife interactions this spring. (x.com)
Great Smoky Mountains National Park closed Ramsey Prong Road and Ramsey Cascades Trail after three bear incidents there over the weekend. (nps.gov) The National Park Service said on April 20 that two encounters involved a bear approaching visitors and taking two backpacks, and a third involved a bear that briefly chased a group. The Ramsey-area closure was still listed on the park’s current conditions page on April 23. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) Rangers also handled three incidents on Abrams Falls Trail the previous weekend, including one case in which a black bear bit a visitor who entered a closed area. The park said Abrams Falls access road and trail have reopened after several days with no observed bear activity. (nps.gov) The park has about 1,900 American black bears and draws around 12 million visitors a year, according to the April 20 release. Park officials said that mix raises the odds of people and bears crossing paths, especially in spring. (nps.gov) Great Smoky Mountains warns that approaching within 50 yards of a bear, or any distance that disturbs it, is illegal in the park and can bring fines or arrest. The park’s bear-safety page says visitors should check current bear closures and warnings before hiking. (nps.gov) Over the last 10 years, the park has logged an average of 339 negative human-bear encounters a year, and it says many more go unreported. Park managers say food-conditioned bears — animals that learn to associate people with food — are more likely to approach visitors and create safety problems. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) The closure itself is a standard park tool: the Smokies’ superintendent’s compendium says closures and public-use limits can be imposed under federal park rules. The park’s alerts page lists Ramsey Prong Road past Old Settlers Trailhead and Ramsey Cascades Trail as closed because of bear activity. (nps.gov 1) (nps.gov 2) For visitors this week, the practical change is simple: Ramsey Cascades is off limits until rangers decide the bear activity has eased. The park said hikers should obey closure signs and ranger instructions while staff monitor the area. (nps.gov)
