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Bears Chase, Bite Visitors at Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Prompting Closures
Rangers cited three bear encounters, including stolen backpacks and a brief chase, as they monitor activity and keep visitors away from the trail.
- On Tuesday, The National Park Service closed Ramsey Cascades Trail and Ramsey Prong Road after rangers responded to three bear-related incidents over the weekend.
- In these encounters, two bears "approached visitors and took two backpacks," while a third "displayed aggressive behavior and briefly chased a group," the agency reported.
- Rangers recently responded to three separate incidents at Abrams Falls Trail involving "an aggressive black bear," including one case where the bear bit a visitor who entered a closed area.
- Although Abrams Falls has since reopened, visitors are asked to give bears their "space" and store food "responsibly"; violating safety regulations can result in fines of up to $5,000.
- Bear activity is especially high from May to August as mother bears emerge with cubs searching for food; separately, Bullhead Trail will close Monday through Thursday each week starting May 4.
16 Articles
16 Articles
Bear incidents close Ramsey Prong Road, Ramsey Cascades Trail
GATLINBURG — Rangers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park responded to three bear‑related incidents at Ramsey Cascades Trail this past weekend, including two encounters in which a bear approached visitors and took two backpacks, and a third in which a…
Action News 5
Three bear incidents prompt trail closure in Great Smoky Mountains
Ramsey Prong Road and Ramsey Cascades Trail are closed as rangers monitor bear activity.
Hidden danger at popular US national park forces trail closures as bear sightings climb
One of the most visited national parks in the U.S. is closing parts of its hiking trails as officials deal with a spike in bear activity.Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee has temporarily shut down several trails and backcountry areas due to increased sightings of black bears, according to the National Park Service.Officials said closures are put in place when bears frequent specific areas or show signs of unpredictable behavior, p…
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