LeConte! Want to know about other wildlife you might see while youre here? They feed on mice, small birds, snakes, frogs, and insects. Here are some easy tips to remember when hiking, picnicking, camping or visiting The Smoky Mountains. Use the food storage cables to store your food and garbage when camping. It is home to black bears, who inhabit the elevations of the park. Here are some tips on what to do if you encourage a black bear in the Smoky Mountains: If a black bear follows or approaches you, without vocalizing or paw swatting: Please dont worry if you do see a bear as attacks are very rare, and deaths are incredibly uncommon! Make yourselves look as large as possible (for example, move to higher ground). An army of park volunteers patrol the park's most popular trails, picnic areas, and campgrounds to educate visitors about protecting bears. They feed on moths, flies, spiders, beetles, and snails. In the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, biologists estimate there are about 1,500 black bears. Especially a mother with cubs. There are many places because they are literally all over the place. They mostly hunt fish, frogs, rabbits, and rodents. There are around 1500-1600 black bears living in the Smoky Mountains National Park. 7 Best Caves In The Smoky Mountains Youll Want to Explore. Though populations are variable, biologists estimate that roughly 1,900 bears live in the park. Wild berries like blackberries, blueberries, and huckleberries grow throughout the valley and are easy to harvest by bears. Do not approach the black bear and dont the bear approach you, Act natural if the bear is at a distance, eating or is walking past you, Dont get too close as this could encourage aggressive behavior, Dont run away from the bear, slowly back away and dont take your eyes off the bear. Colonial Properties Logo | Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg Cabin Rentals. A bear sighting at the GSMNP makes for a great memory that wont soon be forgotten. Smoky mountains sustain an ecosystem consisting of thousands of species. So much so, that the Smokies are considered black bear sanctuaries. 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! Looking for a fun way to enjoy your next family vacation, book a Smoky Mountain cabin rental with a game room for a truly unforgettable experience. They live in social units mostly a mother and her young ones until they mature. 107 Park Headquarters Road Bears attacks are usually caused by food, as they can get very hungry and desperate for food. Although bear attacks on humans are rare, they can happen. There are 23 varieties of snakes in the Smokies, but only two of them are poisonous. Female black bears in the Smoky Mountains average around 100 pounds, while the males hover around 250 pounds. Great Smoky Mountains National Park provides the largest protected bear habitat in the East. Black bears will eat berries, nuts, and plants, as well as fish and insects. The Little Cataloochee Baptist Church, 2 miles in, offers good views of the surrounding fields (now being reclaimed by the forest) and works well as a turnaround point. miles in size, this means bears have a population density of nearly 2 bears per square mile. Bear management is really people management. Although extremely rare, attacks on humans have occurred, inflicting serious injuries and death. Make your presence known. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the United States! However, bears may double their weight by the fall. How visitors behave while in the park has an impact on the safety of bears. Make yourself look bigger to the bear. wildlife viewing in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, 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. When visitors head to the Smoky Mountains, it is common they stay in one of their authentic cabins. Black bears in the mountains dont actually hibernate in the winter months, but they do sleep for longer periods of time when it gets cold. Browse cabins with pet friendly policies. If you spot a bear and he doesnt see you, keep it that way. In the year 2000, the Chicago Tribune reported a woman was killed by a black bear within the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, about 10 miles from Gatlinburg. Wild apples dot the fields of this historic town and the surrounding woods, providing a valuable food source for several different wildlife species, including bears. This massive park stretches over 522,427 acres of mountains, lush forests, streams, and valleys. Bears have a keen sense of smell and can be very curious. It's essential to keep your distance for your own safety, the safety of those around you, and the bear itself. Bear attacks in the Smoky Mountains are incredibly rare and deaths even more so. Many visitors to Great Smoky Mountains National Park hope to catch at least one glimpse of the parks famous black bear! They are omnivores. The further west you head, the more likely it is you could see brown, cinnamon, tan or blonde black bears.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smokymtnopry_com-box-4','ezslot_4',165,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smokymtnopry_com-box-4-0'); During the summer months, a typical adult male bear weighs around 250 pounds while adult females are usually smaller and weigh slightly over 100 pounds. The biggest salamander can grow to more than two feet long. 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 . The Great Smoky Mountains are home to the densest population of black bears in the United States. On colder days, bears will wake up and wander away for a little bit before heading back to their den to sleep.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smokymtnopry_com-banner-1','ezslot_5',175,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smokymtnopry_com-banner-1-0'); If you want to see black bears up close, the best way to do it is via binoculars, a telephoto lens, or a spotting scope. Keeping your distance prevents the bears from becoming disturbed, and keeps you and the bears safe. If a bear approaches, stand your ground, clap loudly, wave your arms around and yell. The females are much smaller, weighing around only 100-120 lbs. There is only one species of bear in Tennessee and that is the black bear. In this article, we have lined up some of the most common animals in the Smoky Mountains in no particular order.if(typeof ez_ad_units!='undefined'){ez_ad_units.push([[300,250],'smokymtnopry_com-box-4','ezslot_4',174,'0','0'])};__ez_fad_position('div-gpt-ad-smokymtnopry_com-box-4-0'); Nearly 1,500 black bears live in the Smoky Mountains national park. Wildlife Informer is reader-supported. Bears do not truly hibernate, but enter long periods of sleep. Do not approach the bear. If you know you are going to be exploring the outdoors ahead of time, plan on bringing something appropriate to contain your trash. Although their bite is not lethal, it causes intense pain. One of the most biodiverse places in the world; the Smoky Mountains have everything and more to offer. If you want to see black bears during your visit, we recommend heading to the Smoky Mountains during Spring or Summer. A Guide to the Road to Nowhere, Smoky Mountains. The idea is to "make yourself big" and scare the bear away. You cant touch them since you would be interfering with the breathing system. Drove up to a cabin in Gatlinburg TN, Smoky Mountains Park with Sean from YouTube @WeReviewU to see a surprise#gatlinburg #smokymountains #bears Thank you so. This is the only Mountain lion in the Smoky Mountains. See the picture below. 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. Feeding bears in the Smokies by the way is a big no-no and illegal. I was staying at a Lodge just about a mile off of the Gatlinburg strip last month and saw a young male black bear right outside our room in the creek. They provide spectacular views from waterfalls to lush forests and a way to look closely into the wilderness. Browse all Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg condos. The top of the bald itself is a grassy meadow stretching over 10 acres; in early summer it fills with a riot of Azalea blooms. Results of these efforts are very encouraging. So it is best to just do the right thing and go the other way. Grizzly bears can only be found in a few states in the US, including Wyoming, Montana, and Idaho. They are deadly snakes, so do not approach or attempt to kill if you see one. At this number, this creates a population density of two bears per square mile. Sometimes you dont even have to enter the famous national park to see them, as bears frequently roam around Gatlinburg. However, bears in the Great Smoky Mountains Park are wild creatures and can be dangerously unpredictable. As you may know, bears hibernate in the winter. They can climb trees and run 30 miles per hour, making them fantastic hunters if they wanted to be. 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. Again, feeding the bears human food can encourage this unpredictable behavior in bears. Animals around the Cades Cove include black bears, deer, coyotes and many more. you are too close. Commonly born in pairs, the cubs will remain with the mother for about eighteen months or until she mates again. Don't run and don't turn away from the bear. 1-800-371-0341 . While bears can be found throughout Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Cades Cove is one of the best places to spot them due to its wide, open valley. Male black bears can weigh about 250 pounds on average, while a female black bear weighs about 100 pounds. This could result in a person being injured and the bear being euthanized. The key to staying safe while staying at your cabins is to keep food and trash outside of your vehicle. If you do a bit of exploring you are likely to see one. They are bears, sure they can be dangerous if provoked or threatened. Its a local saying. Cades Cove is one of the best places for bear-spotting in the park, but most visitors only see it from the road, slogging through slow-moving lines of cars full of tourists. Absolutely not! Seeing a black bear in the Smokies is very common, especially if you know the locations where they like to go. They confiscate unattended food or coolers and clean up food scraps left behind by careless visitors. It is illegal to get. First and foremost the consensus is to stay calm. 250 pounds. Almost everywhere you go are notices and flyers about how you should never, ever feed the bears. If you are carrying bear spray, begin to discharge it when the bear comes within 20 yards of you. Feeding the bears teaches them to forage for food from and around humans. Dont run and dont turn your back from the black bear. 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