There are scads of bears in Great Smoky Mountains National Park -- so don't forget these tips.
Published June 26, 2000 12:00AM
The Smokies’ bears are known “pack snatchers,” so hang your pack on the provided bear cables, even if you’re only going for water or to the privy.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the largest bear sanctuary in the eastern United States.
Your best chance to see bears is from 6 to 10 a.m. and from 3 to 7 p.m., when their activity peaks. At other times of the day, look up. Black bears spend a lot of time in trees sleeping and foraging for buds, acorns, insects, and bird eggs. Some even make dens in large tree cavities above ground.
The Smokies’ bears enter their winter dens in late November or December and may emerge for a few hours or days. They den until mid-March or April.
Black bears can run up to 30 mph. Remember, you can’t.
Females are smaller than males, which can weigh more than 400 pounds. Both sexes are always black.