Bears

Bears should be treated with extreme caution.

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Bears Details

Due to it's sprawling boundaries and protected lands, the National Park is home to a number of wild animals, the most dangerous and unpredictable of which is the eastern black bear. Weighting between 100 and 300 pounds, these animals create the densest bear population east of the Mississippi River, and are frequently spotted in some of the more remote areas of the park. Bear attacks in the park are very rare, but they should be treated with extreme caution, as they have the capability of causing serious injury to hikers. If a bear approaches you, try changing direction and walking away. If it follows you, try intimidating the bear by making yourself seem larger, shouting, and throwing sticks or rocks toward it. If the bear seems more interested in your food than you, separate yourself from you food and walk away. Hikers may carry bear pepper spray within park boundaries, as long as it complies with EPA manufacturing guidelines and is used solely for bodily protection against bears.

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