Going to Smoky Mtns, but afraid of bears!

[dispor]

Anyone have any advice? We're going to the Smoky Mountains for vacation this year (early June), but I am terrified of bears. I don't want to spend the entire time "seeing nature" from the car, though.

I know the basics - make noise and never get between a Mama and her cubs. Any other advice? I'd really like to take a ranger-led hike, but they are not offering them at the time we're going. Ugh!

We'd love to rent a cabin - if anyone has any experience with that, I'd appreciate it as well!

 

[Buckalew11]

I live in the Smokies. I've been here for 35 years and have seen a few bears. I think the chances of seeing one are slimmer than you think. Sometimes though if you go to Cades Cove you can see them around the picnic area. Lots of times they are up in the trees.

They'll be good advice to rent cabins on here though. DISers know cabins, lol.

 

[minkydog]

Well, if you see a bear you better take a picture of it! It would be a very uncommon encounter. If you're going hiking, be sure you are talking loud or wearing bells on your shoes. Don't carry candy, soda, or gum in your backpack, nor food of any kind. Water bottles are okay. Bears are not any keener on meeting you than you are on meeting them. They don't like for you to sneak up on them, hence the noise-making. You want to give them fair warning that you're coming so they can go hide from you.

 

[turkeymama]

I wish I could give more specific advice, but this is all I've got. When I was little, we spent many summer vacations at the Smoky Mountains. We never once saw any bears. Of course, there will always be a chance, it just never happened to us. Follow the normal safety guidelines and be alert. I wouldn't let the fear of it overwhelm you. I think Buckalew is right.

 

[Buckalew11]

Actually, I am more afraid of encountering a wild boar. EEK!

 

[paintnolish]

I've been to the Smokies many times and have yet to see a bear (not that I want to, mind you). We just always make sure to talk or sing while hiking. I think, like PPs have said, they don't want to meet you, either. Making noise will give them enough notice to stay away.

 

[melanie18]

Well, I can't give you any advice on bears. All the bears we've seen in the Smoky Mtns have been from the safety of our car!

As for where to stay, we just returned last week from our 3rd stay at Elk Springs Resort (www.elkspringsresort.com) which is located in the arts & crafts area in Gatlinburg. We absolutely love it there. The cabins are only a couple of years old and are fabulous.

 

[LilyWDW]

Don't get out of your car and corner a mama bear and her cubs to get pictures. Seriously, I once witnessed this. There was an adult and two cubs in a field near one of the roads. People were approaching them to get pictures. All I could think of was "Darwin Awards"...

 

[disney_girl2010]

I love the Smokies!!! We were there to see the fall foliage 2 years ago and it was amazing! As for the cabins, we loved where we stayed it's called Starr Crest Resorts. Beautiful cabins with a awesome view of the Smoky Mountains! I think Dollywood just signed a contract with these cabins recently so here is the website I found for them so you can look at the cabins. http://www.dollywood.com/vacations-q10113-c10112-Cabins.aspx
For the bears, I haven't seen one yet and we went to the Smoky Mountain National Park to hike and for me to take photographs and all we encountered was a large buck and some rabbits.

 

[christineann]

Don't leave your car windows open over night. We rented a cabin some years ago, and the management company told us that a couple had left some potato chips on the car seat with the window slightly opened, and some bear(s) broke the car window to get in the vehicle and had a party!

 

[thegales]

Our family went on a easy hike in the Smoky Mountains, the kind where everyone parks just at the beginning of the trail, and nothing too difficult. As we were walking from the car to the trail, a woman indicated there was a mother bear and two cubs in a tree. By the time we got there, mother bear was on the ground, but the two bears were still up the tree. I approached cautiously, trying not to disrupt anything, but definitely not getting too close. Others seemed to forget that we were on the bear's property, getting very close, taking flash pictures, etc. I did follow the most important rule though when you see a bear in the woods. You don't need to be faster than the bear, as long as you are faster than at least one other person. After a while, the cubs finally came down, and they all went on their way. On our return trip, we saw a bear far off to the side of the trail. We don't know if it was the same one or not. So while the likelihood may not be that high that you will see a bear, it does happen.

Regarding cabins, check out Timber Tops. This company rents out private cabins, so be sure to check out the cabin to make sure it has everything you want. One thing we didn't think of was for our cabin, they had Direct TV, but no local stations. So we could not watch any local news, weather, or broadcast TV. While not the end of the world, it was just something that we didn't think to check. Some cabins offer wi-fi, others do not.

 

[dispor]

Well, I can't give you any advice on bears. All the bears we've seen in the Smoky Mtns have been from the safety of our car!

As for where to stay, we just returned last week from our 3rd stay at Elk Springs Resort (www.elkspringsresort.com) which is located in the arts & crafts area in Gatlinburg. We absolutely love it there. The cabins are only a couple of years old and are fabulous.

10 seconds into their video ad, they show a BEAR!

 

[Sparx]

Bears don't like people. Bears don't want to eat people. You're not a common food source. Your snacks however, are. If you camp, don't leave your food out in the open, or your garbage. Bears have a great sense of smell, so if you're approached, they're probably after your food. Bears are foragers mostly, and only rarely hunting things like fish.

If you run into a bear, and you don't threaten it, it will probably turn and go the other way. Bears don't want confrontation anymore than you do.

Bears don't like surprises. If you're hiking: talk, sing, wear bells, play music. Just make your presence known. Especially if vegetation is thick and you might be hard to see. A bear will probably hear you and go the other way. Bears see almost as well as people, so it may see you before you see it, and it will definitely smell you before you see it. The sooner they know you're coming, the better head start you give them to get out of your way.

If you see one and want to photograph it, stay out of its personal space. When their personal space is encroached upon, they feel threatened. This is when people get hurt, getting too close to wild animals.

Bears are very curious. If you run into one, you should identify yourself. Talk in a normal tone. It may stand up to get a better look at you. A standing bear isn't aggressive, its curious. an aggressive bear stays on all fours and runs. If it does run at you, don't run. You can't outrun the bear. Wave your arms, and talk in a deep, aggressive tone. Do not squeal. Bears like dogs will chase small, running things

Education is your weapon against bears. The more you know about them and the more you understand them, the more armed you are.

I hope you enjoy your vacation!

 

[MIGrandma]

DH and I have vacationed twice in the Pigeon Forge/Smoky Mts. area and neither time did we encounter a bear on any of our hikes. Not to say it won't happen, but it's not something you see every day. I wouldn't let the possibility of seeing a bear stop me from hiking in the mountains. Others here have given good advice if you do encounter one.

The bear picture in my signature was taken on our vacation property here in Michigan, about an hour's drive from where we live. Knowing we have bears does not keep us indoors. The bears don't want anything to do with us.

As far as cabins in the Smoky Mts. go, both of our vacations there we have rented a cabin from Sunset Accommodations in Pigeon Forge. Our first cabin was Mountain Whispers, and this last time it was Lasting Impressions. They have pictures on their web site of all of their cabins. We have been very satisfied with this rental company, and I would recommend them highly.

 

[powellrj]

We just returned from a spring break trip and never saw a bear! DD was a little disappointed. We stayed at The Summitt Condos and loved it! Would stay again in a heartbeat. Homeaway has lots of rental and I was shocked how many hotels there were with vacancies!

We didn't visit the park at all and spent 3 days at Dollywood! Had a great time and can't wait to go back!

 

[adkkev]

Well, if you see a bear you better take a picture of it! It would be a very uncommon encounter. If you're going hiking, be sure you are talking loud or wearing bells on your shoes. Don't carry candy, soda, or gum in your backpack, nor food of any kind. Water bottles are okay. Bears are not any keener on meeting you than you are on meeting them. They don't like for you to sneak up on them, hence the noise-making. You want to give them fair warning that you're coming so they can go hide from you.

You can most certainly carry these items in your pack when hiking ... just pack them in ziploc bags. Several hundred hikers pass through the Smokies on the AT every year and carry several days worth of food in their packs, and few have any problems with bears. We hike all over the Adirondacks, where there are plenty of bears, and we haven't had any issues with carrying food in our packs. And I have hiked in Alaska, with food in my pack, without any problems at all.

Just be smart ... read up on bear safety and you'll be fine.

 

[MosMom]

Make sure to coat yourself in honey. Bears hate honey.

 

[minkydog]

You can most certainly carry these items in your pack when hiking ... just pack them in ziploc bags. Several hundred hikers pass through the Smokies on the AT every year and carry several days worth of food in their packs, and few have any problems with bears. We hike all over the Adirondacks, where there are plenty of bears, and we haven't had any issues with carrying food in our packs. And I have hiked in Alaska, with food in my pack, without any problems at all.

Just be smart ... read up on bear safety and you'll be fine.

I bow to your judgement. I was passing on what the rangers told us when we were hiking in Yellowstone. We saw 2 Grizzlies there, at a distance. Close enough for me!

 

[DisneyBamaFan]

I bow to your judgement. I was passing on what the rangers told us when we were hiking in Yellowstone. We saw 2 Grizzlies there, at a distance. Close enough for me!

There are no brown bears in the Smokies, just black bears.

We have many black bears here - they come in our yard every week (except winter). We have learned that they really don't care about us. They are not afraid of us, but they are not interested in us either. But keep sweets in containers that do not leak odor (ziplocks work fine).

We can put bones/meat in the garbage can with no issues. Throw a yogurt container in the garbage can and expect a visitor.

 

[dispor]

Don't carry candy, soda, or gum in your backpack, nor food of any kind.

I read on some other site that the bears are now associating backpacks with food, so we are not going to wear backpacks.