Hikers chased by a bear, other incidents force shut down of Smoky Mountain trail

One of the Smoky Mountain National Park’s challenging hikes will have to wait after black bears had interactions that were too close for comfort for visitors.

Park staff reported the incidents from the April 18th weekend while temporarily closing the Ramsey Cascades Trail and Ramsey Prong Road in South TN. Some hikers were pursued by one bear while others swiped backpacks and did not give much ground to approaching humans, according to the agency.

Rangers have just reopened the Abrams Falls Trail as active bears have moved on to other grounds. The park published reminders like keeping food and trash secured, never feeding bears and consider packing bear spray when hiking.

(IMAGE: Property of National Park Service / Great Smoky Mountains National Park / Official Facebook)