Last Updated on February 12, 2022 6:28 pm
The bears at Grandfather Mountain have been ACTIVE- A camper recently reported that a bear got their food down from a bear hang at Alpine Meadow campsite.
There have also been multiple reported sightings in and around the state park.
Please adhere to the following guidelines to stay safe in Bear Country:
To keep our visitors and our bears safe, we remind everyone to keep clean lunch spots and campsites. Don’t throw out your crumbs or leftovers; pack out all your trash.
Campers-
* Do NOT store food in tents.
* Properly store food and scented items like toothpaste by using a bear-proof container/ hang food away from campsite. If you hang your food and scented items, make sure you hang it high enough! If staying at a high elevation campsite with stunted trees, you may have to go off your campsite to find a tree of adequate height.
* Clean up food or garbage around fire rings, grills, or other areas of your campsite.
* Do not leave food unattended.
Did you know that bears have a sense of smell SEVEN TIMES more powerful than a blood hound's? With a nose like that, you can see why it's so important to be meticulous about food storage and cleanup!
To avoid bear attacks-
* Keep pets on an attended leash at all times. The leash must not be longer than six feet in NC State Parks.
* If you notice a bear nearby, pack up your food and trash immediately and vacate the area as soon as possible.
* If a bear approaches, move away slowly; do not run.
* If necessary, attempt to scare the animal away with loud shouts, by banging pans together, or throwing rocks and sticks at it.
* Never approach and never feed a bear.
* Never run away from a bear- back away slowly and make lots of noise.
For more tips, visit:
http://go.usa.gov/czWbW or go to www.fs.usda.gov/nfsnc and click on “Learn about Bear Safety.”
https://www.fs.fed.us/visit/know-before-you-go/bears
In addition, it's a good idea to make enough noise so that you do not surprise a bear. You can put bells, or other noise maker on your pack to make noise as you hike.
Seeing a bear in its wild, natural environment is a very special experience; and is not an imminent risk – as long as you keep your distance, act responsibly.
