Aggressive bears are creating dangers along parts of the Appalachian Trail in Tennessee, resulting in camping bans and warnings against people walking alone.
Two sections of the trail near Cleveland, Tennessee, have been deemed unsafe in the past two weeks, according to the U.S. Forest Service.
The latest closure, announced in late October, involves the No Business Knob shelter “from Chestoa to Spivey Gap at 19W until further notice,” officials said.
On Oct. 28, the forest service announced a similar alert for the Abingdon Gap Shelter from the Tennessee-Virginia border to the Low Gap area near Highway421.
In each case, hikers reported a bear had been aggressive, officials said. Details of those encounters were not released. Black bears weigh as much as 600 pounds in Tennessee, the state says.
“U.S. Forest Service officials are urging visitors to exercise caution when recreating within the area and be on the lookout for black bears,” officials said.
The Appalachian Trail remains open through the state, but hikers are being warned to carry bear spray, keep dogs on a leash and avoid “walking, hiking, jogging, or cycling alone.”
“I you encounter a bear, don’t run. Back away slowly while making noise and do not turn your back on the bear,” officials say.
“In the unlikely case you are attacked or come into contact with a black bear, fight back.”
The alerts were issued just days after Great Smoky Mountains National Park closed two popular trails “due to a large concentration of black bears feeding on acorns.”
“Bears depend on fall foods such as acorns and grapes to store fat reserves that enable them to survive winter,” the park reported.
“Generally bears are solitary. However, during the fall, several bears may be seen feeding in close proximity,” according to park officials. “They will often feed for more than 12 hours a day and can be concentrated in areas where abundant food sources are found. During this time period, normally wary bears, may act aggressively to defend these areas.”
The trails closed in the national park include the Gatlinburg Trail between Gatlinburg and Sugarlands Visitor Center, and the Twin Creeks Trail between Gatlinburg and the Twin Creeks Science and Education Center.
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