Thousands of visitors head to Gatlinburg, TN, every year to see Black Bears. Male Black bears can weigh up to 500 pounds on average and sprint up to 35 miles per hour. These magnificent creatures are familiar in Gatlinburg and in the Smokey Mtn National Park.
There are several amazing places to see Black Bears in the area, and this guide will also provide the best times to see black bears.
Cades Cove
Cades Cove is an 11-mile scenic road in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. This drive is known for wildflowers, scenic views, and black bear sightings. Cades Cove was home to European Settlers in the early 1800s and is commonly visited for its historic structures.
While many go to Cades Cove to observe the past, the wildlife will be active all around you. Black bears are plentiful in the area and typically reside in trees, so make sure to bring your binoculars.
One of the tell tale signs that a black bear has been spotted in Cades Cove is that the traffic will come to a complete stop. This can happen for one of a couple reasons. The first is the a Park Ranger has stopped traffic to ensure the bears and visitors remain a safe distance from one another. If you see a bear, you’ll notice they are rarely in a hurry. They have no problem taking their time strolling across the road.
The most common reason that traffic will stop is because visitors become mesmerized by seeing bears and don’t move so they don’t spook the bears back into the woods. The good news is, this provides some safety to the bears in that they don’t get hit by vehicles. The downside to this, is that visitors who are too far back to be able to see the bears will get out of their cars and walk for a closer look. This can be very dangerous, especially if you are looking at a mama bear with her cubs. This also create traffic gridlock throughout Cades Cove.
Roaring Fork Motor Trail
The Roaring Fork Motor Trail is a beautiful 6-mile long scenic drive in the Smokey Mountains. This drive is known for its natural beauty. It is a one-lane, one direction road that is suitable for most passenger vehicles. Unfortunately, this route is not suitable for motorhomes or RVs. Make sure you bring your binoculars for this route and keep an eye in the trees for Black Bears.
The Roaring Fork Motor Trail is an exceptionally popular place to spot Black Bears. Black Bear sightings are frequent during the summer months because of the unique natural area in the Rocky Mountains that this road passes through.
Cabin rentals
Because the popular density of bears is so high, cabin rentals are an excellent way to see black bears. There are a number of rental locations just outside the National Park in Gatlingburg and other surrounding towns that are high enough up in the Rocky Mountains that Black Bears are frequent visitors. A cabin rental gives you a unique viewing experience because instead of seeing a bear through your car window far away, you may see one standing right outside your cabin window while you are sipping on your morning cup of coffee.
How many Black Bears are in the Smokey Mtn National Park?
Researchers and park rangers estimate that there are approximately 1,500 black bears in Smoky Mountain National Park. That comes out to about two Black Bears per square mile. During the winter, Black Bears hibernate. In order to stay alive during those months, Black Bears will eat nearly 20,000 calories a day during the fall in an attempt to double their body weight before the winter season. Black Bears are so plentiful in the Smokey Mtn National park because of the ideal climate and enough food and resources to support the large population.
What is the best time to see a bear?
Black Bears hibernate for 7.5 months every year, so if you are headed to Gatlinburg, TN, to see the Black Bears, you will need to make sure you go during the proper time of year. Black Bears typically hibernate from September or October until March or April every year. The best time to see black bears is in the summer months—specifically May- Early September in a typical year.
When is the worst time of year to see a Black Bear?
Black Bears Hibernate for a large portion of the year, and it is exceptionally rare to see bears during hibernation months. During the late fall and winter, bears are very difficult to see. In general, it is best not to expect any bear sightings during the winter. Bears sleep during the winter and do not need to forage for food or find resources as regularly, meaning that they are usually hidden in their dens.
Time of day also matters when trying to spot a black bear. The bears are most active during the early morning hours. Wake up with the sun to enjoy bears tromping nearby. Black Bears can also be spotted in the late afternoon or early evening near dusk if you aren’t much of an early riser.
What should you do/not do when you see a bear?
When you see a bear, there are a few safety rules you should note and pay attention to. The first is that the Smokey Mountain National Park requires a quest to stay at least 150 feet away from Black Bears. This is for the safety of you and the bear. If you accidentally stumble upon a bear and are closer than you should be, calmly walk away from the bear. Make sure to face the bear and walk backward away. If a bear walks toward you, continue to try and make room between you and the bear and make loud noises to try and deter the bear.
It is important to respect a Black Bear’s space and territory. Black Bears may be more aggressive in the springtime because they are hungry from hibernating through the winter. During this time, it is critical to maintaining 150 feet or 50 yards away from the Black Bear.
Visiting Smokey Mnt National Park to see Black Bears
Thousands of visitors head to Gatlingburg every year to see the Black Bears. A fun fact about Black Bears is that they often are not black; depending on the area, they can be brown, tan, or even blonde colored. These magnificent creatures can live up to 30 years. While male Black Bears are solitary animals, females live in Sows with young cubs. Black Bears are the only species of bear known to live in Rocky Mountain National Park, and 80- to 90 percent of their diet consists of roots, berries, nuts, and insects.
Visiting Cades Cove, Roaring Forks Motor trail, or renting a cabin in the nearby areas during the summer months will give you an excellent chance of spotting a Black Bear. Keep your eyes peeled in the distance for Black Bears in trees, fallen logs, and deep brush!