Bear Closures

[HooKooDooKu]

Every National Park and National Forest from New Mexico to Montana have permanent Be Bear Aware instructions in all of the campgrounds and accommodations parking lots.
Is this the type of “warnings” that GSMNP is posting at backcountry campsites and shelters?
If so, it sounds like they are late to the party.
Wayne

We are NOT talking about the basic warnings and "what to do when you see a bear"...

We are talking about trail and campsite specific warnings because a "problem" bear has been in the area.

Click on the link I provided above to see campsite and trail specific closures and warnings that are currently in effect in GSMNP.

[Venchka]

Okay. I get that a few backcountry sites are closed. That happens occasionally in all of the Parks.
I need to look at the campsite/backcountry area/visitors density for GSMNP & the western parks.
Overcrowding might be the contributing factor.
Wayne

[HooKooDooKu]

Okay. I get that a few backcountry sites are closed. That happens occasionally in all of the Parks.
I need to look at the campsite/backcountry area/visitors density for GSMNP & the western parks.
Overcrowding might be the contributing factor.
Wayne

I think "overcrowding" is more of an issue out west... specifically Yosemite NP compared to Great Smoky Mountains NP.

So many people camp in YNP, that bears there have learned to break into cars at night and it's now a park rule that you may not keep food in your vehicle overnight.

GSMNP might be the "most visited national park", but the park is located right next to a tourist town. Most of those visitors are staying in hotels compared to the percentage of people that stay in hotels in YNP.
As such... bears breaking into locked cars isn't a 'thing' yet in GSMNP and front country camping rules call for keeping food in your vehicle overnight for bear protection.

However, there are enough back country campers in GSMNP that YOU MUST HANG YOUR FOOD BY THE BEAR CABLES. Tons of people talk about sleeping with their food, but when you're in GSMNP, you REALLY need to hang your food. There is no reason for GSMNP to have "problem bears" other than humans "creating" them because they don't properly protect bears from their food.

[Venchka]

Relative to the CDT Parks, GSMNP is overconcentrated with inexperienced folks in the backcountry. In contrast, Yellowstone closes off huge areas every spring and early summer when the bears are coming out of hibernation, with cubs, cross and crabby and hungry.
Wayne