Hostile bears chased hikers, stole backpacks in Great Smoky Mountains, park says

Two popular trails have been closed in Great Smoky Mountains National Park due to aggressive bears, including one who chased after hikers, according to the National Park Service.

The incidents occurred Saturday and Sunday, and no injuries were reported, park officials said in an April 20 news release.

“Rangers ... responded to three bear‑related incidents at Ramsey Cascades Trail this past weekend, including two encounters in which a bear approached visitors and took two backpacks, and a third in which a bear displayed aggressive behavior and briefly chased a group,” park officials said.

“Last weekend (April 11-12), rangers also addressed three incidents on Abrams Falls Trail involving an aggressive black bear, including one case where the bear bit a visitor who entered a closed area.”

Details of the person’s injuries were not released.

Ramsey Prong Road and Ramsey Cascades Trail remain closed as park rangers “monitor bear activity.”

The park is home to an estimated 1,900 American black bears. Males average about six feet in length and 250 pounds in the summer, the park says. They can run up to 30 mph, officials say.

Bear activity increases in the spring, including mother bears and young cubs “searching for limited early‑season food sources,” the park says. This includes trash left by tourists.

“Because this is a sensitive time for mother bears and cubs, getting too close can cause stress and lead to unsafe encounters,” the park says.

Bear safety guidelines at the park call for visitors to stay 150 feet away from the predators or face fines and arrest, officials say.

Feeding bear is also illegal and can result in fines up to $5,000 and six months in jail.

“Great Smoky Mountains National Park is ... the most-visited national park in the United States, with around 12 million visitors each year. This combination of high visitation and a thriving bear population increases the likelihood of human-bear encounters,” the park says.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is about a 150-mile drive northwest from uptown Charlotte.

This story was originally published April 21, 2026 at 5:53 AM with the headline "Hostile bears chased hikers, stole backpacks in Great Smoky Mountains, park says."