Hikers used rocks and sticks against bear stalking them in Smoky Mountains, park says

Two hikers in Great Smoky Mountains National Park resorted to throwing rocks and sticks when bear spray proved useless against a bear stalking them, according to the National Park Service.

Park rangers are credited with finding the hikers on the North Carolina side of the park and escorting them to their vehicles.

The bear remains at large, leaving nearby trails closed to hikers.

“On Sunday evening, August 11, park rangers responded to a call from two hikers who encountered a bear that followed them near the intersection of the Dry Sluice Gap Trail and Grassy Branch,” the park reported in an email to McClatchy News.

“The hikers used their bear spray and threw sticks and rocks at the bear, which continued to follow them. Park rangers met the hikers on the trail and escorted them safely to their vehicles.”

Identities of the hikers were not released, and the park did not report if they were hurt.

Three trails have been closed due to the incident: Cabin Flats Trail, Dry Sluice Gap Trail, and Grassy Branch Trail, the park said.

It’s estimated the bear is between 100 and 150 pounds, and may have been struggling to find food, officials said.

Bear weight fluctuates greatly from season to season, with adult males weighing around 250 pounds in summer and as much as 600 pounds in fall and winter, the National Park Service reports. Females may weigh around 100 pounds in summer and double their weight for winter.

“The first few weeks in August are typically a time of stress for bears when they are between food sources. Berries have dried up and acorns aren’t yet ready for bears to consume. Yearlings are also starting to venture out on their own for the first time,” the park said.

“Hikers should stay alert, hike in pairs or larger groups and be prepared to react appropriately.”

Those appropriate actions include changing direction, shouting, throwing “non-food objects like rocks and sticks” and using bear spray if the predator comes within 20 yards, the park says.

Commercial bear sprays travel at speeds of around 70 mph and contain a pepper oil that inflames the eyes and respiratory system of bears, according to the Alaska Department of Fish and Game.

Biologists estimate there are about 1,900 bears in the park, which covers 522,427 acres divided by the North Carolina and Tennessee state line. That’s about “two bears for every square mile,” according to Outside Magazine.

“That’s really dense. ... Do the math and you’ll find that Great Smoky has 10 times the density of bears than Yellowstone,” the site reports.

This story was originally published August 14, 2024 at 7:24 AM with the headline "Hikers used rocks and sticks against bear stalking them in Smoky Mountains, park says."