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  • [ 03/02/2021 ] When will Ghost Town in the Sky reopen: The latest 2021 update Attractions
  • [ 03/02/2021 ] Picnic areas in the Smoky Mountains: The 4 best kept secret spots Attractions
  • [ 03/01/2021 ] Mystery in the Smokies: What happened to Dennis Martin? Editorial
  • [ 03/01/2021 ] Mask mandates in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge: What you need to know 2021 Gatlinburg
  • [ 02/28/2021 ] This is what the proposed I-40 wildlife overpass might look like GSMNP
  • [ 02/28/2021 ] Quirkiest cabins in the Smokies: Our top 10 ranked Lodging
  • [ 02/28/2021 ] Luxury cabins in the Smokies: Our top 9 ranked Lodging
  • [ 02/28/2021 ] Affordable cabins in the Smokies: Our top 8 ranked Lodging
  • [ 02/27/2021 ] Top 7 things to do in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in March 2021 Gatlinburg
  • [ 02/27/2021 ] Is Ober Gatlinburg worth the price? An honest review Attractions
HomeBlack Bears

Black Bears

Three bear cubs were rescued from a home with a gas leak
News

Bear cubs discovered in Sevier County home after gas leak reported

02/21/2021 Alaina O'Neal 6

Homeownership can be full of surprises. And last week, one Sevier County resident got a big surprise when he discovered a gas leak at his home, and learned that a large black bear denning in …

A local DJ in Asheville attracts the attention of a large black bear during a livestream broadcast (courtesy of Cater News/Cater Clips/Jody Flemming)
The Smokies

Black bear surprises DJ mid-livestream, ‘dances’ to techno music

02/10/2021 Morgan Overholt 0

If you’ve ever wondered whether or not bears like music, you might finally find your answer in the viral “Techno Bear” video now circulating on social media. East-Asheville based Jody Flemming is a former Smoky …

Bears
Editorial

5 most viral bear encounters of 2020 in the Smokies

12/26/2020 Alaina O'Neal 0

If the Great Smoky Mountains had an official mascot, there’s no doubt it would be the black bear. Folks come to the Smokies from all over the world hoping to catch a glimpse of these …

It's often too warm in Tennessee for Black Bears to reach a true state of hibernation (stock photo)
Attractions

Why black bears don’t really ‘hibernate’ in the Smokies

12/06/2020 Morgan Overholt 5

If black bears hibernate in the winter – why do we still see so many roaming around in the Smokies in the colder months? Are Tennessee bears just weird? Don’t they know they are supposed …

Black bear damages Jeep
Gatlinburg

Newlywed couple gets huge surprise from a black bear in Gatlinburg

11/13/2020 Alaina O'Neal 0

Millions of people visit the Great Smoky Mountains each year hoping to catch a glimpse of a black bear in the wild. But these two honeymooners from the Atlanta area got a unique encounter they …

TikTok Bear
Gatlinburg

Woman in Tik Tok bear video could face up to 6 months in jail, $500 fine

10/16/2020 Alaina O'Neal 1

According to a press release from the Tennessee Wildlife Resources Agency, wildlife officers have charged a woman from Virginia with a misdemeanor violation after she hand-fed a black bear while on vacation in Gatlinburg.   In …

Willfully comWillfully coming within 150 feet of a bear in the Smoky Mountains is misdemeanor and is punishable by up to six months in prison and a $5,000 fine (screenshots courtesy of Tik Tok)ing within 150 feet of a bear in the Smoky Mountains is illegal (screenshots courtesy of Tik Tok)
Gatlinburg

Watch the Tik Tok bear feeding video that sparked outrage with locals, TWRA

10/03/2020 Alaina O'Neal 0

A woman who posted a viral video of herself on TikTok while on vacation in Gatlinburg could soon be facing charges. The woman is seen in the video hand-feeding a young black bear. The video …

The Smokies

Want to know how to see a bear in Gatlinburg? Try these 7 tips

05/10/2020 John Gullion 0

What’s the No. 1 question of visitors for the Great Smoky Mountains National Park? Is that bathroom locked?  No, but I like that you’re thinking.  No. The most popular question is: How can I spot …

This is a black bear
Editorial

This white bear is a black bear: fascinating facts about these furry anomalies

09/28/2019 Alaina O'Neal 0

This is a black bear. No, you’re not looking at the next gold and white dress debate. (Or was black and blue?) Even though this guy looks a bit like a lost polar bear, he …

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Latest News & Reviews

  • Maggie Valley's Ghost Town in the Sky has been closed since the late 2000s (photo courtesy of Gary and Carol Cox)
    When will Ghost Town in the Sky reopen: The latest 2021 update
    03/02/2021 8
  • Cades Cove in the Smokies
    Picnic areas in the Smoky Mountains: The 4 best kept secret spots
    03/02/2021 0
  • Image shows a blurred child figure disappearing into the woods
    Mystery in the Smokies: What happened to Dennis Martin?
    03/01/2021 1
  • Sevier County Mayor Larry Waters and city officials gather around a masked Dolly Parton statue at the Sevier County Courthouse (photo courtesy of Leslie Ackerson/WBIR)
    Mask mandates in Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge: What you need to know 2021
    03/01/2021 0
  • If funded, the 1-40 Pigeon River Gorge Wildlife Crossing Project aims to install a series of overpasses along I-40 on the Tennessee-North Carolina border just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (stock photo)
    This is what the proposed I-40 wildlife overpass might look like
    02/28/2021 0
  • This "Tiny Cabin" is located in Newport, Tenn and sleeps up to three people (photo courtesy of VRBO)
    Quirkiest cabins in the Smokies: Our top 10 ranked
    02/28/2021 0
  • Each of the cabins on our list have been hand-picked by our staff and are available for rent on VRBO (photo courtesy of VRBO)
    Luxury cabins in the Smokies: Our top 9 ranked
    02/28/2021 0
  • The following cabins have been handpicked by our staff at TheSmokies.com for aesthetics, amenities, location, uniqueness and affordability. All are available for rent on VRBO (pictured: Our #1 pick, photos courtesy of VRBO)
    Affordable cabins in the Smokies: Our top 8 ranked
    02/28/2021 0
  • Music is performed live at Anakeesta in Gatlinburg
    Top 7 things to do in Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg in March 2021
    02/27/2021 0
  • Ober Gatlinburg
    Is Ober Gatlinburg worth the price? An honest review
    02/27/2021 0
  • A beautiful 4-bedroom cabin in Gatlinburg TN
    4 bedroom cabins in Gatlinburg TN: Our top 7 ranked
    02/26/2021 0
  • Dollywood's Robert F. Thomas chapel was dedicated in May of 1973 as part of Goldrush Junction. In 2021, it's receiving a few renovations to keep it in tip-top shape (photo by Alaina O'Neal/TheSmokies.com)
    Dollywood’s chapel: How a real church ended up inside a theme park
    02/25/2021 2
  • Dollywood's Lightning Rod coaster has received a face lift for the 2021 season (media photo courtesy of Dollywood)
    Dollywood 2021: A sneak peek at 8 changes, new additions to the park
    02/24/2021 0
  • Dollywood's popular Lightning Rod coaster is set to return on opening day for the 2021 season. Lightning, it seems, has struck twice (media photo courtesy of Dollywood)
    Is Lightning Rod open? Dollywood’s retracked coaster returns in 2021
    02/24/2021 0
  • This guide answers your most burning questions about Dollywood's Souvenir Mugs (photo by Alaina O'Neal/TheSmokies.com)
    Dollywood souvenir mugs: What to know before you buy
    02/24/2021 0

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