Bear in SNP

[RWBlue]

There is another thread kind of on this subject, but I am asking a fairly direct question, so I have hoping by starting another thread I can get a fairly direct answer.

Here is the question:
Where should I go in Shenandoah National Park if I want to see a bear?

To be specific, I want to take more pictures of bears. Because of the gear I am taking, I am thinking more in temps of short hikes vs. the over night stays.

[Lone Wolf]

There is another thread kind of on this subject, but I am asking a fairly direct question, so I have hoping by starting another thread I can get a fairly direct answer.

Here is the question:
Where should I go in Shenandoah National Park if I want to see a bear?

To be specific, I want to take more pictures of bears. Because of the gear I am taking, I am thinking more in temps of short hikes vs. the over night stays.

any trail in the park. on the ridge or off the ridge. at all campgrounds too. it ain't hard to see bear

[Lugnut]

Especially the campgrounds. It's easy pickin's for them.

[Hikerhead]

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/north.jpg

I've seen right many and have read about others on the trails around Elkwallow Wayside.

[Blissful]

They love the blueberries, so I'd do the Rockytop trail in early August.
There are also plenty around the northern part of the park - Hogback, etc

[Blissful]

http://www.nps.gov/shen/planyourvisit/upload/north.jpg

I've seen right many and have read about others on the trails around Elkwallow Wayside.

Yes. I recall staying at Matthews Arm campground as a young girl and had a bear rip through our screen house looking for food. (he thought our chest of clothes was an ice chest)

[k.reynolds70]

Ive always seen bruins hang out around Lewis Mtn campground & Bearfence Mtn Hut (a heap of trash). From the threads recently posted, it seems as though the bears are getting awful close to people, and the area is closed to camping I believe.

[rsmout]

I saw a mother and a yearling below Birds Nest #4, near the spring that's to the west of the AT. I was walking up to the spring, heard a large crashing and galloping sound, and looked up to see the south side of two northbound bears, one large and one small (but not a cub). The yearling flew over the top of a ridge, but the mother stopped, turned sideways to me, and stared at me for about thirty seconds. She then turned north and slowly walked over the ridge, following the other bear. The mother was definitely snorting and coughing the entire time, so it was clear she was not pleased.

[rsmout]

Forgot to mention that I saw these bears on Thursday.

[Country Roads]

Saw many bears north of Big Meadows in 2009; saw no bears from Rockfish Gap to Milam Gap in 2010 (probably because of no water on the ridges). Saw the most bears in the last 2 miles before leaving the park to the north. saw 2 sows and each had one cub.
I always new black bear climb trees, but I had never seen a bear in a tree until Shenandoah. Pretty much every bear was in a tree. I expect they were feeding on the acorns. Wow can they climb and descend trees fast!

[Missadventure]

Was just hiking southern end last weekend - from Turk Gap to Rockfish Gap saw five - 3 adults, 2 cubs - mother and cubs standing in parking lot at Jarman Gap, the other two I saw while hiking. They pretty much ignored me and kept on going. I was on the trail around 7 am that morning, so maybe morning is one good time to see them.

[Patrickjd9]

Have seen two in the past several years plus a work trip where we saw multiple piles of very fresh scat near a blackberry patch. Sure I would have seen several bears that day if I wasn't using a gas-powered brushcutter.

[Pedaling Fool]

Was just hiking southern end last weekend - from Turk Gap to Rockfish Gap saw five - 3 adults, 2 cubs - mother and cubs standing in parking lot at Jarman Gap, the other two I saw while hiking. They pretty much ignored me and kept on going. I was on the trail around 7 am that morning, so maybe morning is one good time to see them.

Cover the kids' eyes when walking around Turk Gap

[Winged]

RWBlue,
When I was reading about the different campgrounds in the SNP, one of them had additional warnings about bears. I don't recall which one it was. I do know it was NOT Loft Mountain Campground.

It MAY have been Lewis Mountain Campground.

May you find the bears I'm not particularly interested in finding. :-)

[StreamWalker]

There was one supposedly raiding camps at Big Meadows last month when we were staying up there. We never saw it, but did spot a cub in a tree nearby on the Skyline Drive.

[tiptoe]

I saw a bear just south of Blackrock Gap. I was disappointed not to have seen more, since many hikers I met reported multiple sightings. It's pretty much a matter of luck, I think.

[jlb2012]

luck and how much noise you make hiking

[Limo]

I've talked to a few thru hikers I've met in PA the last couple of weeks, and they say they saw several bears in the northern part of SNP. I know that in my late summer hikes in the northern district, I usually find lots of bear scat in the Compton Gap area. Also, with the fires last fall, there may be more bears up that way. I remember two conversations I've had with rangers in different parks, both of whom told me that bears seem to like chewing on the charred wood following forest fires, so you might try north.

[Scaper]

Agree with Limo. If you park at the Compton gap parking area and hike north on the A-T you will follow an old mountain road where the trail is almost flat for about 2 miles before the trail turns and heads out of the park. The trail is very wide and has a number of downed rotten trees on the side. I have seen what looks like the same bear here for the last 5 or so years making rounds almost daily turning over logs and rocks looking for food. Had 2 cubs with it last year.

[Many Walks]

Wherever you hike, hit the trail early in the morning at first light before the other hikers stir and you'll most likely get some great shots. Move quietly into the wind and keep a watchful eye up the trail and on the surrounding terrain in general. Also keep an eye on the trees near the trail and you'll see them draped over the crotches of large branches where they sometimes sleep. Listen carefully and if you hear one crashing through the timber down hill on a trajectory that crosses the trail you might get a good shot if your camera is ready. If they're running and spot you they'll most likely pause for just a second then take off again. Be careful stalking bears for pics. You might surprise one and only find out when you're too close and they feel threatened. If you hear a deep clacking sound on the other side of a thicket next to the trail make some calming sounds and move on past, or back up if it's more ahead of you...forget that pic until you're well down the trail. Good luck!