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Alerts & Notices
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- Bear warning for Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness
Date(s): Jun 7, 2021
Visitors to the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness on the Nantahala National Forest are asked to take precautions to avoid bears after recent reports of increased bear encounters within the Wilderness. Specific trails where these encounters have occurred include:
- Haoe Lead Trail TR53
- Stratton Bald Trail TR54
- Hangover Lead Trail TR56
- Hangover Trail TR56A
No injuries have been reported. Encounters include bears stealing food and backpacks. The bears will often stay in the area of the incident for multiple hours, possibly days, depending on availability of food sources. This time of the year black bears are opportunistically looking for food that campers and trail users bring on their trips.
For more information, see https://www.fs.usda.gov/detail/nfsnc/news-events/?cid=FSEPRD918582