Mama Bear Crosses Road in Cades Cove with Four Cubs (Video Included)
A video of a mama bear crossing the road in Cades Cove with her four cubs has gone viral! The video shows the black bear helping her cubs make it across the road safely. Not only can you watch the video below and learn more about black bears in Cades Cove, but you can see how the black bear cubs have grown!
Update of Black Bear Family in the Smoky Mountains
The black bear cubs that were spotted crossing the road in Cades Cove have been spotted numerous times throughout the Smoky Mountains! The Smoky Mountain black bear family has made its home in the mountains a few miles outside of Pigeon Forge and have been spotted in public areas in Wears Valley and Cades Cove. One woman, Sharon Turner, lives near where the black bears have made their home and often sees them running around. Watch her most recent video of the black bear family to see how the famous black bear cubs have grown!
Black Bear in Cades Cove Crosses Road with Cubs
Spring and summer are the most popular times to see black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, so it’s no surprise visitors are starting to spot them! On April 18, Rebecca Connell posted a video on her Facebook of a mama bear and cubs crossing the road, and in just one day, the video had already been viewed 15 million times! You can watch the video below:
This wasn’t the only video of a black bear family in Cades Cove recently! About a week earlier, Faye Sykes captured a video of a mother and her four cubs on the road in Cades Cove. It’s possible that it’s the same black bear family as the previous video!
Spotting Black Bears in Cades Cove
Cades Cove is one of the most popular places in the Great Smoky Mountains to spot black bears. They are most visible in the early mornings and late evenings. Cades Cove Loop Road gives you the opportunity to view the bears from the comfort of your car. If you do see a black bear in Cades Cove, be sure to keep these safety tips in mind:
Keep a safe distance from the bear. The Great Smoky Mountains National Park requires visitors to stay at least 50 yards away from the black bears. If one crosses the road in front of your car, be sure to stop a safe distance from the bear and refrain from pulling up close to the bear to get a better look. If you’re hiking in Cades Cove and spot a bear, stay back and move away slowly and sideways. Don’t try to get closer to the bear just to get a good photo.
Do not feed the bear. It’s important to keep all food away from the bears. They have a natural fear of humans, and when they are intentionally fed, they learn to associate people to food. This causes them to lose that fear and become unpredictable. When you visit Cades Cove, keep all food secured at all times and never leave it unattended.
Stay calm. Your natural instinct when you see a bear might be to get away as quickly as possible, but you should keep in mind how important it is to stay calm. All bears usually want is to be left alone. Don’t run or scream when you see a bear. Speak to it in low tones and move away slowly without turning your back on it.
Smoky Mountain Black Bear Encounters
In recent years, there have been a few Smoky Mountain black bear encounters that have made headlines. Check out some of the most popular stories below:
Bear Spotted Walking on Ripley’s Moving Theater in Gatlinburg – In July of 2018, a black bear was spotted walking on the roof of Ripley’s Moving Theater in Gatlinburg! A crowd of visitors surrounded the theater to observe the scene. Click here to watch the video.
Black Bear Dines on Pizza at Downtown Gatlinburg Restaurant – In August of 2018, a black bear stopped by Howard’s Steakhouse in Gatlinburg, climbed onto the patio, and helped himself to some pizza visitors had left behind! Click here to see the video.
Black Bear Steals Bagged Lunch From Truck in Gatlinburg – In September 2018, a hungry black bear visited a construction site in Gatlinburg and helped himself to whatever he could find in one of the worker’s trucks. The video became a viral sensation on the internet. Click here to watch it!
Black Bear in Gatlinburg Enjoys Some Fall Fun – Fall of 2018, a bear in Gatlinburg strolled into The Village and played with one of the pumpkins that was on display for the fall season. You can watch the adorable video here.
For more information on black bears in Cades Cove and the Smoky Mountains, read our blog, “Where and When to Spot Your Favorite Smoky Mountain Wildlife.”
