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Smoky Mountain black bear in the woods

Smoky Mountain Black Bear Caught Climbing Down Gatlinburg Condo Building

There are a variety of scenic sights you can wake up to when you choose to vacation in Gatlinburg TN. We have majestic mountains, beautiful foliage, vibrant wildflowers, and babbling springs, all waiting for you to enjoy. However, for a group of residents at a Gatlinburg condo complex, they woke up to a rather unique view recently.

Instead of watching the sun rise over the mountains, they watched a Smoky Mountain black bear climb down their building. That’s right! According to an article from local news station WBIR, residents saw a Smoky Mountain black bear climb down three stories of the building using the back patios.

It is believed the bear climbed up the building because it smelled the trash on the top floor’s patio. This time of year is tough for bears because it is in between seasons for their food in the wild.

To see the full video of the bear scaling down the side of the building for yourself, click play below! 

The video was captured by Barbara Dotson. Dotson was staying with her friend and Gatlinburg resident, Thelma Bundren at Bundren’s condo.

According to the news article, this is the first time Bundren has spotted a bear near her condo despite living in the area for over 15 years.

Other Smoky Mountain Black Bear Sightings

Smoky Mountain black bear and her cubThis is not the first time we have heard of a unique Smoky Mountain black bear sighting this year. Recently, we told you about the time where a Smoky Mountain black bear invaded a woman’s car while she was cleaning a cabin in Gatlinburg.

Kathy Gafford, a Gatlinburg cabin inspector, stepped inside a cabin for 20 minutes only to come out and discover a momma bear and her cub climbed into her car and began rummaging through her belongings.

Luckily, the only real damage from the incident was the fact the two bears ate the woman’s lunch. However, she did have to wait for local law enforcement and wildlife officials to arrive and successfully distract the animals enough to leave her car alone.

This was Gafford’s second encounter with a bear this year. The first interaction came when she was inside a cabin and saw a Smoky Mountain black bear climb up the back porch of the rental.

Although it is always exciting when we spot a Smoky Mountain black bear out of its natural habitat. It is important to remember these are wild animals and deserve to be left alone to enjoy their natural habitat. If you want more tips on how to safely view wildlife during your next vacation to the area, including Smoky Mountain black bear, read our blog about Where and When to Spot Your Favorite Smoky Mountain Wildlife.