Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness is known for its magnificent trails. Now it’s also known for black bear encounters with bears stealing food and backpacks.
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Bears along some NC trails are casing hiking trails, possibly for days, waiting for opportunity to snatch packs, foresters said. (Shutterstock)
NORTH CAROLINA Backpack thefts are up along remote hiking trails in southwestern North Carolina, U.S. Forest Service warned this week. The primary suspects: greedy black bears.
Hikers are reporting an increase in bear encounters in the Joyce Kilmer-Slickrock Wilderness on the Nantahala National Forest, the U.S. Forest Service said.
In some cases, the bears are waiting for hours or even days along trails before they attempt to snatch food and packs from hikers, the forest service said.