North Carolina parkway closed after tourists try to hold, feed young bear

A section of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway in western North Carolina has been closed temporarily after the National Park Service said it received multiple reports of visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear.

National Park Service officials said the 8-mile closure just northeast of Asheville will remain closed until further notice.

The recent bear interactions allegedly took place at the Lane Pinnacle Overlook, a popular high-elevation viewpoint at the height of leaf-watching season.

“When people intentionally attract bears with trash and food it can lead to very dangerous situations,” Swartout said in a written statement. “In this instance we want to give the bear a chance to lose interest in the area before the situation escalates and visitors or the bear are harmed.”

The fall months are an essential time for bears to forage for food and gain weight before their winter hibernation. But park officials warn that bears may also seek out foods that humans eat.

No one has been fined for feeding or approaching the bear. Although videos posted online show visitors standing within a few feet of a small black bear, officials do not have any physical evidence of people feeding or holding it.

Federal law prohibits people from intentionally getting within 50 yards of a bear.

The 469-mile parkway was the most visited of any National Park Service site last year, logging about 15.7 million visits.





Tourists walk along the Blue Ridge Parkway near Linville, N.C.. A section of the Blue Ridge Parkway in North Carolina has been closed temporarily after the National Park Service received reports of visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear. Officials blocked off an 8-mile stretch just northeast of Asheville on Monday. (AP Photo/Gerry Broome, file)