Shhhh!  There are black bears in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but don’t tell anyone.  If the word gets out, Cades Cove traffic will be worse than I-40 West on a Friday afternoon.

Bears can be found in America’s most visited national park almost all year long, with the easiest time to find them in spring and summer. Though not nocturnal, early morning and late afternoon/ evenings are typically the best.  Additionally, when the cherries are ripe it seems to be the most rewarding time to search.  As these bruins gorge themselves, packing on weight to get through the winter, they can be easily found high in the cherry trees.

This mama bear and two of her cubs were foraging along the Cades Cove Primitive Baptist Church Road.  Anticipating where they were headed and a long camera lens helped me get these images.

Please respect these beautiful wild animals by keeping a proper distance and never feeding them.  It is always the bear that pays for the dumb things we humans do.

Photographer Chris and painter Robin Rohwer share a painting or photograph each week that captured their interest in hopes that it will also capture yours. They have a small studio and gallery in the Phoenix Building at 418 South Gay Street where you can stop and see their work. Their website is www.ChristopherRobinArts.com. All works are copyright protected.

Follow KnoxTNToday on Facebook and Instagram.   Get all KnoxTNToday articles in one place with our Free Newsletter.