The Bear Truth about Riding in the Smokies
by Janine Wilder

It was early evening on a lovely April day when my husband Jim and I-and our faithful Paso Finos, Max and Smoke-encountered wildlife in its truest form. On what was an easy stretch back to camp, we chatted some but mainly let the forest do the talking. With a gentle breeze tickling the new leaves, birds singing and fluttering high in the branches, and the delightful fragrance of mountain laurel and rhododendron filling the crisp air, it was hard to get a word in edgewise. The forest had our full attention; that is, until we noticed a hiker coming up the mountain. From a half mile or so up trail, we thought something about the hiker's apparel seemed odd. Yet, mindful of today's ever-changing trends, we held back our opinions of the man's apparent nude-toned, Lycra suit.

Only after Max and Smoke closed the gap on trail did we realize the hiker was flaunting a completely different suit-his birthday suit, actually. After spotting us moving his way, he quickly pulled shorts from his fanny pack. Then, in an awkward dance of sorts, he bent over, pulled the shorts up each leg, and cinched the tie at his waist-just in time for our meeting. Whew! That's one bit of nature I'd rather leave a mystery.

Surprisingly, the gentleman, who was certainly old enough to know better, seemed unfazed by his nakedness. So much so, he didn't hesitate to stop and ask us for directions. "Unbelievable!" I thought as we trotted away.

Our brazen nudist certainly put a different slant on the traditional "bear" encounter in the Smokies. Bear encounters of the black, furry, four-legged kind are more common in these parts. In fact, an estimated 1,600 black bears live in the national park.

Seeing a bear in the wild-off in the distance from the security of horseback-can be an amazing thrill. But these feisty fellas are not the nicest of dinner guests. If you follow the park's rules and respect the bears' domain, then you should have no problems. Sadly, many folks don't adhere to the rules. Even if only for a few minutes, leaving groceries, coolers, and stoves outside is like sending an engraved invitation for the bears to wreak havoc at your camp.

Our friends Sally and John know all too well how quickly these bandits move. They accidentally left a cooler and some food out when they first arrived. Since we'd arrived a day earlier, they wanted to say hello before unpacking, so they came over to our trailer for a quick chat. Not even 10 minutes later, we wandered back to discover the cooler tossed amid a mess of claw marks and food packages.

Then again, it's not always about food. Bears are curious creatures by nature, and sometimes, they just want to be social. On a previous trip, when Jim and I stayed at the same camp, we left our trailer to walk over to Max and Smoke at the tie-stalls. We barely stepped onto the path before noticing a mama black bear and her cub strolling through camp, right for us. We quickly and calmly, as recommended by the park's rules, retreated to our camper and watched the pair from the window. And you know what? This time, the bears didn't stay long or bother anything. I guess you can't blame a gal for wanting to show off her baby at the local hot spot.

Back in the day, when Jim and I lived in North Carolina's Appalachia region, we seized every opportunity to visit Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The attraction is obvious. After all, it's home to naked hikers, black bears, and some of the oldest mountains in the world. Straddling the border between Tennessee and North Carolina, the park encompasses over 800 square miles in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Even now, from my home in Utah, I long for rides through this majestic region.

Few national parks accommodate riders with a selection of drive-in horse camps-five in all-for easy access to backcountry horse trails. Even fewer open up nearly 70 percent of their hiking trails to horses. In Great Smoky Mountain National Park, about 550 of the 800 miles of trails are open to riders.

The spring and fall climate are best for enjoying this riders' paradise. The fall colors of the hardwoods' leaves are an exceptional treat from Blue Ridge Parkway-and even more spectacular from the undisturbed backcountry. Yet, the wildflower blossoms and aromatic rhododendron, mountain laurel thickets and azalea patches make springtime a treat for the senses.

Whether you choose to camp, pack into the backcountry, or rent a horse at one of the park's stables, you won't be disappointed by this sublime country. But don't take my word for it. Just ask the roughly nine million visitors every year who make GSM America's most visited national park. Heck, even the United Nations praised the region for its beauty and biological diversity by naming the park an International Biosphere Reserve. Don't be put off by the fuss or crowds, though. Since most of that traffic comes from folks driving along the scenic byways, the backcountry remains relatively untrammeled.

With our trailer set-up, we tend to do more camping than backcountry. Our favorite camp is Cataloochee on the North Carolina side, a primitive campground with an adjacent stream and sites tucked away in the trees and mountain flora. More trails leave from Cataloochee than any of the other horse camps. It doesn't matter which trail you take because they all traverse equally stunning areas of rolling countryside, rich in southern heritage and sprinkled with historic buildings. Farm houses, barns, wells, schools, churches, and grist mills invite riders to get down off the saddle and take a walk through the past.

Still wanting more? Climb high enough in the early morning, and you just might catch the classic, postcard view of the Smokies-a thick mist clinging to the seemingly endless forested ridges and deep, stream-laced valleys. To me, it's when the Smokies really bare their true colors. It's simply breathtaking.

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