Bear sightings usually begin in early March, but weather conditions can delay this. Newborns and mothers remain denned until May. Cubs remain with their mothers for a year and a half. It is illegal to feed or harass any Park wildlife. They die from asphyxiation or digestive track blockages. A human-fed bear has a lifespan of only 8 years.
Bears conditioned to human food lose their natural fear of people.
Violent bears must be destroyed. Please, for their sake and yours, do not feed the bears. Although there is no one best place to see bears in the Park, Cades Cove and the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail are among the best spots to look. Bears are most active early in the morning and late in the evening. Only when between a mother and her cubs, or when dealing with a hungry, human-fed bear are they dangerous.