Black Bears of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The most famous animal in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the black bear.
Many people come to the smokies to see black bears.
There are many places in the park where you can enjoy the bears from the safety of your automobile. It is very common to see them while driving through the park. The two best locations in the park to get a close look at the bears are Cades Cove and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. The best time of day to see these wonderful creatures is early in the morning or late in the afternoon. Bears are not true hibernators but they do take naps during the day in the forest or up in a tree.