Black Bears Like Trucks Too: What Cabin Guests Should Know

I was sure Leslie left the truck door open. The muddy paw prints across the back seat said otherwise. Turns out black bears like trucks too.

The truck story

Two doors, one very curious bear

JJ here. It was one of our first visits to our Gatlinburg cabin. I walked out in the morning and saw the truck’s passenger door open. I blamed Leslie. She insisted she hadn’t touched it.

Then I looked closer. It was the back door that was open, and there were paw prints inside, going front to back. A bear had opened the front passenger door, climbed over the center armrest to check out a sweatshirt on the back seat, then opened the rear door and let itself out. Two doors, all on its own.

No damage, thankfully. But if there had been food in that truck, it would have torn it up.

Bear-smart basics

How to keep bears wild (and your truck clean)

Lock the car and close every window. The Park Service says it plainly: bears can open car doors. BearWise adds: don’t leave windows open even a crack, and take out anything with a smell. And as our truck taught us, it’s not just food: anything left in the car, even a sweatshirt, can make a bear curious enough to come in.

Trash goes in the bear-resistant bin, latched. Never leave bags, food or coolers on decks or porches, BearWise warns. Gatlinburg requires animal-resistant containers in a large zone, including properties with a city Tourist Residency Permit.

Never feed a bear. In the national park, feeding wildlife can bring fines up to $5,000 and up to six months in jail. In Gatlinburg it’s also illegal under state rules, TWRA confirms. Fed bears lose their fear of people, and that often ends badly for the bear.

Give them room. In the park, stay at least 50 yards (150 feet) from bears, or farther if your presence changes what the bear is doing.

Bear on the porch, or close by? Stay inside or keep your distance, and make sure it has a way out. Then make noise: yell, clap, bang pots, as BearWise and TWRA both advise. If one is near you outdoors, back away slowly while facing it, and never run.

Walk dogs on a leash. BearWise recommends a non-retractable leash, even between the cabin and the car, and the park requires a leash no longer than 6 feet.

Duster’s tip: the sniff test 🐻

“It wasn’t me! I was nowhere near that truck. But just so you know, my nose is way better than yours. If something in your car smells good to you, it smells like a buffet to me. Empty the car, lock it, and any bear (not me, of course) will keep walking.”

A quick note: these tips are general guidance from our experience and the agencies linked above. Always follow posted rules, park rangers, and your cabin’s own instructions.

Until next time

Enjoy them from a distance

Seeing a black bear is one of the best parts of a Smokies trip. Keep them wild, keep your car empty, and you’ll go home with a great story. Find more adventures on the blog.

JJ, Leslie & Duster

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Want to see the truck’s old parking spot? Stay at The Last Firefly in Gatlinburg, or browse all three of our cabins at thevacationsquad.hospitable.rentals.