Looking to make that picturesque leaf season drive on the Blue Ridge Parkway? You may not be able to. A portion of the scenic Blue Ridge Parkway is closed for the immediate foreseeable future just north of Asheville. The popular drive will be closed from mile 367.6 near the Craggy Gardens Picnic Area to milepost 375.6 at Ox Creek Road. The closure is for the immediate future with no reopening date set as of now. The closer is due to reports of visitors approaching, feeding, and even holding a young bear. Lane Pinnacle Overlook is the area in which the bear has been sighted. Humans should never interact with wild animals as they can be dangerous and unpredictable.
“We are closing this section of the road temporarily for the safety of both the bear and park visitors,” said Superintendent Tracy Swartout in a Facebook post. “When people intentionally attract bears with trash and food it can lead to very dangerous situations. In this instance, we want to give the bear a chance to lose interest in the area before the situation escalates and visitors or the bear are harmed.”
Can You Guess the Most Dangerous Animals in North Carolina?
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