Don’t feed the bears. Definitely don’t try to cuddle with young black bears. It can be bad for your health, and for the bears. But some people did not get that memo.

The National Parks Service is shutting down a popular section of the Blue Ridge Parkway near Asheville. There have been “multiple documented reports of visitors feeding and attempting to hold a young bear in recent weeks,” the Parks Service said. 

The Parkway is closed from milepost 367.6 at Craggy Gardens, northeast of Asheville, south to milepost 375.6 at the Ox Creek Road entrance. The Parks Service shut down the section Monday and it will be closed until further notice. 

The Craggy Gardens visitor center at milepost 364.5 is also closed. 

The National Parks Service shared this photo of people getting close to a young bear recently at the Lane Pinnacle Overlook on the Blue Ridge Parkway. (Courtesy NPS)

“We are closing this section of the road temporarily for the safety of both the bear and park visitors,” said Park Superintendent Tracy Swartout.

“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,” Swartout said. 

People can still get to the Craggy Gardens recreational area by taking N.C. 80 from the north, the Parks Service said. 

“Fall is a critical time of year for bears. Between September and November bears may forage for food up to 20 hours a day as they attempt to put on weight for the winter and hibernation,” the Parks Service said. That means bears are out looking for food and will take the opportunity to eat people food when they get it.

This time of year, bears are in what’s called “hyperphagia,” when they fatten up before hybernating for the winter.

“Even bears that won’t hibernate until December still industriously look for food practically around the clock and eat as much as they can find. For a bear, there’s no such thing as ‘too fat.’ All those pounds of fat reserves will keep bears healthy all winter long,” according to BearWise, a black bear education site supported by the Association of Fish and Wildlife Agencies.

For more tips on coexisting safely with bears, see the BearWise site.