Bear Encounters Prompt Campground Closings

Two North Carolina campgrounds are closed due to ongoing encounters between humans and bears.  The US Forest service in North Carolina says Shining Rock Wilderness and Graveyard fields will be closed to disperse camping until further notice. The agency will monitor the areas to determine when it is safe to reopen the areas.  Last Monday night, a bear damaged a tent.  Two people were in the tent at the time, but no one was injured.  The encounter is the latest in a series of bear encounters in the past several weeks.  The public is asked to call the Pisgah Ranger District for more information.