Someone had set up 2 tents along the Appalachian Trail inside the borders of the Great Smokey Mountain National Park between Ice Water Springs Shelter and Newfound Gap, a violation of park rules. Campsites along the AT in the park are limited to the shelters to concentrate hiker impact to as small an area as possible. After setting them up, the bad apples then decided to leave the tents unattended. As I hiked by, this bear was deciding to take matters into his own paws, and was at work tearing the tents apart to get whatever was inside. From about 50 feet away, I snapped a few pictures, and left him to go about his business.
Photos taken October 11, 2015.
