If you're heading to the Smokies soon to check out the fall foliage or enjoy the cooler weather, you might get stuck in some traffic.
There is a lot of wildlife activity going on in the park with elk mating season and black bears eating to prepare for the winter, and visitors are stopping to watch, the Great Smoky Mountains National Park said in a Facebook post.
The park posted a reminder to visitors to keep yourself, other parkgoers and the animals safe when viewing wildlife.
If you want to stop and watch, here is what the park said you should do.
- Be aware of your surroundings. The park said all animals there are wild, and they could see you or your pet as a threat.
- Pull off the main road to let other visitors pass.
- Stay in or near your car.
- Give elk and bears 50 yards, or half a football field, of space. The park said this is the law, and if an animal stops feeding or changes their behavior, you are too close.
- Do not feed any animals. The park said it causes major harm and can lead to illness or death of the animal.