A stretch of the Appalachian Trail through Shenandoah National Park has been generating buzz among hikers this season, thanks to posted warnings around the Bearfence shelter area. Word among thru-hikers is to steer clear of that shelter, and camping restrictions are in effect on part of the trail: the roughly nine miles between Big Meadows Campground and Lewis Mountain Campground (heading southbound) were closed to backcountry camping while rangers manage the situation.
Two thru-hikers — one from Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and one from Dallas — passed through the area just a day before the report and came out the other side without spotting a single bear. Another hiking pair, going by Just Jim and Pulo, also made it through without incident. So while the closures and advisories sound dramatic, in practice the trail's most famous residents seem to be keeping a low profile, at least for now.
Black bears are common in Shenandoah, and the park's trail infrastructure — including shelters and nearby campgrounds like Big Meadows and Lewis Mountain — makes it one of the most accessible sections of the entire 2,190-mile AT. Closures like this are usually precautionary: if bears get comfortable around a shelter or food sources, rangers close camping in the corridor until the animals move on. Hikers typically adapt by skipping the affected shelter and adjusting their overnight stops, which is exactly what these walkers did.
And even without bears, the section delivers. The hikers reported hearing coyotes calling at dusk and again at dawn, plus plenty of Barred Owls after dark. Deer grazed right beside their tent, munching chestnuts. Add in good sunsets and some of the AT's nicer shelter setups, and it's easy to see why Shenandoah remains a favourite section for both thru-hikers and weekend walkers.
Why does this matter for a regular visitor? If you're planning to hike or camp in Shenandoah, check the park's current backcountry closures before you set your itinerary — a nine-mile no-camping stretch can completely reshuffle a multi-day plan. Carry a bear canister or know how to hang food properly, keep a clean camp, and you're very unlikely to have a problem. And if you see photos of a grizzly attached to Appalachian Trail stories, look twice: at least one circulating shot turned out to be taken on the Highline Trail in Montana's Glacier National Park, a long way north of Virginia. Shenandoah's bears are black bears only.
For day hikers and campers based out of Big Meadows, none of this changes the fundamentals: Shenandoah is one of the easiest parks in the US for wildlife watching, with deer, owls, wild turkeys and yes, black bears, all regularly seen from Skyline Drive and the trails that cross it. Treat any advisory as a nudge to be flexible, not a reason to stay home.
