3 Places You’re Most Likely to Encounter a Bear in Pennsylvania This Fall

cubs. There have been no attacks or other incidents involving bears in this park in recent years. Therefore you should be safe to explore the park as long as you keep your distance from bears and follow the safety guidelines.
Pocono Mountains
The Pocono Mountains are heavily wooded providing good habitat for bears.
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The Pocono Mountains cover 2000 square miles in northeastern Pennsylvania. The area is heavily wooded and contains numerous lakes. The Poconos are a popular tourist destination offering campgrounds hiking trails ski resorts train tours water parks and many other outdoor activities. They are also home to lots of wildlife. In addition to black bears there are squirrels deer raccoons foxes newts toads and a wide variety of birds including bald eagles.
The Poconos are home to a large concentration of Pennsylvanias black bear population. Some of these bears especially those living near campgrounds or residential areas have become accustomed to human presence. This can cause problems when these bears decide to scavenge for human food. In September 2023 a man was clawed by a bear in the Poconos as he tried to herd the animal away from a cookout. The man was not seriously hurt and the bear was spared because the attack was provoked and because there were no DNA samples with which to track the bear. In the past however there have been more serious or repeated attacks that led to the bear being killed. That is why avoiding feeding bears is an important matter of safety for humans and bears alike.
Allegheny National Forest
The Allegheny National Forest has great views with brilliant colors in the fall.
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The Allegheny National Forest is a 514029acre forest located on the Allegheny Plateau in northwestern Pennsylvania. It offers outdoor recreation including biking camping hiking canoeing and kayaking and OffHighway Vehicle OHV riding. It is also an important home for wildlife including 50 species of mammals 200 species of birds 25 species of amphibians 20 species of reptiles 80 species of fishes and 25 species of freshwater mussels. Some of these species include black bears whitetailed deer gray foxes wild turkeys squirrels chipmunks redbacked salamanders wood frogs beavers raccoons ruffed grouse rattlesnakes snowshoe hares river otters bald eagles ospreys hawks owls warblers finches orioles swallows thrushes sparrows chickadees and hummingbirds.
The Allegheny National Forest has a thriving population of black bears. It is possible to observe these bears from a safe distance while
hiking the forests trails or driving on its scenic roads. In 2022 there were numerous reports of bears at campsites in the Allegheny National Forest. Therefore if you camp in the area be sure to follow safety guidelines. Bears can be dangerous but they can also be fascinating creatures to observe in nature.