FANNIN COUNTY, Ga. — Heads up, hikers. The USDA Forest Service is shutting down a camping shelter along the popular Appalachian Trail for the next couple of weeks.
Officials say bears in the area of the Springer Mountain Shelter in Blue Ridge are getting bolder toward hikers and campers.
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Because of their increased activity, the shelter will be closed until June 26 while the Georgia Department of Natural Resources assesses the situation.
“Public safety is our highest priority. The Forest Service is working closely with Georgia DNR to monitor bear activity and implement necessary safety measures,” officials wrote.
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The shelter is located near the Appalachian Trail, which stretches nearly 2,200 miles from Springer Mountain in north Georgia to Mount Katahdin in Maine.
The Appalachian Trail Conservancy says that more than 3 million people visit sections of the trail every year, and more 3,000 people will attempt to hike all 2,197.4 miles.
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