Hiking and Camping in Black Bear Country
Food Storage Guidelines
The Appalachian Trail in Georgia is contained entirely within the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest. Current Forest Service regulations require that, if you are spending the night within 1,000 feet of the Appalachian Trail, you must securely store food and other animal attractants. For the latest U.S.F.S. guidance on food storage while camping in the Chattahoochee-Oconee National Forest, click here.
Due to their large appetite and opportunistic nature, black bears quickly learn where food is available. When food is not stored properly, black bears will become nuisances and may become aggressive when they think food is available.
If you are an overnight hiker on the Appalachian Trail, it is important to consider and plan for how to store food safely. Shelters along the A.T. corridor in Georgia are equipped with food storage boxes and/or bear cables, but the safest method is to store all food and smellable items in a hard-shell bear canister.