Are there bears in Grayson Highlands?

— Grayson Highlands State Park, managed by the Virginia Department of Conservation and Recreation, has closed Wise Shelter in response to increased bear activity in the Mount Rogers National Recreation Area. The area remains open to day use, including hiking and horseback riding.

Where are the wild ponies on the Appalachian Trail?

Grayson Highlands State Park
More than 100 wild ponies roam wild within Mount Rogers National Recreation Area and neighboring Grayson Highlands State Park in southwestern Virginia, but one in particular stands out.

Are there any wild horses in Tennessee?

Wild horses roam in Georgia, Kentucky, Mississippi, Tennessee, Florida, Maryland, Virginia and the beaches of North Carolina.

How did the ponies get to Grayson Highlands?

Before the Grayson Highlands became a state park in 1965, the mountains were covered in farmland grazed by cattle and a few ponies. In 1974, Bill Pugh and another pony owner brought 20 ponies to the park to maintain the grassy balds that were no longer being grazed.

Are there bears in Jefferson National Forest?

The George Washington and Jefferson National Forests are home to an increasing healthy population of black bears. So that visitors can enjoy the national forest, and the bears and other wildlife that make their home there, it is important that visitors follow certain guidelines regarding bears and food storage.

How did the wild ponies get to Grayson Highlands?

No trip to Grayson Highlands is complete without seeing its wild ponies. The U.S. Forest Service released the herd, which numbers about 150, into the area in 1975 to control brush growth in the area’s balds, a once heavily forested region that was cleared with extensive logging during the late 19th century.

Can you catch a wild horse?

For years, wild mustangs were rounded up and used for anything from rodeos to dog food, until a 1971 law made it illegal to kill or capture them.