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Bear collides with hiker on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina

By Ben Hooper
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Aug. 6 (UPI) -- A hiker on the Appalachian Trail in North Carolina had an unusual encounter with a bear that dashed across the trail and knocked her over.

Great Smoky Mountains National Park officials said the woman was hiking on a section of the Appalachian Trail near Camel Gap when she was knocked over by a bear running across the trail.

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The woman, who was not injured, told rangers the bear was not acting aggressively and apparently bumped into her accidentally.

GSMNP spokeswoman Dana Soehn said it is common for bears to run across the trail, but it's unusual for the animals to collide with hikers.

A Colorado woman hiking the Coast Mountains, near Whistler, British Columbia, had a scary bear encounter last week when an animal charged at her while she was taking photos of the landscape.

Sherry Moore said she was able to drive the bear away by standing her ground and making intimidating sounds at the predator until it fled.

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