Not sure the Great Smokey Mt Park is as safe a bear zone as you are stating. Seems that black bears are causing quite a bit of trouble there over in the last few years. Here are a few examples:I live less than 3 hours south of Smoky Mt National Park. It has the highest concentration on black bear in the East, probably the country. It also has the most visitors of any National Park in the country. Nothing else comes close. The bears there are not hunted and rarely cause problems. There has been 1 death, about 10 years ago, in the history of the park.
They have few bear problems there because proper safety is stressed by park rangers. They agressevely go after folks who violate rules pertaining to bear safety.
I also hike and camp there regularly as well as in areas with high concentrations of bear in East TN, West NC and N GA. I also hunt extensively in the N GA mountains where we have a 3 month long bear season. There are fewer bear, and they are hunted, yet we have more bear/human problems here.
I know of one problem bear several years ago here in Ga that never hurt anyone, but would steal packs right off hikers backs. Did this seveal times and destroyed several backpackers tents when no one was in them. The problem was traced to backpackers leaving food out for it to get better photos. Once it learned how to get easy food it went after it.
This was on National Forest, not a park. The bear was caught, tagged, released and that section of forest closed until hunting season. The bear was killed by a hunter. Had it survived hunting season the plan was for DNR Rangers to kill it after hunting season.
I still believe that almost all bear attacks are ultimately caused by poor decisions made by humans. Almost all attacks like the one in the OP are done by very young, very small bears that have recently been chased off by their mothers. They are having a hard time surviving and are still learning not to mess with humans.
Most of these small bears are easily discouraged if you understand what they are doing and why. Even without a weapon most adult males could fight one off enough to stop an attack. The bear is stronger than you, but he doesn't know that. Usually throwing rocks and acting agressively will encourage one of these young cubs to look for food elsewhere.
I'd just as soon camp in a tent. In fact most of the places where I camp there is no other option. I cannot carry a camper on a trail. If a bear really wants you they have no trouble breaking into a hard sided camper or even you car. I'll post this link again if you doubt me.
http://www.google.com/search?q=bear..._pw.r_qf.&fp=89785d729b6a246c&biw=837&bih=389
Great Smoky Camping Areas Closed On Account Of Bears
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/06/27/great-smoky-camping-areas_0_n_1630057.html
Bear mauls 8-year-old boy in Smoky Mountains
Rangers later kill animal matching description of one in attack
http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/2615547...s--year-old-boy-smoky-mountains/#.UGYUHRxQlqw
Black Bear Attacks Great Smoky Mountains National Park Visitor on Popular Hiking Trail as Horrified Crowd Watches Helpless in Disbelief.
http://yoursmokies.blogspot.com/2010/05/black-bear-attacks-great-smoky.html
Bear breaks in car at clingmans dome, smoky mountains, TN
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fBnGe9HDGBI
Once again, no problem understanding what a bear can do to a car or an RV, but it does offer much more protection than hanging out in a flimsy tent especially those that have an attached floor making it a trap if the bear collapses it and drags it off as is part of their behavior patterns.
Once again, lots of folks up here in Idaho that no longer venture out in tents any longer with the observation that the bears are more aggressive than in the past. If you are going to camp in a tent, take the proper precautions.