Visitors from around the region come to North Carolina to see the “shadow of the bear”—an annual natural phenomenon in Jackson County. The viewing period is just once a year, between mid-October and early November, making it a fun add-on attraction for people who are already in the area to enjoy fall foliage.
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Local news reports that for about 45 minutes each day during the viewing window, the setting sun casts a shadow of Whiteside Mountain that looks like a bear on the valley below. WYFF 4 News interviewed several visitors who had come to see the bear shadow, and some reported seeing the shadow morph into different animals as the sun set.
What do you see? Would you travel to see a natural phenomenon like this?
See it happen here:
Header stock image of Whiteside Mountain by Wirestock/Getty Images