06/11/2014 09:32 AM EDT
A mom and her cubs in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Please remember that no matter how cute they look, bears are wild animals and can be dangerous and unpredictable. Do not approach bears or allow them to approach you! This photo was taken with a telephoto lens and cropped to make the bears appear closer than they were. Please see http://www.nps.gov/grsm/naturescience/black-bears.htm bear safety information.
Photo of bears in Cades Cove by Samuel Hobbs.