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Dwarf Iris and Chickweed by Gary Suddath

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Townsend Spring Festival April 30 and May 1
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White Oak Sink by Terry Maddox

Bring the family and enjoy bluegrass music, arts and crafts, BBQ, Appalachian skills, and the beauty of the Smokies in the springtime.

You'll love the clogging demonstrations and instruction, wildflower walks, garden tours, Scottish music, bee hive observation, moonshine still, basket making, and much more.  Click here to see all the details.

Cades Cove Loop and Great Loop Tour
cades cove reopen

The newly repaved Cades Cove Loop Road has reopened on a normal sunrise-sunset schedule. For a video tour of Cades Cove, click here.

With the opening of Cades Cove Loop Road, the one way Parson Branch Road will also be open.

However, travelers who plan to exit the Cove onto Parson Branch Road must be aware that at its intersection with Route 129 they will only be allowed to travel south into North Carolina because a rockslide on Route 129 prevents travelers from heading north into Tennessee.

So this "back way" out of the park is a Great Loop Tour for adventurous travelers.
Watching the Fireflies at Elkmont
Early Reminder:  transportation for the Elkmont Firefly Event will be running from June 5-13.

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Bee in flight by Bobby McFadden
New Products
New T-Shirt Design:National Park Sign

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Junior Ranger Vest
650561

Ranger Up!  Book
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Quarter Map for Adult Collectors
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Colorful Quarter Map for Kids
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Click on the link to check out all our New Items.

Our New Business Members
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A Walk in the Woods

4413 Scenic Drive East
Gatlinburg TN 37738
tel: 865.436.8283 Erik and Vesna Plakanis
email:
[email protected]
www.awalkinthewoods.com

Below you will find several new GSMA Business Members who support our park. Please visit them when you're in the area. They, as well as our individual members, support the Great Smoky Mountains National Park by being members of GSMA.
 
You can see all of GSMA's Business Members by clicking on Our Business Members. To see the discounts offered to GSMA members, go to our website and click on Discounts & Freebies. Then pick your favorite category and shop.

If you own a business and would like to be included in this newsletter and our website, contact Westy Fletcher at 423.487.3131 or [email protected]

Joseph Construction

115 Allensville Road
Suite #100
Sevierville TN 37876
tel: 865.428.7900 Jim Arwood or Lisa McCoy
email: [email protected]
www.josephconst.com

Jonathan's

733 Parkway
Gatlinburg TN 37738
tel: 865.436.3179 Deborah Fleming
email: [email protected]
www.jonathansgatlinburg.com

Folkmanis Puppets

1219 Park Avenue
Emeryville CA 94608
tel: 800.654.9822 John Canelake
email: [email protected]
www.folkmanis.com

The Pin Center

8525 Edna Avenue
Las Vegas NV 89117
tel: 800.553.9490 David Pearce
email: [email protected]
www.pincenter.com

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Pink Dogwood by James McAdams
Reward Yourself -- Hike the Smokies Challenge
Fun and Healthy!

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Cascade near Oconaluftee by Scott Hotaling

Do you need a little motivation to get out and enjoy the great outdoors? A new program, "Reward Yourself - Hike the Smokies Challenge" in 2010, in Great Smoky Mountains National Park will help visitors reach individual milestones. The pocket-size booklets will be available at Sugarlands, Cades Cove, and Oconaluftee visitor centers for $1.00.

The challenge is to keep track and record the mileage from each trail excursion, even if it is the same trail day after day. As a recreational benefit, when a person has "hiked" 100 miles, 250 miles, and 500 miles, he/she can bring their mileage record to one of the three visitor centers to receive a mileage pin and be recorded in the "Hike the Smokies" 2010 web records.
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A 3-minute video podcast, Day Hiking in the Smokies: Expect the Unexpected, will help visitors prepare for the weather extremes that can be found in the Smokies during a day hike. Two additional video podcasts are being developed in this series for release this summer and fall that
will provide additional tips on hiking safety in the Smokies.

"Day hiking in the Smokies is a good way to get exercise while also discovering the beauty of this area," said Park Superintendent Dale Ditmanson. He continued, "With over 800 miles of scenic trails to choose from, the possibilities for day hikes are endless."

This project was made possible in part by a grant from the National Park Foundation through the generous support of The Coca-Cola Foundation, a Proud Partner of America's National Parks, and in cooperation with Great Smoky Mountains Association and Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

GSMNP Bat Tests Positive for White Nose Syndrome Fungus
All Park Caves Remain Closed

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Biologists at Great Smoky Mountains National Park have received confirmation that one Little Brown bat collected from its hibernating refuge in the Park's White Oak Blowhole cave tested positive for Geomyces destructans [the fungus and the presumptive causative agent of White Nose Syndrome (WNS)]. White Oak Blowhole cave contains the largest known Indiana bat hibernacula in Tennessee.

The Indiana bat is a federally listed endangered species which has seen declines in the Northeastern U.S. due to WNS. White Nose Syndrome has killed in excess of 90% of the bats in many of the caves and mines in the Northeast, and is just now showing up in the Southeast.

Park Wildlife Biologist, Bill Stiver said, "We closed all of the Park's 17 caves and two mine complexes to any public entry a year ago to prevent the possible importation of the WNS pathogen on visitor's clothing or gear, but scientists have confirmed that bat-to-bat transmission of the fungus occurs. We take this very seriously because national parks are often the primary refuge that endangered species can count on for protection."

Stiver emphasized that the Park's caves would remain closed and Rangers would increase their enforcement to reduce the likelihood that visitors might transport the WNS pathogen to uninfected colonies either in the Park or elsewhere. Violators face fines of up to six months in jail or $5,000.

"While a lot of people may misunderstand and even dislike bats," Stiver said, "they may be hugely important in controlling the population of many insect pests. We are very concerned about the potential decline of bats from both an ecological and human health standpoint."

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Photo by Joyce Felzke


For an up-to-date list of flowers and trees in bloom in the park, click here.

Horace Kephart Days Celebration
Lots of Fun in Bryson City, NC

kephartApril 30 - May 2, 2010
This second annual special event celebrates the life and works of author and national park advocate Horace Kephart. It's sponsored by the Swain County Chamber of Commerce, Horace Kephart Foundation, Great Smoky Mountains Association, and Great Smoky Mountains National Park. All events are free and open to the public and all are invited.

Friday, April 30: Meet for breakfast at the Everett Street Diner at 7:15 am. Meet at 8:30 am at the Deep Creek parking lot for an NPS guided 5-mile round trip nature hike. Bring a snack, camera, water, etc. At 7:00 pm at the Arts Center in Bryson City there will be a special illustrated program on Horace Kephart and George Masa and a major announcement relating to their works. There will be speakers, music, photos, and a reception.


Saturday, May 1: There will be a Ceremony at the Cemetery at 10 am. Then starting at 12 noon at the Train Depot there will be music with Daniel Gore and friends, a camping reenactment, music with Lee Knight, and a Kephart Family Book Signing with GSMA Book and photo sales. Bring a lawn chair.

Sunday, May 2: At the Historic Calhoun House there will be Cherokee Storytelling with Freeman Owle at 9:30 am and music by Lee Knight.

For more information go to www.horacekephart.com

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Two deer jumping a fence in Cades Cove by Ray Morton.

Gift Memberships


Give a membership in Great Smoky Mountains Association for a present.  Not only does the recipient receive a variety of benefits, including the Smokies Guide newspaper, Bearpaw newsletter, and Smokies Life magazine, and a 15% discount on merchandise, but there's the added benefit of knowing you're helping the park!

And of course, if we're given the recipient's e-mail address they can look forward to receiving the Cub Report e-newsletter, just like the one you're reading now ... full of good articles, information, photos, and wonderful videos to help them enjoy the Smokies even when it's impossible for them to visit in person!

Gift memberships are great for events like birthdays, anniversaries, and other special occasions.  No shopping, no wrapping, no mailing!  Just a thoughtful and useful gift straight from your heart to theirs.
Contact [email protected]
Any Questions?
For questions about online purchases, click here and Doug will help you.
For questions about membership, click here and Judy or Marti will help you.

For questions about business membership, click here and Westy will help you.