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Park Traffic Tweets
Deer checking Cades Cove traffic by Cherie Reeves
If you're planning on driving in the area, be sure and check park road conditions via Twitter
Follow GSMA on Twitter too. 
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Enjoy Park Photos
Cades Cove Turkey by Brian Shults
Join 138,000 fans on Facebook
You don't need to register with Facebook or give out any information to view over 5,000 photos of the park.
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Mingus Mill Turns 125
 Mingus Mill by Deb Campbell
The historic mill turns 125 years old this year!
If you haven't stopped by this working gristmill lately you are missing out. The two story historic mill has all sorts of nifty features like conveyor belts and flour sifters operated by the musical waters of Mingus Creek.
Ask for a special tour of the second floor. Corn meal and wheat flour are available. Open 7 days a week one-half mile north of Oconaluftee Visitor Center on U.S. 441 (Newfound Gap Road).
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Visit Us At Dollywood
And Clingmans Dome!
Stop by Ranger Rob's and say hello to Kim Romano (left) and Deborah Williams (right), sales assistants at our store in Dollywood!
Our new Clingmans Dome Store will reopen on March 29.
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Business Members
Smoky Mountain Angler
466 Brookside Village Way
In Winery Square
Gatlinburg TN 37738
tel: 865.436.8746
email:
smokymtnangler@aol.com
www.smokymountainangler.com
Smoky Mountain Angler is Gatlinburg's trout fishing headquarters. Only minutes away from wild mountain streams or locally stocked waters, we have everything you need to get you on your way. Smoky Mountain Angler is a complete fly shop, professional guide service, and TWRA license agent. We also have rental equipment for both fly and conventional fishing and the best selection of local and commercially tied flies around. So whether you are a seasoned angler needing just a few things or a beginner needing to be outfitted from the ground up - stop by and see us. Come as a customer - leave as a friend. Tight Lines! Members in good standing of the GSMA are offered a 10% savings on supplies and services. You can see all of GSMA's Business Members by clicking here.To see the discounts offered to GSMA members, go to our website and click here.
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 Westy@GSMAssoc.org
Holiday Inn Club Vacations Smoky Mountains Resort
404 Historic Nature Trail - Airport Road
Gatlinburg TN 37738
tel: 866.345.3966
email:
etreadway@holidayinnclub.com
www.holidayinn.com/hotels/us/en/
gatlinburg/glbcv/hoteldetail
Buie Pottery
1360 East Parkway
Gatlinburg TN 37738
tel: 865.436.3504
email: mail@buiepottery.com
www.buiepottery.com
The Peddler and Park Grill Steakhouses
1110 Parkway
Gatlinburg TN 37738
tel: Corp. 865.436.3800 ext: 103
email:
caroline@peddlerparkgrill.com
www.peddlerparkgrill.com |
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Kephart Days
April 29-May 1
Enjoy the Horace Kephart Days Celebration!
Schedule of Events:
Friday, April 29
Meet at Fontana Marina, travel via pontoon across Fontana, then hike to Hazel Creek, where we will visit the site of Horace Kephart's cabin. Guide: Lance Holland
Time and cost to be determined.
Friday evening
Meet and greet at the Historic Calhoun Inn, Everett Street
Saturday, April 30
Breakfast at the Historic Calhoon
Ceremony at Hillside Cemetery where Horace Kephart is buried
Riverfront Park, Mitchell Street, Bryson City
Schiele Museum Camping Interpretation Team
Music by Daniel Gore and Friends
Lee Knight
Speakers: Bob Plott, George Ellison, Janet McCue, George Frizzell, Steve Kemp, Terry Maddox, Libby Kephart Hargrave, and others.
Sunday, May 1
Breakfast at the Historic Calhoon Inn. Guest Speaker to be announced
For more information, visit www.horacekephart.com
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Music of the Mountains
April 8-10
Great Smoky Mountains National Park will host the 7th annual "Music of the Mountains" celebration from April 8-10.
This year Dr. Ted Olson will share his repertoire of old-time music and talk about recordings made in the Park in 1939, recently published on CD by GSMA as Old Time Smoky Mountain Music.
Schedule of Events:
April 8 - Great Smoky Mountain Heritage Center, Townsend Admission: $5
7 pm - Celtic Music by "The Good Times Ceilidh Band"; come early to enjoy Art on the Porch with members of the Townsend Artisan's Guild
April 9 - Sugarlands Visitor Center, Great Smoky Mountains National Park Admission is free
10 am- Mountain Strings
11 am - Boogertown Gap Band
12 pm - Tony Thomas
1 pm - The Roan Mountain Hilltoppers
2 pm - Ted Olson
3 pm - The Roan Mountain Hilltoppers
4 pm - Brien Fain
April 10 - Smoky Mountain Visitor Center, Cosby Admission: $4
2 pm-4 pm - Heritage, harps and hymns - traditional offerings from Cocke County
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Wildflowers of the Smokies Quiz!
Win Cool Prizes
Photo of Showy Orchis near Tremont by Vicki Watlington
Test your knowledge of wildflowers in the Smokies by taking our Wildflowers of the Smokies Quiz. The first person to answer all 12 questions correctly will win a copy of the book "Wildflowers of the Smokies" and 5 packages of Wildflower Seeds of the Great Smoky Mountains containing 1 each of Evening Primrose, Blue-eyed Grass, Wild Red Columbine, and 2 of Butterfly Flower! |
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You're Invited to a Party!
Fun Reception for "Smokies Life" Magazine
GSMA members, look for your next issue of Smokies Life Magazine in late April. This installment will include features on Glenn Cardwell: The Squire of Greenbrier, Smoky Mountain Medicine Women, and some very strange encounters of the swine and Ursus kind on Hooper Bald.
Come meet the writers, designers, photographers, editors, and others behind Smokies Life magazine. This year's annual reception will be held on April 28 from 5:00 to 7:15 p.m. at Mills Conference Center on Airport Road-Historic Nature Trail in downtown Gatlinburg.
The event is free and part of the annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage described in the article below. To sign up, visit www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org.
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New Visitor Center Opening at Oconaluftee!
First Visitor Center 100% Funded by Park Partners
 The gorgeous, brand new, Oconaluftee Visitor Center and history museum opens Friday, April 1 (no joke!).
We can't tell you how much you're going to enjoy the new museum exhibits, the bookstore, the orientation area, and porches. You'll just have to come and see for yourself.
Hours are 8:00 - 6:00 and it's located two miles north of Cherokee, NC on U.S. 441 (Newfound Gap Road).
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| Special Program
Naturalist Bartram | 
Highlights of this year's Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage will include two programs based on the life of naturalist William Bartram, presented by actor J.D. Sutton. The first will be the opening luncheon program, "Why Bartram Matters", at which Sutton will provide an overview of Bartram's life and accomplishments. Bartram (1739-1823) was an American naturalist who, in 1773, embarked on a four-year journey through eight southern colonies, taking notes and making many drawings of the native flora and fauna and Native Americans. His wanderings resulted in his book "Travels." In 1803 Thomas Jefferson asked Bartram to join Lewis & Clark on their exploration of the Louisiana Territory during which he recorded many botanical observations. Along with his brother John they established the first nursery in the U.S. and printed the first plant catalog. Although not well known in American history, Bartram explored more of America than any other scientist of his time. Mark the dates: the opening luncheon will be on Wednesday, April 27, at 11:30 am. Please visit www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org for fee and registration information. On the evening of April 27, at 7:30, Sutton will appear as Bartram in full period dress in a program entitled "An Encounter with William Bartram." The evening program is FREE and OPEN TO THE PUBLIC. Both programs will be held at Mills Conference Center, Gatlinburg. |
Photo of Deer in Cades Cove by Christine Rich Romano Enjoy a terrific series of photos of a deer encounter in Cades Cove by Christine Rich Romano. |
| 61st Annual Spring Wildflower Pilgrimage
Mills Center Gatlinburg | 
Beginning April 26 and ending May 1, Great Smoky Mountains National Park will be a refuge for pilgrims who look forward to surrounding themselves with Nature's beauty. When the evenings still have a touch of crispness about them, and the days are getting warmer, those wonderful, tantalizing wildflowers burst forth in all their glory... from under withered leaves and by mountain streams. They sparkle in dappled sunlight and their roots soak up the Spring rain. Birds will sing and mountain rivulets will gurgle as folks work their way up and down trails, pausing every so often to revel in the splendor that only Spring provides! Every day has something to offer participants, starting with the Opening Luncheon... then on to educational easy walks or more strenuous hikes. For those physically challenged or for when the weather doesn't cooperate, there are always indoor offerings... from programs covering a diverse range of topics, to visiting exhibitors offering a wide range of arts and crafts. And you won't want to miss the large variety of plants that will be for sale! If you're not too tired after a day on the trail there are indoor programs on Wed., Thurs., and Fri. evenings, plus special events like the Smokies Life Magazine Reception, complete with hors d'oeuvres, and the Photography Awards Ceremony. To obtain more information on this much anticipated event, and to register, visit the website: www.springwildflowerpilgrimage.org. The mountains are calling! Come join us!
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| Best Wildflower Walks Video
Cove Hardwood Nature Trail Recommended | 
GSMA videographer, Valerie Polk, at work Wildflowers in Bloom The peak of spring woodland wildflowers will likely happen from April 7-17 this year. We already are seeing hepatica, trillium, violets, and lots and lots of bloodroot. Of course flowers will be peaking at the higher elevations later in the month. With all the rain we've received this year, this year's show should be a doozy! Suggested wildflower walk: Check out the trillium and phacelia on the Cove Hardwood Nature Trail. The trail starts from Chimneys Picnic Area. Or, if you can't visit the park right now, enjoy Valerie's video filmed on the trail in early April of last year: Cove Hardwood Nature Trail. Migratory Birds in the Area Spring migratory birds are arriving in the Smokies every day. We've already welcomed the Louisiana Waterthrush, Black and White Warbler, Yellow-throated Warbler, and Blue-headed Vireo. During the first two weeks of April, dozens of more species will arrive. We congratulate all these new arrivals on their successful flights from Central America and other southern wintering grounds. Trees in Bloom Redbud and red maple trees are now in bloom and dogwoods are coming along nicely. We are predicting a dogwood peak around the second week of April. Silverbell trees should be in bloom shortly thereafter. |
| Wildflower Photo Galleries
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Pink hepatica on Porters Creek Trail by Joe Strickland More great wildflower photos here and at Smoky Mountains Wildflowers. |
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Mammals Quiz
Winner! |
Answers to Last Month's Mammals of the Smokies Quiz:
1. The abundance of mammalian species found in GSMNP is one of the most diverse in North America. How many species of mammals are found within the park? - 30
- 45
- 65
- 75
- 90
2. One of the main reasons for the diversity of mammal species within the park is: - Amount of rainfall
- Wide range of elevations
- Temperature fluctuations
- Amount of moving water
- Acreage within park boundaries
3. Two mammals in the park are listed as federally endangered under the U.S.Endangered Species Act of 1973. They are: - Norway rat & Eastern fox squirrel
- Appalachian cottontail & Star-nosed mole
- Least shrew & Spotted skunk
- Carolina northern flying squirrel & Indiana bat
- Southern bog lemming & Mink
4. This species is relatively rare in the park. It is found primarily in the higher elevations in large tracts of dense forests. The young are born naked and require heat from the mother to maintain body temperature. It tends to avoid open meadows and is primarily nocturnal. It is the: - Eastern mole
- Appalachian cottontail
- Eastern fox squirrel
- Eastern spotted skunk
- Least shrew
5. This is the only marsupial found north of Mexico. It has a prehensile tail and females can have up to two litters per year with as many as 15 newborns perlitter. This mammal is the: - White-footed mouse
- Muskrat
- Raccoon
- Woodchuck
- Virginia opossum
6. Which of the following is NOT true regarding muskrats: - Largest microtine rodent in the Americas
- Can remain under water 15-20 minutes
- Can swim submerged for up to 200 feet
- Active only during the day
- Trapped air in the fur provides buoyancy and insulation
7. The smallest bat residing within the park is the: - Little brown bat
- Eastern pipistrelle
- Eastern small-footed bat
- Gray bat
- Indiana bat
8. Caves in GSMNP have been gated to protect hibernating bats. How many caves are there in GSMNP? - 3
- 7
- 9
- 12
- 15
9. This mammal mates for life and has several aquatic adaptations including nictitating membranes that protect the eyes under water, and the ability to close the nose and ears under water. - Star-nosed mole
- Water shrew
- Southern bog lemming
- Beaver
- Northern river otter
10. The elk's Shawnee name is "wapiti", meaning: - Large antlers
- White rump
- Foraging hoof
- That which butts heads
- Overseer of meadows
11. This mammal is not native to North America and was accidentally introduced into the park in the late 1940s when they escaped from a private hunting preserve in western North Carolina. - Mink
- Red fox
- Bobcat
- European wild hog
- Coyote
12. The black bear population in GSMNP is thought to be two bears per square mile, or: - 300-700 bears
- 800-1100 bears
- 1200-1400 bears
- 1400-1800 bears
- 1900-2000 bears
And the winner is: Chip Brooks, North Carolina
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| Any Questions? | For questions about online purchases, click here and the Mail Order department 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. |
Join
Us! | Become a member of Great Smoky Mountains Association today. You'll receive discounts at our park stores of up to 25% and receive premiums like Smokies Life magazine and the Bearpaw newsletter. Most importantly, you'll be helping protect nature and history in the Smokies. |
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