Once again our New Member Contest was a big hit in March! Our ranks grew by 50+ members this month. The winner of the limited-edition Kephart Knife was Jolanda Jansma of Maryville, Tenn. Congratulations, Jolanda! 

With spring upon us, another of our business members has stepped up with an extra special gift.... $220 toward a cabin rental from Mountain Rentals of Gatlinburg.

Click HERE to learn how to enter our contest.

With shrinking federal funding of national parks, now more than ever Your Smokies Needs You! Become a new member during our anniversary year, and we'll "sweeten" the takeaway. Along with our monthly New Member Contests, we will upgrade 10 memberships to LIFETIME status at year's end.

Just think - lifetime benefits could be yours for showing your support. Please JOIN US today. And Thank You!

"A horse is a horse, of course," and few places provide visitors a real working-horse experience like the Smokies. For example, most people are familiar with driving, biking and hiking the park's Cades Cove area, but discovering the Cove on horseback is another way to go, whether you prefer your derrière in a saddle or on a hay-covered wagon bottom.

"We have 55 horses, and each one is special," said Ronnie Lee, general manager of the Cades Cove Riding Stables, who considers his animals "park ambassadors."

"We get people here from all over the world who want to ride horses. It's nice to talk to them while they're waiting for their rides," he said. "When you meet people from Russia, China, Japan, England, Germany, you know the world over appreciates the Smokies."

Seeing the park through the visitors' eyes is a daily job reward, Lee said. "People who come here for the first time are astonished at how beautiful it is. They are amazed by how plentiful the deer and turkey are."

It's important for people to know a few things before heading to the stables, though. First, you must be 6 years of age or older to ride, no experience is necessary, and the bears are not let out of cages at a certain time every day, Lee said.

"We have to grin a little when people ask that about the bears," he said. "We're sure to tell everyone that the wildlife here is just that - 'wild.'"

For more about how you and your family can experience the Smokies from atop a horse or in the back of a wagon, pick up a Smokies Guide park newspaper or click HERE.

To learn more about the safe way to view wildlife in the park, click HERE.   

GSMA won first place awards for the Bearpaw newsletter and "Passing it On" digital media project at the APPL Media & Partnership competition in the Informational Publications and Education categories.

The Association also won a remarkable number of honorable mentions for Family Fun book, Smokies Guide, GSM Video Sampler, Kephart knife, Smokies Life magazine, and Hike the Smokies-For Families. Congratulations to all involved!     

Bet you didn't know this, but when you become a GSMA member, you automatically earn discounts at most other APPL member organizations. That's right, your GSMA membership includes reciprocal discounts at 80+ public land associations across the country. Discounts vary from association to association and proof of membership may be required for discounted purchases.

Click HERE for the APPL member list, with discounts. Click HERE to start your gateway membership with GSMA today.