Outdoor Activities

Gatlinburg Ziplines – The Ultimate Guide to Smokies Ziplines

Gatlinburg Ziplines free ticket!

If you’re feeling a bit adventurous and looking for some unique fun, ziplining might be just the activity you and your family or friends could enjoy. images courtesy of Legacy Mountain Ziplines Imagine a thick steel cable strongly anchored from higher elevation and running down above the trees to a finishing place lower down the… Read more »

Ober Mountain and the Aerial Tramway

Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway free ticket!

Ober Mountain is Gatlinburg’s own ski resort, and one of Tennessee’s top attractions. A year-round playground of mountain fun and amazing scenic views, Ober Mountain offers an adventure even getting there, on one of America’s largest Aerial Tramways. Take a free round trip on the Tramway with our compliments when you book a cabin with… Read more »

Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center – on the Quiet Side

Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center free ticket!

Smoky Mountain Outdoor Center is a one-stop shop for river tubing, bike rentals and outdoor gear – located in Townsend next to the Little River, and close to trails, biking greenways and Cades Cove in the national park. Get a Free Bike Rental AND One Free Tubing Pass, plus over $700 in other coupons, when… Read more »

Legacy Mountain Ziplines – Get a FREE Ticket to Go Ziplining

Legacy Mountain Ziplines free ticket!

Have you tried ziplining yet? Maybe it’s time, next time you’re in the area. Soaring downhill above the treetops and through the beautiful Smoky Mountain scenery – it’s so safe a child of 3 can do it, and so exhilarating that even those with a fear of heights can relax and enjoy it. The Smoky… Read more »

Gatlinburg Riding Stables – Horseback Riding in the Smokies

Gatlinburg Riding Stables

There are lots of riding stables and a wonderful variety of terrain throughout all the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains available for horseback riders visiting Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. You can pick a trail ride that suits all your family members, from youngest to eldest, many with guided tours and even dinners by a… Read more »

The Gatlinburg Trail: Beautiful, Easy & Pet Friendly

The Gatlinburg Trail

The Gatlinburg Trail is a popular hiking trail connecting Great Smoky Mountains National Park with Gatlinburg, suitable for all ages and skill levels, and accommodating pets and bicycles. Read on to discover more of what makes this trail unique. Great Views The hiking and walking trails of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are teeming… Read more »

Scenic Drives in the Smoky Mountains

Scenic Drives in the Smoky Mountains

Practically anywhere you drive in the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee is a scenic drive, but here are some of the super-scenic roadways and places to stop along those roads, for photographs and memories. Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most visited national park in the country, and some days this shows in the amount… Read more »

Foothills Parkway: A Great Scenic Drive in the Smoky Mountains

Foothills Parkway

Foothills Parkway is a national parkway that flanks Great Smoky Mountains National Park and offers superb panoramic views of the Smoky Mountains. One of the best and most recent scenic drives to appear in the Smoky Mountains is the formerly “missing link” of the Foothills Parkway that was opened in 2018. This stretch runs from… Read more »

Snow Tubing at Ober Gatlinburg: No Skills Required

Snow Tubing at Ober Gatlinburg

Ober Gatlinburg ski area, on Mt. Harrison above Gatlinburg in the Smoky Mountains, offers a fun Snow Tubing experience that’s fun for all the family, with no skills required except being able to sit on a tube – and maybe laugh – on the way down. With snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg you don’t even… Read more »

Ober Gatlinburg Freestyle Terrain Park

Ober Gatlinburg Freestyle Terrain Park

Ober Gatlinburg usually kicks off its winter ski season with special events in advance of the slopes opening. As temperatures drop on the mountain and the snow guns start laying the human-made base, waiting for the fresh powder from Mother Nature, the groomers start shaping the new snow for two special areas: the Tubing Park… Read more »

Best Hiking Trails In Gatlinburg: Favorite Hikes, Drives and Easy Walks

Rainbow Falls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is the most popular park in the nation. With more than 800 miles of trails that lead to waterfalls, stunning vistas, peaceful meadows and a diverse variety of plant and wildlife, the Park offers a vast range of hiking and viewing-point options. Here are some recommended light day-hiking trips that… Read more »

Place of a Thousand Drips: The Smoky Mountains Best Waterfall

Place of a Thousand Drips

There are only two waterfalls in all of Great Smoky Mountains National Park that you can drive to, and one of them is called Place of a Thousand Drips. This waterfall is so named because it’s a lacework of many small waterfalls rather than one big one. It’s an easily missed sight, visible towards the… Read more »

A Walk in the Woods: Smoky Mountain Guided Hiking & Nature Tours

A Walk in the Woods: Smoky Mountain Guided Hiking & Nature Tours

If you’ve tried some of the Scenic Drives & Easy Hikes we recommend, you may want to deepen your appreciation of the Smoky Mountains with more extended hiking. You can become a hiker-naturalist in an instant, with personal help from experienced guides. Book a guided tour in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with the nationally… Read more »

Fly Fishing in the Smoky Mountains

Fly Fishing in the Smoky Mountains

Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a year-round paradise for fly fishing, with more than 600 miles of streams that support wild trout. You can fly fish any time of year, in this beautiful national park, with no admission fee, and there are even some spring-fed waters that stay mild through the winter. State regulations… Read more »

Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament

Smoky Mountain Trout Tournament

UPDATE 2023: The traditional Trout Tournaments have been canceled since 2022, and currently we don’t know if they’ll come back. The City of Gatlinburg now hosts a one-day event on the first Saturday in April, fishing the many Gatlinburg waters – see our guide to What’s Happening in April. Twice a year, in the spring… Read more »

Fishing in Gatlinburg – Where to Go, What to Bring

Fishing in Gatlinburg

The Smokies are known for their native brook and brown trout, and Gatlinburg and the National Park are crawling (or should we say swimming?) with over 900 miles of rivers and streams that are just waiting for you to cast your line. Before you pack up your tackle box, however, there are local and state… Read more »

Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park

Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park

Among the most popular reasons for visiting the Great Smoky Mountains are the incredible views of the surrounding area and the chance to get outdoors and enjoy the environment. At Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park you have plenty of opportunities for both, with ziplines, bridges, and scenic overlooks that will let you peer down over Lost… Read more »

Winter Tour of Lights in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

Winter Tour of Lights by Trolley and Car in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

There are many millions of colored and animated lights that come alive during the Winter Magic and Winterfest celebration seasons of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge. Here’s how to see the best displays of lights in the area. Gatlinburg Winter Magic Tour of Lights If you want to view the festive lights on display throughout the… Read more »

Public Parks in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

Public Parks in Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge

UPDATE 2021 – Mills Park now has an excellent dog park where your four-legged family friend can run free and socialize! With Great Smoky Mountains National Park on the doorstep, it’s often overlooked that Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge both have some fine public parks to enjoy. These are great places to get out of the… Read more »

Pigeon Forge Weather

Pigeon Forge Weather

Every season in the Smoky Mountains has its own special charm, from the colors of fall to the wonderland of winter, to brilliant sunshine in spring and summer. Many attractions are year-round in Pigeon Forge, while some depend on certain seasons. Either way, it’s important to know what the weather will be like when you… Read more »

Gatlinburg Weather

Gatlinburg Weather

From the colors of fall to winter wonderland, to brilliant sunshine in spring and summer, there’s never an off-season in the Smokies. Most restaurants and attractions are now year-round in Pigeon Forge. The National Park Service publishes average temperatures along with rain and snowfall (listed below) to help you determine the best time to come… Read more »