Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf

Why go: A vintage mining train hauls you up the mountain before you hit a single ball, and the two 18-hole courses waiting at the top run through caves, past waterfalls, and around a pirate ship on the way back down.

About Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf

The premise is a 1920s explorer named Professor Duffer A. Hacker, who went looking for gold and diamond mines in the fictional Fogclift Islands and left his expedition scattered across a Pigeon Forge hillside. The theming is committed enough that the ride to the first tee is part of the story rather than a convenience.

That ride is the mining train, a period mine car that carries players up the slope to where the golf begins. From there, two full 18-hole courses work their way back down through caves cut into the rock, past waterfalls, and around an ancient temple, a volcano, and a pirate ship.

Because the layout follows the hillside rather than flattening it, the elevation change is real. The course’s own rules warn about uneven terrain and the risk of falls, which is a fair description of what you are walking rather than a legal formality.

The location stays open year round on a schedule that shifts six times across the calendar, from daily 11:00 PM closings at the height of summer down to a Friday through Sunday operation in deep winter. Summer hours run late enough that a night round under the lights is a genuine option rather than a rush.

Getting to Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf

The course is on the Parkway in the middle of the Pigeon Forge attraction strip, on the mountain side of the road, and the hillside layout makes it visible from a good distance as you approach. Because the schedule changes six times a year, the single most useful thing you can do before driving over is check which seasonal window you are in. Parking arrangements are not published on the official site.

Why Choose Professor Hacker’s Lost Treasure Golf

Almost every mini golf course in Pigeon Forge is a flat loop with themed obstacles bolted on. This one is built into a mountainside and gives you a ride to reach it, which changes the whole shape of an outing.

• The train is included. The mine car ride to the top comes with the round rather than costing extra, and for younger players it is often the part they remember.
• Thirty-six holes, not eighteen. Two full 18-hole courses means a second round is a different course rather than a repeat.
• Real elevation. The holes descend a genuine hillside with caves and waterfalls built into the rock, rather than sitting on a level pad.
• Open every month of the year. Plenty of outdoor courses in town shut down for winter. This one drops to a reduced schedule instead.
• Late summer hours. An 11:00 PM close in peak season means the course plays very differently after dark.
• A brand with a long track record. The Lost Treasure Golf company marked thirty years in business in 2025 across a dozen locations, which shows in how well the theming holds up.

Must Do

The features are spread across both courses, so a single round will not catch all of them. These are the ones worth slowing down for.

• The Mining Train Ride. The vintage mine car that carries players up the mountain to the first tee, and the reason to arrive before you are in a hurry.
• The Caves. Holes routed through tunnel sections cut into the hillside, where the light drops and the bounces get unpredictable.
• The Waterfalls. Running water built into the course rather than decorating the edges of it.
• The Pirate Ship. A full ship set into the slope, and the most photographed thing on the property.
• The Ancient Temple and the Volcano. Two set pieces that carry the Fogclift Islands expedition story through the middle of the round.
• The Mystery Hole. Ask staff about it after your round. It is a shot at a free game, and a discounted rate applies to additional same-day rounds if you miss.

What to Expect

This is an outdoor course on a slope, and that single fact drives most of what you need to plan around.

• Terrain first. The course’s own rules warn of uneven terrain and an increased risk of falls. Wear shoes you can walk a hillside in, and think carefully before bringing a stroller.
• Accessibility is not published. The official site carries a website accessibility notice but makes no statement about physical access to the course itself. Call ahead if mobility is a factor.
• No published limits on the train. The official site sets out no height, weight, or age requirement for the mine car ride, so ask at the window if you have a very small child.
• Check the season before you go. Six different schedules run across the year and winter drops to weekends only, so the hours you saw last visit may not apply.
• Buy online to pay less. Online tickets cost a little under the walk-up window price. Group rates exist but the amount is not published and varies by location.
• Weather policy. Rain checks are issued rather than cash refunds.
• Children under four play free with a plastic putter and a paying adult, and the course rules ask adults to supervise how children handle clubs.

Nearby in Pigeon Forge

• Crave Golf Club. The indoor and rooftop alternative just down the Parkway, and the place to go when the weather turns.
• Blake Jones Fun Center. A neighboring Parkway stop with go karts, bumper boats, and an arcade under one roof.
• Pigeon Forge Gem Mine. Sluice mining for gemstones and fossils, a natural follow-on from a treasure-hunting course.
• Alcatraz East Crime Museum. An indoor museum of American crime history a short drive south.

Explore More

My Smoky Mountain Guide Pigeon Forge is a great resource for finding things to do and places to eat.

• Pigeon Forge Food & Beverage Guide. Restaurants, dinner shows, breweries, distilleries, and eateries throughout Pigeon Forge, from sit-down meals to grab-and-go stops.
• Pigeon Forge Outdoor Adventure. Mountain coasters, UTV rentals, rafting, helicopter tours, and other ways to experience the Smokies from outdoors.
• Pigeon Forge Attractions. Museums, escape rooms, mini-golf, arcades, and other family-friendly stops across the city.
• Pigeon Forge Entertainment. Dinner shows, live music, comedy, magic, and theater experiences throughout Pigeon Forge.