Outdoor Adventure Guide: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
A hillside bird sanctuary beside Dollywood, home to rescued and captive bred parrots. Allow two to three hours, and expect a climb from the gravel parking.
Borrowed from a Wisconsin sod-roof tradition, this Wears Valley Road stop charges nothing at the door and runs its coaster until 11:00 PM, rain or shine.
TICKETS | Water runs cool in summer and warm in winter, so the orbs keep rolling in January. Ages five and up, a 275 pound limit, and you will get soaked.
TICKETS | Six routes leave the Parkway office, from a short parkway run to a long Cades Cove loop in a heated glass roofed van. Ages two up, car seats free.
TICKETS | Riders need 38 inches and an adult, or 56 inches to take a sled alone. Runs through rain and snow, and the lit night ride is the one to wait for.
Opened in 2025 by a NASCAR team owner, this dual track coaster turns the ride down the mountain into a timed race. Kids ages 3 to 7 ride free with an adult.
TICKETS | Built by the team behind Anakeesta. Zipline from age ten, UTV drivers eighteen and licensed, closed toe shoes throughout, restrooms at BaseCamp.
The Smokies' original mountain coaster runs more than a mile of track off Wears Valley Road. Riders need 56 inches to go solo, 38 inches with a companion.
TICKETS | Check in is inside Harpoon Harry's on Community Center Drive, not the old Parkway address. Departures at 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM, plus a sunset run.
Bears mine honey along every foot of this coaster behind The Island. Four climbs, an 18 hole mini-golf course, a gem sluice, and a lit track running until 11:00 PM.
No gate fee at this valley ranch. Walk the grounds, feed the llamas, and picnic by the creek, then saddle up for an hour in the Smoky Mountain foothills.
Three Stan Checketts rides share one steel tower on Teaster Lane, with a strict no loose articles rule and a Monster Swing that never runs for a solo rider.
Two-seat sport rigs through six-seat enclosed cabins, rented by the hour or the long weekend. Park passes, coolers, and speakers included. Walk-ins accepted.
Formerly Smoky Mountain Adventure Rentals, this lot rents open-air UTVs and three-wheeled Slingshots by the vehicle, plus guided off-road tours.
TICKETS | Five tours run under one name, from an 11 mile loop of Cades Cove to a Winterfest lights run. Departures stage at the Apple Barn, not the office.
The rate covers the vehicle, not each rider, so six split one price. Bring your license, proof of car insurance, and a car seat if children are riding along.
TICKETS | Family run since 1972, with a heliport north of town and a Parkway ticket office. Book the River Ride, Ridge Runner, Wears Valley, or Gatlinburg.
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A hillside bird sanctuary beside Dollywood, home to rescued and captive bred parrots. Allow two to three hours, and expect a climb from the gravel parking.
-
Borrowed from a Wisconsin sod-roof tradition, this Wears Valley Road stop charges nothing at the door and runs its coaster until 11:00 PM, rain or shine.
-
TICKETS | Water runs cool in summer and warm in winter, so the orbs keep rolling in January. Ages five and up, a 275 pound limit, and you will get soaked.
-
TICKETS | Six routes leave the Parkway office, from a short parkway run to a long Cades Cove loop in a heated glass roofed van. Ages two up, car seats free.
-
TICKETS | Riders need 38 inches and an adult, or 56 inches to take a sled alone. Runs through rain and snow, and the lit night ride is the one to wait for.
-
Opened in 2025 by a NASCAR team owner, this dual track coaster turns the ride down the mountain into a timed race. Kids ages 3 to 7 ride free with an adult.
-
TICKETS | Built by the team behind Anakeesta. Zipline from age ten, UTV drivers eighteen and licensed, closed toe shoes throughout, restrooms at BaseCamp.
-
The Smokies' original mountain coaster runs more than a mile of track off Wears Valley Road. Riders need 56 inches to go solo, 38 inches with a companion.
-
TICKETS | Check in is inside Harpoon Harry's on Community Center Drive, not the old Parkway address. Departures at 9:00 AM and 12:30 PM, plus a sunset run.
-
Bears mine honey along every foot of this coaster behind The Island. Four climbs, an 18 hole mini-golf course, a gem sluice, and a lit track running until 11:00 PM.
-
No gate fee at this valley ranch. Walk the grounds, feed the llamas, and picnic by the creek, then saddle up for an hour in the Smoky Mountain foothills.
-
Three Stan Checketts rides share one steel tower on Teaster Lane, with a strict no loose articles rule and a Monster Swing that never runs for a solo rider.
-
Two-seat sport rigs through six-seat enclosed cabins, rented by the hour or the long weekend. Park passes, coolers, and speakers included. Walk-ins accepted.
-
Formerly Smoky Mountain Adventure Rentals, this lot rents open-air UTVs and three-wheeled Slingshots by the vehicle, plus guided off-road tours.
-
TICKETS | Five tours run under one name, from an 11 mile loop of Cades Cove to a Winterfest lights run. Departures stage at the Apple Barn, not the office.
-
The rate covers the vehicle, not each rider, so six split one price. Bring your license, proof of car insurance, and a car seat if children are riding along.
-
TICKETS | Family run since 1972, with a heliport north of town and a Parkway ticket office. Book the River Ride, Ridge Runner, Wears Valley, or Gatlinburg.
Pigeon Forge sits right at the doorstep of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and while the Parkway gets most of the attention, the real draw for a lot of visitors is what happens once you turn off it. Ridges climb on both sides of town, and the outfitters working them can have you on a mountainside, in an open-air Jeep, or several hundred feet above the treetops within minutes of your hotel. Whether you have a full day or just an afternoon between shows, Pigeon Forge’s outdoor adventures run from easygoing to genuinely nerve-testing.
Control your own speed down a track that winds through the woods above Wears Valley at Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster; roll downhill sealed inside a giant water-filled ball at Outdoor Gravity Park, one of the only places in the country you can try it; or spend a full day on 900 acres of ridgeline at WildSide Adventure Park, where ziplines, mountain bike trails, and guided UTV routes all share one mountain.
For a slower pace, Pink Jeep Tours runs guided open-air trips into the national park with a driver narrating the history and geology along the way, and Parrot Mountain and Garden of Eden trades adrenaline for shaded garden paths and hundreds of tropical birds that will happily land on your arm.
From ridgetop thrills to quiet mornings among the treetops, Pigeon Forge’s outdoor operators sit along the Parkway and the roads climbing out of it, making it easy to pair two or three into a single day. Browse the adventures above and start planning your time outside in the Smokies.
How the Pricing Scale Works
To make planning easier, we use a simple $$$$ system based on the average adult ticket price per person in Pigeon Forge.
$ | Budget Friendly | Under $15 per person
$$ | Moderate | $16 to $35 per person
$$$ | Premium Experience | $36 to $75 per person
$$$$ | High End or Full-Day Investment | $76+ per person
Our pricing reflects standard peak season adult rates, not temporary discounts or special promotions. This helps you quickly compare experiences and plan your trip with confidence.
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Explore Other Smokies Destinations
