Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

Why go: Gravity does the work and a hand brake sets the pace on more than a mile of track down the mountainside, on the coaster that started the mountain coaster boom in the Smokies.

About Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster opened on August 3, 2013, the first mountain coaster built in the Smokies and the ride every coaster that followed has been measured against. The German owners looked across the United States before settling on this stretch of Wears Valley Road, and the operator still bills the finished result as the longest downhill ride in the country.

The trip starts with a cable tow to the top, a slow climb that opens up the valley behind you while the sleds ahead drop away below. From there the descent runs more than a mile through the trees, and the full circuit takes roughly seven to eight minutes. Each sled carries one or two riders and tops out at about 27 miles per hour, though the hand brake means you decide whether you get anywhere near that number.

The coaster runs year round, and neither rain nor snow shuts it down, because the braking works the same on a wet rail. Thunderstorms and heavy rain do close it. After dark the track is lit in color and the night ride reads as a different attraction entirely, which is the best argument for planning a visit around dusk rather than the middle of the afternoon.

Getting to Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

The coaster sits at 867 Wears Valley Road, a little over a mile off the Parkway on the west side of Pigeon Forge. Coming from the Parkway, turn onto Wears Valley Road, which is US 321, at traffic light #3 and head toward Townsend and Cades Cove. The entrance is on the left. The turn takes you off the strip almost immediately onto a two lane road that climbs into the valley, so the drive out feels longer than the mileage suggests, but it is a short hop from anywhere on the Parkway.

Why Choose Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

Pigeon Forge now has several mountain coasters within a few miles of one another, so the useful question is what separates this one from the rest. Length, pedigree, and a genuinely different ride after dark make up most of the answer.

• The original. This was the first mountain coaster built in the Smokies, and it opened years ahead of the rides it now competes with up and down the Parkway.
• More than a mile of track. Counting the climb, the full circuit runs about seven to eight minutes, which is a longer trip than most rides of this kind deliver.
• You set the speed. The hand brake means the same track works for a rider chasing the full 27 miles per hour and for one who would rather look at the view on the way down.
• Open year round in almost any weather. A wet rail does not affect the braking, so rain and snow days stay open here while other outdoor attractions in the area close.
• A real night ride. Colored lighting along the track changes the descent enough that riders who have already done it in daylight treat it as a separate experience.
• Priced per rider, tax included. Tickets are sold by age band rather than by the sled, and the operator states that tax is already built into the price, so the number you see is the number you pay.

Must Do

This is one ride rather than a park, so what is worth planning for is when and how you ride rather than what else there is to do once you are on the property.

• The Night Ride. Colored lights run the length of the track and the descent through dark trees is the version most riders end up talking about afterward.
• The Climb to the Top. The cable tow is the quiet half of the trip, with the valley opening up behind you and no way to do anything but look at it.
• A Solo Sled. Anyone who clears 56 inches can take a sled alone, which is the only way to work the brake without a second rider’s weight riding on the decision.
• A Second, Faster Run. The first descent goes to learning where the switchbacks are. The second is where you find out how fast you are actually willing to take them.
• A Cold Weather Lap. Riding with snow on the ground is possible here in a way it is not at most outdoor attractions in the area, and the track is usually quiet in winter.

What to Expect

The operator publishes a long list of ride rules, and most of them matter before you get in line rather than after. Height and weight are the two that turn people away at the gate, so check those against your group before you drive out.

• Height and age. Riding alone requires 56 inches. Riding with a companion requires 38 inches and age 3 or older, and whoever controls the sled has to be at least 56 inches tall and at least 16 years old. The maximum rider height is 84 inches.
• Weight. Combined rider weight in a sled cannot exceed 375 pounds in dry conditions or 330 pounds when the track is wet.
• Body control. Riders need upper and lower body control, have to sit up straight with their head against the seat back, and have to be able to buckle their own seat belt.
• Nothing loose. Loose items are not permitted on the ride and headgear has to come off. Anything dropped on the track cannot be retrieved, phones, wallets, and hats included.
• Dress for it. Closed toe shoes are recommended and shirts are required. Food, drink, gum, and candy are prohibited on the ride, and smoking and tobacco are prohibited at the attraction.
• Health conditions. The operator asks guests with a heart condition, a back or neck injury, guests who are pregnant, and guests under the influence not to ride.
• Accessibility realities. An emergency evacuation can mean walking steep pathways and narrow trails, so guests who have difficulty walking are advised to ride with a companion, and a guest who cannot evacuate alone may need to wait in the sled for the safety team. Service animals cannot be accommodated on this ride.
• Weather. Rain and snow do not close the coaster, but thunderstorms and heavy rain do, so a stormy afternoon is worth a phone call before you make the drive.
• Tickets. Tickets are sold per rider by age band rather than per sled, with reduced rates for small children and for military guests presenting valid ID at check-in. There is no passenger rate.
• Timing. Lines build through the middle of the day in peak season, so early morning, late afternoon, and after dark are the easier windows.
• Hours move. The operator states that posted hours are subject to change and points guests to its Facebook page for current information, which is worth a look the morning of your visit.

Nearby in Pigeon Forge

• Goats on the Roof. A second coaster half a mile further up Wears Valley Road, paired with gem mining, mini golf, and the rooftop goats the place is named for.
• WildSide Adventure Park. Ziplines, mountain bike trails, and guided UTV runs spread across a large tract off Laurel Lick Road.
• Outdoor Gravity Park. Timed sessions rolling downhill inside a water filled sphere, back toward the Parkway end of Wears Valley Road.
• Rowdy Bear’s Smoky Mountain Funpark. A mountain glider and a small cluster of rides on the Parkway, close enough to fold into the same afternoon.

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.