Are you a nature lover? A daredevil? Looking to make the most of being so close to the Great Smoky Mountains? Check out these outdoor activities in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge for ways to spend your summer (or any season!) under the sun.
Just outside the Great Smoky Mountains National Park are the towns of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, where visitors can enjoy attractions like museums and thrill rides along with plenty of shopping and dining. But for some, the most appealing attraction is the lush foothills of the Appalachians themselves.
Here are some ideas for engaging with the great outdoors, all while staying close to the amenities and comfort of Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge.
Stay cool in swimming holes around Gatlinburg and the Smokies
Avoiding the crowds? The Greenbrier area is often a quieter spot to enjoy the clear water of the Smokies, even though the section of Little Pigeon River is only about 15 minutes from downtown Gatlinburg.
If you're bringing little ones along, Metcalf Bottoms swimming hole could be the spot you're looking for. It's a wide but shallow spot on the Little River, and the nearby picnic area is ideal when you're ready to dry off for snack time.
Elkmont swimming hole near the Elkmont campground is also a popular spot. Midnight Hole and Townsend Wye are a little further afield from Gatlinburg, but both are also favorite destinations for cooling off during the summer.
When visiting natural swimming holes like these, it's important to keep safety in mind, as no lifeguards are present. Be cautious. Potential dangers include slick rocks, jumping into too-shallow water, strong currents, wildlife and concealed hazards beneath the water's surface.
For locations inside the national park, a parking pass is required.
Addresses:
- Elkmont swimming hole, Elkmont Nature Trailhead off Elkmont Campground, Gatlinburg
- Greenbrier area, Parking Area 2 off Greenbrier Road, Gatlinburg
- Metcalf Bottoms, Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area Road N, Gatlinburg
- Midnight Hole. Big Creek Trailhead off Big Creek Entrance Road, Townsend
- Townsend Wye, Laurel Creek Road and Little River Road, Townsend
Take in East Tennessee's natural beauty on these trails
There are 150 trails to choose from in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, according to its website, but Knox News can help you narrow down the options. Here are a few good spots near Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge to stretch your legs and admire the native flora and fauna.
For a unique waterfall experience on a fairly easy trail, try Grotto Falls via Trillium Gap. You might even get to see the Mount LeConte pack llamas making their regular journey up the mountain.
Looking for something even more leisurely? The Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail is a quick half-mile loop, and it's paved, making it a nice option for folks of all ages and mobility levels.
For a more moderate hike, try Cucumber Gap Loop which features a mountain stream, historic structures and spring wildflowers. If you find nature is enjoyed best behind handlebars - or with Fido - you'll want to head to the Gatlinburg Trail or Oconaluftee River Trail, the only two trails in the park that allow bikes and pets.
Be sure to check the Great Smoky Mountains National Park website at nps.gov/grsm for road and trail closures, and if you plan to park for longer than 15 minutes, don't forget to get a parking pass.
Addresses:
- Cucumber Gap Loop, Little River Trailhead off Elkmont Road, Gatlinburg
- Gatlinburg Trail, trailhead near traffic light 10 or at Sugarlands Visitor Center, Gatlinburg
- Grotto Falls, Grotto Falls parking off Roaring Fork Road, Gatlinburg
- Oconaluftee River Trail, trailhead at Oconaluftee Visitor Center, Cherokee
- Sugarlands Valley Nature Trail, trailhead on Newfound Gap Road near Sugarlands Visitor Center, Gatlinburg
Giddy up! Explore the outdoors on horseback
Take the reins and check out the Great Smoky Mountains National Park from atop a horse. Sugarlands Riding Stables offers a guided riding tour through a portion of the park. Is this literally your first rodeo? Sugarlands matches each horse and rider based on experience level and offers an orientation to allow guests to get comfortable with their horse before taking off, its website says.
Goldrush Stables takes you through pastures, rolling hills and woods outside the park. On its trails, you'll see the Smoky Mountains, as well as Dollywood and Dolly’s Dream More resort, according to its website.
Other options include Dubby's Adventure Park at Five Oaks, which offers ziplining in addition to horseback riding, and Big Rock Dude Ranch at Ponderosa, which has other features to enjoy as well, including a petting zoo and fishing pond.
Addresses:
- Big Rock Dude Ranch at Ponderosa, 909 Little Cove Road, Pigeon Forge
- Dubby's Adventure Park at Five Oaks, 1628 Parkway, Sevierville
- Goldrush Stables, 2202 Goldrush Road, Pigeon Forge
- Sugarland Riding Stables, 1409 Parkway, Gatlinburg
Feeling daring? Check out these zipline experiences
Gatlinburg's CLIMB Works offers a chance to get outside your comfort zone with its Mountaintop Zipline Tour. Start with an ATV ride to the peak, then work your way down on six zipline runs and four sky bridges.
Or check out the longest and highest ziplines in the Smokies at Legacy Mountain Ziplines in Sevierville. More exhilaration is available at Smoky Mountain Ziplines and Wahoo Ziplines.
Addresses:
- CLIMB Works, 155 Branam Hollow Road, Gatlinburg
- Legacy Mountain Ziplines, 800 Legacy Vista Drive, Sevierville
- Smoky Mountain Ziplines, 509 Mill Creek Road, Pigeon Forge
- Wahoo Ziplines, 605 Stockton Drive, Sevierville
Splash around in a raft or tube
Cruise through the cold mountain water, or turn up the intensity and battle your way through Class III and IV rapids. Smoky Mountain Outdoors Rafting offers the choice of either - or both - with fully-guided tours on the Pigeon River. Rafting in the Smokies has a similar model with both easy and more challenging trips available.
River Rat also offers adventure in the rapids, but visitors starting at Outpost A can opt to take a relaxing float down the river in an inner tube. More tubing is available at River Rage Tubing.
Addresses:
- Rafting in the Smokies, 3595 Hartford Road, Hartford
- River Rage Tubing, 8303 State Highway 73, Townsend
- River Rat, 205 Wears Valley Road: Townsend for tubing, 3630 Hartford Road, Hartford for rafting
- Smoky Mountain Outdoor Rafting, 3299 Hartford Road, Hartford
Hayden Dunbar is the storyteller reporter. Email hayden.dunbar@knoxnews.com.
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