Even if you don’t consider yourself “outdoorsy,” you can’t take a vacation to the Great Smoky Mountains without spending some time in the great outdoors! And that doesn’t mean you have to be on the trails all day: there are plenty of great outdoor activities for everyone. Here are our top 10 outdoor attractions and activities when you’re in the Smokies!
Cades Cove
Sugarlands Visitor Center
1420 Little River Road
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Looking for a peaceful day driving, biking, or walking amongst the beauty of the Great Smoky Mountains? Cades Cove is a must-see while you’re in the Smokies. Get outside your Pigeon Forge, TN cabin and head to the 11-mile one-way loop road for a day of wildflowers, black bears – if you’re lucky!, deer, wild turkeys, peaceful mountain streams, rolling hills, sprawling valleys, historic churches and homesteads, and more.
The Island
131 The Island Drive
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
You can’t visit Pigeon Forge without at least part of a day at The Island – whether it’s a hearty breakfast at Paula Deen’s Family Kitchen, an afternoon treating yourself to some retail therapy, or an evening taking a ride on the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel. There are 35+ retail and boutique shops, several great restaurants and candy shops, and lots of ways to play – for every age! You can get 2-day passes for unlimited rides, watch the Island Show Fountain dance, try to break out at The Escape Game, get an old-time photo taken, and more!
Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park
3757 Thomas Lane
Sevierville, TN
(865) 446-5149
With the highest and longest zipline in the Smokies, Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park is top rated, great for a day of family fun, and boasts 150 acres of excitement! You can zip over a waterfall ($88.95/person | 2 hours), challenge yourself on the 475-foot-high, 600-foot-long zipline – the Goliath, do some 8-wheel ATV off-roading, hike across the Little Pigeon River on America’s longest swinging bridge, let the littles play at the Little Adventurer Obstacle Course, have a picnic by Dunn’s Creek after a walk along the River Walk Trail, play cornhole, try the largest climbing wall in the Smokies, check out the ropes course, and so much more!
Smoky Mountain Ziplines
509 Mill Creek Road
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
865-429-9004
The Smokies has plenty of high-flying fun, including zipline tours at Smoky Mountain Ziplines and Canopy Tours! Whether you’re here with friends, family, or a corporate, youth, or church group, zipline tours are a great way to get outdoors – together! The area favorite features 7 ziplines over the course of 2 hours, with speeds up to 25 miles per hour! The trained guides will lead you on a fun and unique experience, across 4,200+ feet of cable. And you won’t have to walk far: M35a3 military trucks will take guests to the top of the mountain for an afternoon of adventure.
Golfing
Pigeon Forge to Sevierville to Gatlinburg, there are plenty of places to golf in the Smokies. And with top-rated, pro-designed golf courses, it’s no wonder they’re on our list of best outdoor activities in the Smoky Mountains! Check out:
The Sevierville Golf Club
Gatlinburg Golf Course
Bent Creek Golf Course
Anakeesta
576 Parkway
Gatlinburg, TN 37738
865.214.6703
Just down the road from Pigeon Forge, one of the newest attractions in Gatlinburg – Anakeesta – is packed with fun for all ages. Shop at Catching Fireflies, the Adventure Outpost, or Great Outdoors Trading Company; try ziplines, a mountain coaster, the Treehouse Playground, the Tree Canopy Walk, gem mining, and the chondola ride up to Anakeesta; stroll along the Forest Memorial Walk or the Vista Garden Walk; and enjoy a bite to eat at Pearl’s Pie in the Sky, The Summit Smokehouse, and Cliff Top Bar & Grill!
Paula Deen’s Lumberjack Feud
2530 Parkway
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
865.366.3330
Although you’ll be covered – and climate controlled – in the grandstand, this is technically an outdoor activity…since the lumberjacks show off their skills outside! You’ll be comfortable in the covered viewing area while lumberjacks compete in 11 events, including axe throwing, chopping, sawing, speed climbing, long rolling, and more!
Hiking!
Hit the trails in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park! With more than 800 miles of trails to explore, you can always lace up and enjoy the fresh air, nature sounds, and of course – the views! Whether you love fields of wildflowers, peaceful mountain streams, rushing waterfalls, or mountain vistas, you’ll find some fantastic spots in the Smokies.
Wear Farm City Park
623 Wears Valley Rd
Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Finished in spring 2013, Wear Farm City Park is the main city park in Pigeon Forge, and it features some great facilities for guests. Enjoy walking trails, playgrounds, shelters, a basketball court, plenty of parking, and – if you’re in the market for setting up tournaments – baseball and softball fields, a lighted football field, and a multi-purpose field.
Patriot Park
186 Old Mill Ave
Pigeon Forge, TN
37863
Dedicated to the men and women who have sacrificed so much for our country – veterans – this Pigeon Forge Park is home to several annual events and features some lovely spaces to enjoy a beautiful day in the Smokies. Spend some time strolling along the ½-mile-long walking trail, which features flags from all 50 states and veteran memorials along the way. You can also reserve the gazebo (no fee, but reservations required; call Ann Ping at 865.429.7373) or take advantage of the pavilion on a first come, first served basis.
