If you find yourself in the Tennessee vicinity seeking a spot of adventurous fun, the ziplines in Gatlinburg might be just the ticket for you and your family or friends.
The Smoky Mountains boast some of the longest and best zip lines in the world, surrounded by hundreds of acres of stunning scenery to play around in. Whether the zipline holds any appeal initially might depend on what your definition of play is exactly.
But imagine sailing and gliding down a thick steel cable high in the air across valleys, hills, and some of the best mountain scenery on offer in the Smokies.
Admittedly if you have any fear of heights this may not be your thing, but as far as any other concerns go you’ll be securely strapped into a slider. The cable is anchored firmly from higher up and runs down over the trees to another anchor point further down the mountain.
If you require further assurances you will be pleased to know that ziplining in Gatlinburg and the surrounding areas has a good reputation for safety. There are various regulations in place to ensure the lines are well installed, and the staff is well trained.
Zip lines in this expansive part of the world are not considered places for dangerous horseplay and following procedures set by the Association for Challenge Course Technology (ACCT) is the order of the day.
A regular zipline ticket in Gatlinburg generally gets you between 90 minutes and 2 hours of fun. Tickets tend to begin around the $59.00 region.
It’s also important to remember that mountain temperatures can sometimes be extremely varied when elevation is involved, so bear in mind that you might need to wear layers of clothing.
With all that said let’s have a closer look at the four best ziplines in Gatlinburg to thrill the inner adventure seeker!
The Top Ziplines in Gatlinburg
1. Climb Works Smoky Mountains
Climb Works has been rated as Tennessee’s number one zip-line destination for a decade or more, which could be just about all you need to know when looking for a tour in Gatlinburg.
This top Smoky Mountains zipline company’s longevity speaks for itself, and is strongly reinforced by the fact that the company likes to point out that they are not simply offering cheap thrills for excitement-seekers here—rather aiming to provide tours that are guided, educational, and immersed in some amazing Smoky Mountain scenery.
In fact, the world-class and award-winning Mountaintop Zipline tour is adjacent to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
The Mountaintop Zipline Tour
This is your chance to fly high through the Smoky Mountains. This tour is relatively new and features dual-zipline with even higher vantage points and longer lines than previously.
If your sense of adventure is attracted by the idea of epic 360˚ panoramic views of the Great Smoky Mountains from each platform, you might have found the right place at Climb Works in Gatlinburg.
Along the moderately difficult 2-hour tour you will start off with an ATV ride up the mountainside. After that, you’ll get the chance to zipline on a total of six dual zip lines.
This setup allows you to enjoy the experience side-by-side with friends or family. The platforms also have views you have unlikely seen anywhere else.
You’ll also get to walk across four aerial bridges along the way, finishing off by rappelling down off a zipline platform high above the treetops with panoramic mountain views, mission impossible-style. But don’t worry, this is completely safe and you are well supervised by experienced staff.
Age and weight restrictions are in effect for a minimum age of 7+ and maximum weight of 250-270 lbs, and these limits tend to be the standard for the ziplines in the area.
2. Anakeesta
Anakeesta is an award-winning, large and family-friendly theme park located on Gatlinburg’s Parkway, over downtown Gatlinburg.
This is a great Smoky Mountain location over 70 acres that provides a great adventure experience for participants of all ages including families with kids over 7 years of age. Provided they are looking to indulge in some exciting and fun-filled activities 600 feet above Gatlinburg, that is!
The park features many other attractions aside from the zipline tour including a rail runner mountain coaster and a treetop skywalk.
The Dueling Zipline Tour
Adventure-seekers love the zipline tour at Anakeesta which allows them to soar high in the mountains from tree to tree. The 3-Zip Excursion features multiple rappels to add to the action.
Participants on these ziplines are certainly guaranteed some impressive views of the Smokies, while zipping side-by-side with family and friends.
3. Smoky Mountain Ziplines
On the far end of Gatlinburg 2 miles from the tip of Pigeon Forge, you can find Smoky Mountain Ziplines. The facility has a total of seven ziplines and operates popular 2-hour tours just up from Pigeon Forge Parkway.
There’s enough intensity to satisfy the majority of adrenaline-seekers on this course. You can get up to 40 miles per hour on this tour although it starts out much slower. It can get quite intense after that though—so come prepared.
Tour Packages start at around $69.95 at this facility, and all tours include professionally-trained accompanying guides the whole way. They also include 800-foot long ziplines which soar 150 feet over the mountain forest floors!
4. Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park
If all that sounds a bit on the tame side then you can head 25 minutes out of Gatlinburg closer to Sevierville and Foxfire Mountain-where you’ll find the highest, longest, and fastest zipline in the entire Smoky Mountains.
This monster zipline comes by way of the delightfully-named Goliath, a 475-foot zipline that can travel at speeds up to 55 mph.
The Goliath Zipline Adventure Tour lasts for 2 hours. It features 5 lines that are among the most extreme in the area. You’ll certainly get some amazing views on the half-mile-long Goliath line, though.
The company also offers warnings that this is not suitable for anyone with an inkling of fear for heights and it also operates a few stricter policies on age, with the minimum requirement being 10 years old.
This park’s zipline is the most expensive option of all the ziplines covered in this post, although they also operate another, slightly milder canopy zipline at the park that allows kids upwards of 7 years of age according to the standard operated by most of the ziplines in the area.
