Blog for Zipline Attraction in the Smoky Mountains
Located in Pigeon Forge, TN and near Gatlinburg and Sevierville.
How much do we love Smoky Mountain Ziplines
By Ross Bodhi Ogle
Posted on May 9, 2023
When most folks hear the word “ziplining,” the first thing they probably imagine is someone attached to a long metal cable and flying through the air. And that is ziplining in a nutshell. It's definitely one of the most appealing aspects of this outdoor adventure and it's what distinguishes ziplining from other recreational endeavors like horseback riding or riding roller coasters or cow tipping.
But there's a lot more to riding a zipline than that. In fact, spending a morning or afternoon at Smoky Mountain Ziplines is a complete package of special moments from beginning to end. Some of them you can experience at any zipline attraction, but some you'll only find at our ziplines in Pigeon Forge, TN.
We'll start by repeating the obvious ones:
• The sensation of speed – In a car, traveling at nearly 30 miles per hour may seem slow, but when it's just you, suspended from a zipline cable, high above the ground, that same 25 to 30 miles per house suddenly seems a whole lot faster. The feel of the air rushing past you, the sight of flying birds lagging behind you, the treetops as they rush by on either side. Going fast is at the core of what makes ziplining so fun.
• Flying high – We just mentioned it above, but hanging out high above the ground is another key element of ziplining. On our seven-line course, we have lines that suspend you as high as 150 feet above the forest floor. You literally are up among the treetops, and even when you're pausing between zipline runs on one of our treetop or tower platforms, it's often a long way down.
• The sense of adventure – While we always ensure that our equipment is safe, that our guests are well outfitted and protected and that our professional guides look after their group members every step of the journey, ziplining still comes with the thrill of risk, the sense of stepping outside one's comfort zone and taking on a new challenge that stretches beyond the boundaries of the everyday.
Now we'll throw in some cool things that not every zipline outfitter offers or elements that are unique to Smoky Mountain Ziplines.
• Views, views, views – Until you've seen firsthand the panoramic vista of the Great Smoky Mountains that's available from some of our ziplines, it's hard to comprehend how stunning it is. Multiple mountains stand majestically on the horizon, in full view, practically begging guests to stop long enough to soak in the views and take a few photos. Most Smoky Mountain visitors have to enter the national park to find comparable sights.
• The ride to the top – Since our office is located right on Mill Creek Rd. in Pigeon Forge and our zipline course begins at the top of the mountain, the first leg of our zipline tour involves getting each group up to zipline number one. We do that with military transport vehicles. Each group sits in the back of an open-air truck and enjoys a scenic and rollicking ride up the mountain road. And after the last zipline, a shorter truck ride awaits to take you back to our outpost.
• Vertical descent feature – Between two of our ziplines, our guides will divert you on a side adventure - a 30-foot descent on what is essentially a rappelling line but without the rock face to push off of. Our guides will assist you in getting connected to the line and then helping you lower yourself from one of the landing platforms to the ground below. It's a fun little side quest before starting the next zipline.
• Complimentary beverages – It may be a small thing, but each of our guests is offered a free water or soft drink at our outpost before the tour begins. Those cold drinks can come in really handy on a hot summer day!
