Outdoor activities in Gatlinburg and the Smokies

Conveniently located a bit before the Sugarlands Visitors Center, this stable is licensed for horseback riding tours in the national park.

This stable is located over in Cades Cove, so it’s a bit of a drive, but is worth the trip if you have already taken the guided rides from the Sugarlands Riding Stables. Unlike Sugarlands, they also offer both carriage rides and hay rides, in case that is of interest for your group.

If your group has a wider range of riding skills, or if some have no interest in or are too young to ride a horse, the Big Rock Dude Ranch is a great option. Although they don’t do trails in the park, they have their own 3.5-mile mountain trail for riding with views of the Smokies. They also have a fishing pond, gem mining, petting zoo, and a small museum.

The Moonshine Mountain Coaster (formerly the Gatlinburg Mountain Coaster) is right next door to downtown Gatlinburg and is a good one to try out first. It has a silent track design to make it feel like you’re swooshing through the trees.

Another easily accessible mountain coaster is the Rail Runner at Anakeesta in downtown Gatlinburg. It has a single-track design that allows you to ride closer to the ground.

This mountain coaster up at Ober Gatlinburg (formerly the Ski Mountain Coaster) has some amazing views – if you are looking for a scenic ride, go for this one.

This one is a bit more of a drive from Gatlinburg, over towards Wears Valley. But if you go there, you will be rewarded with the longest downhill ride in the United States, with over 1 mile of track.

The Gatlinburg SkyLift is the original lift attraction – it’s a three-seat chairlift (newly re-built in 2017) that goes from downtown Gatlinburg up to Crockett Mountain, where you’ll have fantastic views of Mt LeConte and the Smokies from the SkyDeck. The park up there, now called Gatlinburg SkyPark, also has the SkyBridge – the longest suspension pedestrian bridge in North America (with a 20-ft section made of see-thru glass at its highest point – we recommend not even attempting it if you suffer from any degree of vertigo!). New in 2026 is the SkyTrail, which we haven’t tried yet.

Placed inside the Ober Gatlinburg park, this is a chairlift that takes you way up high to the peak of Mount Harrison. If the weather is clear, you’ll be able to see all the way to Douglas Lake, as well as incredible views of Mt LeConte.

If you don’t want to drive up to Ober Gatlinburg, just take the Aerial Tramway from downtown Gatlinburg. It can be a bit crowded so you may not always get the best views (which you however will if you continue onwards on the Ober Scenic Chairlift).

Ober Gatlinburg is a great place for both beginners and for more advanced skiers and snowboarders. It’s the only ski area in Tennessee and arguably the best one in all of the Southeast.

Either take the Ober Aerial Tramway from downtown Gatlinburg or drive up (note that you have to pay for entrance at the tollbooth before entering Ober Gatlinburg).

If you are not bringing your own equipment, you can rent skis and boots, as well as snow pants, ski jackets, and helmets.

While most famous for the ski slopes, there is no lack of things to do year-round at Ober Gatlinburg. Other activities include the alpine slide, ice bumper cars, and ice skating. In the summer there is also the Tennessee Flyer mountain coaster, the Ober Scenic Chairlift, tubing, archery, disc golf, ziplines and a climbing wall, as well as shopping and restaurants.

If you’ve come for the skiing and feel you need some variation from Ober Gatlinburg, head over to Cataloochee in North Carolina for a day. It’s just a 90-minute drive, so it’s suitable for a day trip. While the system is a bit smaller than Ober Gatlinburg, it will offer you some new slopes and different views of the Smokies!

We think the best ziplining in Gatlinburg is CLIMB Works. Just go on the East Parkway in the direction away from Gatlinburg for a few minutes. Located right on the edge of the park, it offers stunning views in its tours and they have very professional guides.

The best place to go for equipment rental and purchase, as well as information about fishing in Gatlinburg and in the National Park. They are located directly on the East Parkway.

They also organize guided fishing tours for small groups – read more on their website.

You’ll find the beautiful Gatlinburg Community Center in town – a complex with indoor swimming pool, basketball court, ping pong, bowling alley, weight room, and showers, with very reasonable fees for access. The pool at the Community Center is great and is just $3 for adults (13 and older).

There is a themed waterpark a bit further away on the 321 – the Wild Bear Falls Water Park with both indoor and outdoor swimming.

While somewhat pricey, Dollywood’s Splash Country is quite an experience, with its 35-acre water park on the theme of swimming in the rivers of the Great Smoky Mountains. Open May-September.

A nice spot on the Little River where a waterfall falls into a large pool.

By the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area, you’ll find several shallow swimming holes that you can combine with a picnic.

A popular swimming hole over by Cades Cove. Nice and calm and about 30 feet wide, it’s suitable also for those who are worried about having to climb down rocks to the water in “wilder” swimming holes.

The Alum Cave Trail is a popular hike up to Mt LeConte. For its first mile and a half, it follows Alum Cave Creek and Styx Branch, with some nice, shady spots to cool off along the way. As it’s high up in the mountains, the water is cool even in the middle of summer.

Despite its name, the Gatlinburg Golf Course is located at the edge of Pigeon Forge. Very scenic and challenging course. Note that there is no driving range for warming up. As there are no water stations, make sure you bring enough if playing in the summer months. From October 1, 2026, only 16 holes are open while four holes are rebuilt.

With two courses, you have a choice of terrain: the Highlands course is laid out among the Smokies foothills, while the River course is winding its way down along the Pigeon River. Nicely maintained, but on the expensive side.

Beautiful scenery in this golf course designed by Gary Player, with the front nine on flatter terrain and more challenging hilly terrain for the back. It’s also the closest course to the lodge, just a few minutes along the East Parkway.