A Smoky Mountain Expert Weighs In on Which Mountain Park Is Most Deserving of Your Money
The best views in the Smokies remain free. You can drive up to Kuwohi – formerly Clingmans Dome – and soak in the natural wonder that made our ancestors see the mountains as something worth preserving. A drive along Newfound Gap Road offers several scenic overlooks with views that make you revel in the splendor of the natural world. But you know what every single one of them lacks? A mountain coaster powered by gravity and a place where you can get a good hamburger steak and a beer.
Welcome to the mountain parks of the Smokies, which offer some of the best views around. They offer a lot of things to do when you get tired of soaking in the natural beauty.
There are four main mountain parks in our estimation. Each of them has its charm. If we’re being honest, there isn’t a bad one in the bunch. However, the internet doesn’t reward sites that declare four-way ties, so while we can recommend each of these locations, some are recommended over the others. As always, prices are subject to change. So, without any further ado or butt covering, here are the best mountain parks in the Smokies ranked.
The Best Mountain Parks in the Smokies
1. Ober Mountain
It wasn’t that long ago that I would have ranked Ober Mountain (formerly Ober Gatlinburg) last on this list. The park was dying. Dining options on site were pitiful and understaffed and the whole thing seemed stuck in a bygone era.
However, a new ownership group arrived and breathed new life into this classic attraction. And while there are still upgrades to be made – the dining here remains fourth best on the list – the value offered at Ober can’t be overlooked. Your wristband, $49 for everyone 5 to 59, includes a ride on the aerial tramway. You can park in Downtown Gatlinburg and ride the tram up to Ober. If you’re not participating in the other activities, the tram ride alone is $29.
Spring activities included in the wristband price are ice skating, ice bumper cars, the Tennessee Flyer Mountain Coaster, the Smoky Mountain Bobsled – which will reopen later in Spring or early summer – the carousel, the scenic chairlift, the rock-climbing wall, the chair lift and the wildlife habitat with black bears, owls, river otters, flying squirrels, bobcats and more.
It is important to note that the zipline and most of the winter snow sports are not included in the wristband fee. Still, it’s quite a bit of bang for your buck. Not all of it is high quality. The ice rink and the 1983 mall feeling around it could use an upgrade. But you and your family can spend the better part of a day at Ober and get good value with your wristband.
2. Anakeesta
I love Anakeesta; I do. For instance, restaurant dining, a bar atop the mountain, the AnaVista Tower and the Treetop Skywalk. There is a lot to recommend about this Smoky Mountain attraction with – for lack of a better term – the most class. Also, I think the Chondola chairlift ride back down the mountain at night is the best ride in the Smokies.
However, most things to do at Anakeesta come with an additional cost to your admission, which is $35 for adults. The pair of mountain coasters, the dueling zipline and the Astra Lumina light Show are all at additional costs. If you buy into all of the extras at Anakeesta, you might as well buy a Dollywood ticket. Still, everything at Anakeesta is of high quality, and it’s a better place for an adult’s evening out or for a family whose children are older and can appreciate the nuance of sitting and staring out into the mountains.
3. SkyLand Ranch
There is a lot to like about the only non-Gatlinburg park on our list. Dining, shopping, weekly entertainment and scenic views are all available at this still-growing park. It also has a beautiful scenic chairlift ride. The chairlift ride and the miniature animal encounters are included in the price of admission.
However, not included – unless you buy the combo ticket – is the Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster. The Wild Stallion – billed as the longest mountain coaster in the southeast – is probably the best coaster at any of the Mountain parks. But at $19 a ride, you’re not gonna want to do it repeatedly.
Skyland Ranch will add the WagonWheeler, which will be the tallest rotating swing tower in Tennessee, this spring. Tickets are not yet available, and it is unclear whether it will be a separate ticket or included in the cost of admission. I assume it will be an add-on. However, if it is included in the $27 cost of admission, I’d probably move SkyLand Ranch above Anakeesta.
4. Gatlinburg SkyPark
I love everything that the most historic – besting Ober by eight years – Mountain Park in the area has to offer. I love the chair lift to the top of the mountain, the scenic overlook, the knee-buckling glass-bottomed Skybridge 500 feet above Gatlinburg. There is also a new Smash Burger restaurant that is part of an expansion that will allow SkyPark to better compete with Anakeesta, located across the parkway.
Your admission ticket, which is $39 per adult, gives you access to everything on site. But without the add-ons like they have at Anakeesta and SkyLand, it’s hard to rank SkyPark higher. The SkyBridge – included in the cost of admission – is something the other parks don’t have. But its appeal is somewhat limited after the first crossing or two.
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