After months of anticipation, WildSide is finally set to open July 29
The Revel Group, LLC., the people behind Anakeesta, have been quietly working to bring a massive new project to Sevier County. WildSide will be on 850 acres of mountain land designed as a paradise for mountain sports enthusiasts. As someone who spent 30 years exploring the land just outside the park, I can say this surely has the potential to be a game changer.
A new outdoor enthusiast park, WildSide, is coming to Sevier County. The huge tract of land will offer access to massive hiking and biking trails as well as Guided UTV tours. Essentially, the place will be like being in the National Park without being in the park.
IN THIS ARTICLE
What Will the Attraction Be?
WildSide will cover a massive amount of land – 850 acres to be exact – in the mountains. It’s designed to give the flavor of being in the Great Smoky Mountain National Park without being in the park.
Because it’s private land, guests will be able to rent mountain or electric bikes. There will also be guided tours on Utility Task Vehicles without worrying about park restrictions. FYI, a UTV is something of a cross between a four-wheeler/ATV and a dune buggy. You’ll get in and ride, like a car built specifically for off-roading. Revel Group spokesperson Austin Martin told TheSmokies.com the tours will be able to accommodate groups of up to 10. Martin also said the trails are massive. They will offer half-day and all-day adventures.
“We’re going to keep it as wild as possible.”
– Austin Martin, Spokesperson for Revel Group
What We Know So Far
Fortunately, we’ve been able to score a few details that we can now share about the attraction before it opens. In fact, if you want a real preview, be sure to check out The Smoky Mountain Family on YouTube, who were granted an exclusive on-site look a few months ago (video above).
WildSide will offer a variety of outdoor sports. There will be traditional mountain biking on an extensive network of trails. The trails will be designed for riders of varying skill levels and abilities. There are also winding paths that allow you to enjoy the lush, rich mountain forests. There are more adventurous downhill descents for those looking for an adrenaline rush. Either way, the new paths will provide an unforgettable experience, organizers say.
In addition to traditional mountain biking, there will be e-bikes (electric bikes) available. These bikes come with electric motors to help navigate the challenges of biking up mountain trails. They are not motorcycles, the engines provide extra power when pedaling. It’s an assist for those who need a little boost over the 1,500 feet of elevation change.
Lastly – at least for now – there will be guided UTV tours. A UTV is like a cross between a four-wheeler and a dune buggy. Guests can get behind the wheel. However, WildSide will provide experienced guides to ensure a safe and exciting experience for guests.
There will be a base camp where visitors can organize, train for the UTV or bike rentals and come together before heading out on massive treks. It’s remote enough there won’t be cell phone service. It will be a true getaway from “civilization.” Despite being only a few minutes from Pigeon Forge, it’s a rare remote getaway for the area.
“You really are unplugging out there in nature,” he said.
Where is It and When Will It Open?
WildSide will be located at 1105 Laurel Lick Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863.
As a reminder, cell phone service will be limited to nonexistent on the mountain, so you’ll want to make a note of the directions before you set off on your journey.
According to the WildSide website, to access the attraction, turn off the Pigeon Forge Parkway onto Conner Heights Road by the Marathon gas station. Then turn left before Big Rock Dude Ranch to stay on Mills Creek Road. A little over a mile down the road you’ll find the arched entry to WildSide. Follow the paved road until you hit the parking lot.
Is the New Park Related to Anakeesta?
It is its own thing, serving a different market. Martin said it’s fair to call it a sister park as it shares at least some ownership, but the new park will stand alone. While there may be some sort of food offerings at base camp, Martin said the plan is not to develop the park. He said the remote wilderness of the park is the key aspect. Therefore, the intention is to keep it that way.
“It’s going to be very wild,” he said, adding it has a lot of historical value. “We’re going to keep it as wild as possible.”
In an environment based on copycats, the Revel Group is trying something completely different and I think, it’s going to be a game-changer for the area. The as-yet-unnamed massive Revel Group park will stand alone, offering experiences that smaller parks can’t match. Adventure tourism has meant zip lines, maybe kayaking and a little hiking. This park will take adventure tourism to a whole new level with mountain and e-bike trails as well as the potentially amazing, guided Utility Task Vehicle tours. And we can’t wait.
PS: Are you planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains? Be sure to check out our coupons page for area promos.
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This needs to be stopped. They are ruining the mountains in that area.. looks like shet over there now.
Sad but will probably never stop until the economy crashes…I hate it as well…breaks my heart..
Sadly, we have to much traffic now, they need more roads to accommodate it. They need to find other ways to keep traffic moving.
I agree. The greed of big corps and their financial people just is just not enough for them to just leave the land alone. Real estate people, bankers, contractors, all of them are greedy as hell. Instead of helping this world in many ways they can. They continuously look for ways to destroy what exists in name of an almighty useless money that doesn’t do anything for them in the long run of things in eternity.
Hope they hire local folks to help build and run it. Unlike the race park being built near Rockwood where everyone is brought in from other states.
I live right beside this place. The location is no secret. After you turn at stop light 10, go past the zip lines and then take a left on Mill Creek at the ponderosa riding stables. It’s about a mile up that road on the left. Definitely no cell service lol.
are there mountain bike trials that can be used there now??
Because in the Smokies sound carries so far, please don’t let the vehicles be loud and disturbing of the incredible peace one can find in the mountains. There are animals in those woods that need peace as well. Oliver Springs residents can now hear the ATVs at Windrock Park miles away. This can happen in the Smokies if those vehicles are loud.
Breaks my heart for the ppl who live there..Oh how sad..All for the sake of a buck…greed will destroy this area…
That’s what I was just sitting here thinking. The sound will be disturbing. It’ll carry back into the places where there is peace and quiet and that’ll be gone. I just don’t care for this kind of stuff in the Smokies. It may not be “in the park”, but it’s still in the Smokies. I wish it could be stopped.
If they’re looking to keep things “as wild as possible”, then they need to get out of there and leave the area alone! Lots of people go out to hike, take in the scenery & enjoy the PEACE & QUIET. With ATV’s and all of this other nonsense, it just doesn’t sound very serene to me. However, this is just MY opinion, and we are all entitled to our own.
No cell phone service. No thank you
Part of the wilderness experience would be mountain trout fishing in streams and maybe a lake on the property. Hope this could be planned for.
Great more useless attractions. Here’s a great idea. LEAVE IT WILD AND FOR THE ANIMALS INSTEAD OF YOUR GREEDY POCKETS.
Don’t need it. Leave the mountains alone.
Go sink Florida or California…
Leave the mountains ALONE for us and our Children to enjoy part of what this country is made of..
NO more city that is in the wrong state!!!!!
Horrible idea! They just keep destroying the beauty!
It will probably be loud, crowded, and severely overpriced as is everywhere else around Pigeon Forge
I am a homeowner here, and I’m terrified that something like this is going to move in next-door to me. Don’t want the traffic or the UTV noise! Many of our businesses here in town don’t have enough employees as it stands now. With more businesses opening and needing employees, where are the employees coming from? And if they’re coming from elsewhere, where are they going to live because there’s not enough housing in Sevier county now. We also need to think about the trash impact of this, not only the noise. As it stands now there’s so much trash on the side of every road that you drive down in Sevier county, it’s disgusting, and embarrassing, and in some cases could even be harmful. I am a volunteer with Adopt-A-Highway, so this definitely concerns me.
If not built into a hiking trail with goals to keep nature alive, it’ll eventually be taken over by fake cabins and hotels owned by foreigners. I don’t think this is a horrible idea. Plus ATVs are good for the handicap or disabled and built to be much more quiet than in years past.
This is sad, especially for those who live nearby.