I took my kids to Pigeon Forge Snow, America’s first indoor snow park. As I stood there, in a chilly, cavernous room, staring at a wall of artificial snow that was considerably higher than I anticipated, a single thought bounced through my brain.
“There is no way my 5-year-old is gonna do that,” I thought.
Ainsley, the 5-year-old in question, lacking the ability to accurately assess just what the view from the top of the hill was going to look like, be-bopped along behind her 8-year-old brother and ahead of her 15-year-old sister.
When big sister got delayed scanning her wristband, Ainsley found herself disoriented about halfway up, stepping off one of the magic carpet conveyors and watching as her tube continued to climb the artificial hill without her.
As I watched the workers stop the conveyor and go rescue my youngest daughter, I considered briefly that bringing them here may have been a tactical error.
Eventually, her big sister got her wristband scanned and all three kids made it to the top of the hill where five of the snow tubing lanes were running.
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What is Pigeon Forge Snow?
Pigeon Forge Snow is a snow tubing facility and snow park.
Since it’s an indoor facility, it’s open year-round. That means you can enjoy a winter wonderland in the middle of July if you really wanted to.
But of course, snow tubing is popular during the holiday season since it’s one of the most classic winter activities.
Read Also: Christmas in Gatlinburg: 13 festive things to do in the Smokies
Does Pigeon Forge Snow have real snow?
Pigeon Forge snow features artificial snow and uses no chemicals.
It’s simply water. In fact, according to their website, the only difference between mother nature’s snow and their snow is that they use a machine to create it and then blow it themselves.
The facility also has a Snow Play area, where kids can play in the snow and build snowmen or snow forts.
What do you wear to Pigeon Forge snow?
It is a bit cool inside the facility, but overall it’s a comfortable temperature of about 65-70 degrees.
Long pants are recommended, and if you’re cold-natured, a light jacket or long-sleeve shirt is a good idea.
Is it just snow tubing or is there more?
The main activity is snow tubing, but they also offer the aforementioned Snow Play area.
Additionally, they have a second level where spectators can relax and enjoy food and drinks from the snack bar.
What can’t you do at Pigeon Forge Snow?
The rules include fairly standard stuff.
There’s one person per tube allowed and riders must be able to sit securely in the center. Riders who are pregnant or have any other significant medical conditions should skip the activity.
Tubers should be 38 inches tall and a maximum of 375 pounds.
In the Snow Play area, snowball throwing is not allowed. Also, you can’t eat the snow.
How much does it cost?
Pigeon Forge Snow prices vary by season.
Currently, on weekdays and non-holiday periods, one hour of tubing will run you back $29.99. On holidays and weekend periods, that price is $39.99.
At the time of this writing, holiday periods are between Nov. 20-26, Dec. 16-Jan. 1, Jan. 13-16 and Feb. 17-20.
You can add thirty minutes of Snow Play for about $5-7 more. Reservations are not required.
The number of rides you get in an hour depends somewhat on the crowd. The course was pretty empty when we got there, and if you’re willing to hustle like my son JP, you can get quite a few rides in during your hour.
The crowd grew towards the end and the wait time was a little longer, but all in all, I’d say you can get plenty of sledding done in an hour.
My kids’ honest review of Pigeon Forge Snow
As I mentioned, I was most concerned about my youngest daughter.
I’d read the rules and understood Ainsley could not ride with her sister Sofia, but I realized, watching my tiny daughter gesticulating up on top of that hill that I had not communicated that information to either of my daughters.
I watched as she loaded onto her sled and Sofia onto hers in the next lane. Suddenly they were off, racing down the side of the hill, the sled turning mid-ride so that she finished going backward, her hair blowing wildly into her face.
I expected tears. What I got instead was hesitation. Then a smile.
Then another trip up the hill.
The second time, Ainsley made it to the top of the hill and slid down without incident.
Then she walked right up to her mother and said, “I’m done.”
We were 10 minutes into the hour’s worth of time we’d purchased and she was out.
Meanwhile, big brother and sister were having a blast.
Sofia reported that she had so much fun. JP, who probably through sheer hustle had six or seven more runs, reported afterward that his butt was a little sore from bumping along.
Overall, it was an excellent outing, even though it proved to be a bit much for my youngest.
Pigeon Forge Snow is located at 2533 Teaster Lane, Pigeon Forge, TN. To learn more, view current pricing or sign the waiver before your visit, visit them online.
Have you been snow tubing at Pigeon Forge Snow? Let us know in the comments below.
