Outdoor risk guide to Sevierville, TN

  • Soaring through the air
  • Hitting the water
  • Exploring the mountains
  • Getting active

Photo: Visit Sevierville

Westwardander just across the edges of Corking Smoky Mountains National Park, post-obit the Niggling Pigeon River north, and yous'll speedily find yourself in Sevierville, Tennessee. That correct there should tell y'all everything you demand to know. The surface area holds so many idyllic outdoor scenes — lush dark-green valleys, rolling hillsides, mountain forests filled with trails, rivers, and lakes — along with all the amenities you need to refuel between amazing adventures.

Less than 30 minutes from both Knoxville and the national park, Sevierville is a quick hop south of I-40 and less than a day'southward drive from almost anywhere forth the Eastern Seaboard or from the Southern US. Once yous're here, you tin get on the water, take to the air, explore the mountains, or simply burn some of that cooped-up pandemic energy. Here's what you can look forwards to in Sevierville's great outdoors.

Soaring through the air

Photograph: Heaven Loftier Air Tours / Visit Sevierville

One of the world's biodiverse hotspots, the lush blue-green canopy of the Smokies is unlike any other in the country. Here are some of the best ways to explore these thick, wild fauna-rich forests and ancient, intricately weathered mountains — from above.

Helicopter touring over the Smokies

With Scenic Helicopter Tours, you'll wing over the national park...

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Helicopter touring over the Smokies

Try taking off in a helicopter and dipping depression over the Keen Smoky Mountains and not feeling a rush. With Scenic Helicopter Tours, you'll fly over the national park, up and down nearby mountains and valleys, across rivers and lakes, and over the area's most recognizable spots. Y'all'll hear most local history and lore from your airplane pilot and perhaps even spot 1 of the many black bears that roam the area.

Tip: If y'all want a specialized adventure, you tin can book a night bout or charter a individual ride. Tours accommodate up to vi people.

Photo: Visit Sevierville


Soaring over Sevierville in a historic biplane

Surely you lot've imagined what information technology would be like to soar over mountains...

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Soaring over Sevierville in a historic biplane

Surely you've imagined what it would be similar to soar over mountains, forests, and rivers...well, you'll get a taste of that feeling when you climb aboard Sky High Air Tours' open-cockpit 1927 biplane. When you put on your aviator helmet and goggles and have off from the Gatlinburg Dove Forge Drome, yous tin as well imagine the excitement those barnstormers of yesteryear must take experienced.

Notation: Flights are a quick 8, 15, or thirty minutes.

Photo: Sky High Air Tours / Visit Sevierville


Ziplining through the canopy

To experience that thick forest awning upward close, attempt a zipline tour...

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Ziplining through the awning

To experience that thick forest canopy up close, head out to Foxfire Mountain Adventure Park for a zipline adventure. Their Waterfall Canopy Bout allows you to go slow and steady—well, wearisome and steady for a zipline—and take information technology all in. If you prefer speed, check out the Goliath Zip Line, the highest, fastest, and longest in the Smokies. You'll travel at speeds exceeding 55mph as y'all traverse five lines, views of Foxfire Valley and the Smokies zipping past as y'all fly in a higher place the Picayune Pigeon River.

Tip: While yous're hither, leave fourth dimension to cantankerous the Swinging Bridge to Prosperity Mount—looking down onto Foxfire Gorge, it's one of the longest swinging bridges in the country.

Photograph: RossHelen/Shutterstock


Hitting the water

Photo: Visit Sevierville

There are numerous opportunities to get on — or in — the water in Sevierville. Betwixt bubbles mountain streams, placid lakes, tumbling rivers, and one of the country'southward best waterparks, the right volume of water fun lies somewhere just beyond your eastern-Tennessee doorstep.

Riding the watercoasters

Raft rides. Slide furnishings. Launch capsules. Trunk slides. Race tracks...

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Riding the watercoasters

Spread across 50 acres, Soaky Mountain Waterpark offers every kind of water thrill you can think of: Tube rides. Raft rides. Slide effects. Launch capsules. Body slides. Race tracks. Explosion turns. Tube slides. Surf systems. Whitewater rapids. Wave pools—you get it.

Of course, you lot can also simply relax on an in-water recliner at the Coyote Springs pool while the kids get nuts. Tiffin is piece of cake with Mexican takeout from Tacolicious and sweet treats from Soaky Shake Shoppe.

Photo: Visit Sevierville


Gone fishin'

Cute rivers and repose streams surround Sevierville...

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Gone fishin'

In stark contrast to the waterpark, beautiful rivers and quiet streams surround Sevierville, making for bully opportunities for anglers (and nature-lovers). Even if you've never tried fly fishing—or fishing at all—it'southward therapeutic to stand up with nature, casting a line, watching the water. No one said you accept to catch annihilation. (No one will be around to know!)

Douglas Lake —northeast of Sevierville—is a solid choice, with 555 miles of shoreline and massive populations of black bass, largemouth bass, and crappie. For an unforgettable experience angling in Groovy Smoky Mountains National Park, book a guided tour with Smoky Mountain Angler.

Photo: Visit Sevierville


Whitewater rafting the Pigeon River

The super-scenic Pigeon River provides a smorgasbord of rafting experiences...

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Whitewater rafting the Pigeon River

The super-scenic Pigeon River provides a smorgasbord of rafting experiences. For those who desire to navigate Class III and Class Four rapids, there's the Upper Pigeon River; for those who prefer a coincidental float through the hills, await to the lower section. Or heck, check out both!

At that place are a number of outfitters offering whitewater (and not-and then-whitewater) rafting along the river, to and through its cool swimming holes, rapids, and gorges. Nigh rafting trips volition kickoff in Hartford, some 30 miles southeast of Sevierville. More peaceful floats, platonic for those with little ones, take place on the Fiddling River and brainstorm in Townsend, about 25 miles southwest of town.

Photo: Ammit Jack/Shutterstock


Exploring the mountains

Sevierville sits in a valley at the border of the Nifty Smoky Mountains, so named for the pearlescent fog that oft hangs over the range. While the national park contains more than half a million acres of pristine lands, wildlife hangouts, and stunning photograph ops, look to the miles of scenic terrain and trails outside the park for bottom-trafficked mount adventures.

Taking a backroads ATV tour

Now it's time to explore off the pavement, cables, and roads about traveled...

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Taking a backroads ATV tour

Now it'south time to explore off the pavement, cables, and roads most traveled.While famous for its ziplines, Foxfire Mountain Risk Park as well runs ATV tours for those who adopt to stay on the ground simply still go that off-filigree feeling. Hop in an ATV and let your guide regale you with local Appalachian tales and facts about the area—if you lot tin take your attention off the adventure, that is.

Photo: FS STock/Shutterstock


Horseback riding through the forest

Sometimes a more than meditative adventure is the way to become...

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Horseback riding through the forest

Sometimes a more than meditative, silent adventure—minus the prune-clopping—is the mode to become. Saddle upward at Five Oaks Riding Stables for a leisurely three.five-mile trail ride, the entire family spending an hr on horseback. You'll amble forth under the trees, soaking upward those beautiful mountain views, practicing your "woah!" skills when you want to stop and snap a photograph. The path is shady too, making this outing ideal for hot summer days (and for foliage-peeping in fall!).

Tip: If you have little ones, V Oaks besides offers tandem rides, with the kiddo just in front of you lot (best seat in the house, really).

Photograph: nullplus/Shutterstock


Hiking around Sevierville

Neat Smoky Mountains National Park stretches to the south of Sevierville...

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Hiking around Sevierville

Cracking Smoky Mountains National Park stretches between Tennessee and North Carolina to the south of Sevierville. There are about 800 miles of maintained trails inside the park, not including lxx miles of the Appalachian Trail.

This is consistently one of the most popular national parks in the country, and then feel gratis to look globe-grade everything. In that location are great hikes for all levels , including upwardly to the tower at Clingmans Dome, upwards Mount Le Conte, or to Gregory Bald via the Gregory Ridge Trail.

If you prefer a short, self-guided nature walk, the park has plenty of those too. The popular Cades Cove Nature Trail is gorgeous each leap with dogwoods in blossom, a apartment and piece of cake 2-mile loop coming in at less than 2 hours. Or cheque out the Cataract Falls Trail behind the Sugarlands Company Center—this easy one-mile rail passes some squeamish bridges and streams and takes you right to the 25-foot-alpine Cataract Falls.

Photograph: Visit Sevierville


Getting active

There's a lot of excitement to fire through in Sevierville, and some days, you simply gotta go those feet moving — in a higher place or below ground. Y'all accept to earn your time sitting on the porch and watching that mountain sunset, correct?

Spelunking at Forbidden Caverns

Did you know in that location are more caves in Tennessee than in any other land...

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Spelunking at Forbidden Caverns

Did y'all know there are more than caves in Tennessee than in whatever other state in the state? Yous can fact-check for yourself at Forbidden Caverns, right in Sevierville.

Even when it'due south a hot day outdoors, it stays a cool 58 degrees underground. The stalagmites and stalactites, lit with a multifariousness of colored lights, make for incredible scenery as y'all explore below town. This is a family-friendly way to become a gustation of spelunking, with lighted paths, handrails, and an experienced guide at the lead, narrating the mode.

Note: The caverns are open April through November.

Photo: Visit Sevierville


Playing mountain paintball

Endeavor out 1 of the first facilities in the Us to offer depression-impact paintball...

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Playing mountain paintball

Tennessee Mountain Paintball is one of the first facilities in the US to offering low-impact paintball, then skeptics and the "I trample similar a peach!" types should start hither. This is a peachy fashion to get out with the older kids and unleash some energy.

Simply there are opportunities for the younger ones, too—kids ages vii to 10 can participate in Tennessee Mountain Paintball's depression-impact (due east.g. "pain-free") Splatmaster Games, a two-hr session that can accommodate upwardly to ten people. Afterward, in that location's no beingness sore for tomorrow's adventures—though your pod may be ready for some reanimation.

Photo: Nak Anna/Shutterstock


Hitting the fairways

While the kids are off paintballing, book a tee fourth dimension...

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Hit the fairways

While the kids are off paintballing, book a tee fourth dimension at the Sevierville Golf Club, arguably the best in the Smokies. Y'all've got ii courses to cull from: the 18-hole, 72-par River Form runs along the Little Pigeon River; the 18-hole, 70-par Highlands Course takes yous around rolling hills and ponds. There's always the meditative magic of a bucket of golf assurance and the driving range, besides—peculiarly when the views are this scenic.

Note: Proper golf attire is required, so pack that polo.

Photograph: Visit Sevierville