If you love being outside, you can’t beat a summer vacation in Gatlinburg! Located at the doorstep of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Gatlinburg and the surrounding area offers a variety of wonderful Smoky Mountains activities and outdoor adventures. When you stay with us, you will be near all of the best things to do in the great outdoors! To help you make the most of your vacation, take a look at these 6 outdoor activities in Gatlinburg and things to do in the Smoky Mountains this summer:
1. Ober Mountain
The Smokies are home to the only ski resort in the state of Tennessee! While Ober Mountain offers excellent skiing, snowboarding, and snow tubing during the winter months, in the off season, you can participate in several fun outdoor attractions, including a mountain coaster, alpine slide, wildlife encounter, and so much more. You’ll have an easy commute, since our hotel is within walking distance of the Ober Aerial Tramway, a cable car ride which takes you straight to the mountaintop amusement park.
2. Smoky Mountain Waterfall Hikes
The national park is home to over 850 miles of beautiful trails to explore, and one of the best trails to take during the summer is to one of the waterfalls in the Smokies! There are plenty of options for waterfall hikes for every skill level, from the 1-mile walk to Cataract Falls to the challenging but rewarding trek to Ramsey Cascades!
3. Horseback Riding
Horseback riding is another one of the best outdoor activities in Gatlinburg. Sugarlands Riding Stables offers guided trail rides through the heart of the Great Smoky Mountains. No prior experience is necessary, as all of the horses at Sugarlands are well-trained and friendly. If you have any animal lovers in your group, this is a great activity. You get to spend time outside enjoying the Smokies and spend time with beautiful animals!
4. Whitewater Rafting
If you’ve never been white water rafting, you’ll definitely want to go while you’re in the Smokies! For a fun ride down the river, book a trip with Smoky Mountain Outdoors. This company specializes in thrilling rides down the upper part of the Pigeon River, which could feature Class 3 and 4 rapids, and relaxing trips down the lower part of the Pigeon River, which has mostly Class 1 and 2 rapids. Riding the rapids will be an outdoor adventure in Gatlinburg that none of you will forget!
5. Ziplining
Flying through the trees at 25 miles per hour is a great way to spend your day outdoors! The Cloud Catcher zipline at Ober is an incredible experience, and Anakeesta also has ziplines at the top where you can race the person beside you on dual lines. Your kids will beg you to zipline all day, and you certainly won’t beat the views from this popular Smoky Mountain activity. Read more about the best zipline in Gatlinburg!
6. Biking
While bicycles aren’t allowed in certain areas of the national park, there are still plenty of opportunities for biking in the Smoky Mountains. Cades Cove is a great place for a scenic bike ride, and you can even rent a bicycle from the campground store if you don’t have your own. Make the most of your biking experience by visiting during Vehicle Free Wednesdays during the summer!
Interested in more outdoor activities in the Smoky Mountains? Check out a few of the top outdoor things to do in Pigeon Forge!
Where to Stay
After a full day of enjoying outdoor activities in Gatlinburg TN, you will love relaxing back at our downtown Gatlinburg hotel. Our creekside hotel has everything you need to kick back and unwind, including two outdoor pools, an indoor pool and sauna, rooms with private balconies, and a beautiful picnic area. To start planning your vacation, look through our Gatlinburg hotel rooms!
