Smoky Mountain Wheel

Remember back to when you were a kid when going to the county fair or theme park was the highlight of your summer… Looking forward to riding all the rides, and especially the giant Ferris wheel.  Those Ferris wheels captured many a summer romance back in the day for a number of us. Good news for local kids, the Ferris wheel is back in Pigeon Forge and ready for the summer crowds.

The Great Smoky Mountain Wheel takes folks to new heights at The Islands, located off Smoky Drive in Pigeon Forge. The 200 foot structure consists of 42 fully enclosed gondolas with air conditioning. Quite a step up from the county fair wheels of yesteryear that were for the most part open-air

For those of you planning on taking a ride, each gondola can hold 2-6 people. So, if you don’t have a night of romance planned for you and your honey, take the family and enjoy a day out in Pigeon Forge.

Rides last 10-12 minutes. Each ride is a chance to see Pigeon Forge and the surrounding areas, including parts of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Comparing the Smoky Mountain Wheel to other area attractions, the view at the top would put you half way up the Gatlinburg Space Needle. That’s about as high as you’re going to get on a land locked ride.