8 Smoky Mountain Alpine Coasters You Have To Try

With its many hills and hollers, the Smoky Mountain region is a hotspot for unique and thrilling alpine coasters. These rides involve tracks built on mountainsides, using an area’s natural elevation to shape the route. Riders sit in their own bobsled-like cart and get slowly pulled up a hill by a cable system, able to take in the fresh air and scenery around them. Once they reach the top, gravity takes over and passengers cruise down a fixed track, able to control how fast they want to go via manual brake levers on both sides of the cart.

As an alpine coaster aficionado and Smoky Mountain local, I have enjoyed all eight of Sevier County, Tennessee’s rides. While Sevierville, Gatlinburg, and Pigeon Forge each offer an array of fun experiences—from zip-lines and go-carts to Dollywood’s classic rollercoaster, the Wild Eagle—travelers shouldn’t miss putting a mountain coaster on their Smokies bucket list. 

The region holds some special titles, including longest in the Southeast and only single-rail in North America. With many of the coasters operating as standalone attractions, I love being able to hop on a quick one for a little adventure in my day without having to commit to an entire theme park.

What Should You Know Before You Go?

Each alpine coaster operator will begin with instructions and safety checks before you head up the mountain. A ride’s carts can accommodate one or two people up to a typical weight limit of 375 pounds. The coasters often require riders to be a minimum of 56 inches tall and at least 8 years old to ride alone.

Once seated in your cart, you’ll buckle your seatbelt just as you would in a motor vehicle. Operators will ensure riders have a minimum space between each other of about 80 feet as the cable system begins to pull them up the hill. During the ascent, you don’t have to do anything but enjoy the views. 

Once you reach the top of the mountain, there will be a sign or announcement to push the levers on the sides of your cart forward to begin your ride. You push them down to accelerate and pull them back to slow, though it is safe to descend the full ride without ever using your brakes. The ride is outfitted with a centrifugal brake in addition to the manual brake levers to ensure your cart cannot exceed the ride’s maximum safe speed. There is also an automatic braking system at the end of the ride to slow you down for your exit.

You can choose to use the manual brakes to make smoother turns around sharp loops, enjoy the ride at a speed you’re more comfortable with, or maintain a safe distance from the rider in front of you if they’re moving slower. The ability to control your ride experience makes it a great option for younger riders or first-timers who are a little nervous about rollercoasters.

With these basics, you’re ready to explore the fun of Smoky Mountain alpine coasters. The information below is based on my own experiences with each ride. The information is current as of May 2023, but prices, hours, and other features change seasonally. Check each coaster’s website for up-to-date details. Prices listed here may also not include taxes or other fees.

Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster At SkyLand Ranch

• Length: 1.25 miles of track, 8–9 minutes, 2 ascents/descents
• Max Speed: 25mph
• Price: $18.99 for ages 10 and up, $9.99 for children 3–9 riding with an adult
• Hours: 9 a.m.–11 p.m.
• Location: 1620 Parkway, Sevierville, TN 37862
• More Info: www.skylandranch.com/wild-stallion

SkyLand Ranch opened in Sevierville in late 2022. The attraction offers a scenic chairlift up to a 100-acre, mountaintop farm with miniature animal encounters, daily concerts and performers, dining, and shopping. The new entertainment center also debuted the Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster—the longest mountain coaster in the Southeast.

As you approach the ticket counter for SkyLand Ranch, a fiddle and banjo duel over the loudspeakers. “Welcome to Skyland Ranch! Bring your friends and your family too. Welcome to SkyLand Ranch! SkyLand Ranch is waiting here for you,” the song’s vocalists harmonize.

Staff in black shirts and large, tan cowboy hats greet and direct you to the nearby loading dock for the mountain coaster. After a quick safety overview, you begin your first three-minute pull up the coaster. Across the street from the Tanger Outlets mall, it may not seem like this ride will have the prettiest views, but as you reach higher up the hillside, panoramic scenery puts on a show. You can see all of Sevierville and Pigeon Forge nested at the base of the towering Smoky Mountains. At sunset, the coaster’s track lights up with white twinkle lights.

The coaster’s first descent is a smooth, one-minute thrill of curves and spirals. It also uses the downhill momentum to quickly power you through flat, squiggly stretches of track clung to the hillside. You’re pulled up the mountain once more for a second downhill that ends in a 360-degree loop before a kind cowboy or cowgirl helps you slow and exit your cart. 

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• I love that you can pay to just ride the mountain coaster if you don’t want to venture into the rest of SkyLand Ranch’s park. It makes it a perfect stop for fast fun.
• The coaster’s chairs are gentle on your back. Their design prevents the hard material from hitting your lower spine during twists and turns like some other coasters do.
• Hands down, this coaster offers the best panoramic views.
• The Wild Stallion is newer to the scene, and you can feel it in how smooth the track is and how clean the ride is.
• Having two long ascents and descents helps extend the ride’s enjoyment.
• This coaster is in a more urban setting, so doesn’t have the forested tunnels others offer.

Rail Runner Mountain Coaster At Anakeesta

• Length: 0.3 miles of track, 4–5 minutes, 1 ascent/descent
• Max Speed: 25mph
• Price: $14.99 for single rider, $18.99 for tandem rider, plus cost of admission to the park: $34.99 for ages 12–59, $22.99 for ages 4–11, $27.99 for ages 60+, free under 3. Total for a single adult rider is $49.98. 
• Hours: 9 a.m.–7 p.m. (park stays open until 10 p.m.)
• Location: 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
• More Info: anakeesta.com/rail-runner

Anakeesta is a mountaintop amusement park accessible from downtown Gatlinburg by a scenic chairlift (that’s exhilarating in its own right through the heights it reaches and length it travels) or a ground shuttle. With its meticulous flowered landscaping, thoughtful designs and attractions, and proximity to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, Anakeesta would be worth the trip even if it wasn’t home to the Rail Runner Mountain Coaster.

The Rail Runner is the only single-rail mountain coaster in the United States. On other mountain coasters in the area, you’ll sit in a wide car with tracks on both sides, cradling you along the ride. On the Rail Runner, a single track connects to the middle of your seat’s bottom, out of sight. This creates a sensation of flying rather than sliding down the hillside and makes the ride seem even faster than it is.

Another element that sets the Rail Runner apart from other area coasters is that it starts with the descent. Since you’ve already ascended a mountain to get to Anakeesta, the only option is down. Once staff have secured you into your cart, you immediately plummet down the hillside, dropping about 400 feet in elevation over 1,600 feet of rail. It’s like disappearing into a secret forest land. The downhill takes about 50 seconds, making it an electrifyingly quick ride with some humps and drops along that way that might make your stomach jump.

At the end, you can relax and enjoy a four-minute, cable-pulled climb back to the loading area. It’s a wonderful time to soak in nearly 360-degree views of the Smoky Mountains. During the spring, the path is lined with blushing mountain laurel. The Rail Runner’s ambiance mimics the overall feeling of Anakeesta’s commitment to “mountain magic.”

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• Along the track, signs provide suggestions for where to engage your manual brakes for a smoother ride.
• The coaster’s seats are the most comfortable around, fitted with a pillow to support your lower back.
• Blink and this ride is over. While short, it’s one of the best for getting your adrenaline pumping.
• The ride is pricey given you have to pay for both it and admission to the park. However, the park offers enough to make the journey worth it. After your ride, plan to enjoy a drink in a wooden rocking chair at Tap House and soak in phenomenal views of the Smokies.
• Due to “big fluffy creatures who like to cross the tracks,” as one employee told me, the coaster closes earlier than the rest of Anakeesta to avoid any bear-related delays.
• Stay tuned for the launch of a second mountain coaster called The Hellbender coming to Anakeesta in Fall 2023.

Moonshine Mountain Coaster

• Length: 0.6 miles of track, 4–5 minutes, 1 ascent/descent
• Max Speed: 30mph
• Price: $17 for ages 13 and up, $13 for ages 8–12, $5 for ages 3–17
• Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Location: 306 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
• More Info: www.moonshinemountaincoaster.com

Located just outside the main strip of downtown Gatlinburg, the Moonshine Mountain Coaster takes riders through lush forest trails for a truly nature-inspired ride.The initial cable-pulled ascent takes about three minutes. The built environment slowly fades behind you as you wind between towering trees and watch fellow riders begin their zip down the mountain.

Loudspeakers tucked throughout the woods play pop music favorites like Taylor Swift to keep moods high. Colorful spotlights and patterned laser lights placed under the tracks and throughout the forest evoke a magical vibe come nightfall. Once you reach the top of the pull, the music pauses and a recorded voice clearly tells you to push forward and enjoy the ride.

Your descent is filled with several fast downhill curves and finishes off with a 360-degree loop. With a maximum speed of 30mph, this is one of the area’s fastest mountain coasters and feels even more so zipping through verdant tunnels.

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• Dusk is the perfect time to ride this coaster. While many of the area’s mountain coasters light up, the Moonshine Mountain Coaster puts on the best show, using lasers and spotlights rather than stringed lights like others.
• If you ride during daylight hours, you can purchase a video of your entire ride in addition to the typical action photo the coasters offer.
• Don’t expect distant mountain views on this ride. It is one of the more densely forested options, but overall checks many boxes for an excellent mountain coaster experience.

Ripley's Mountain Coaster

• Length: 0.6 miles of track, 4–5 minutes, 1 ascent/descent
• Max Speed: 30mph
• Price: $24.99 for ages 10 and up, $12.99 for children 3–9 (prices include two rides)
• Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Location: 386 Parkway, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
• More Info: www.ripleys.com/gatlinburg/ripleys-mountain-coaster

A close neighbor to the Moonshine Mountain Coaster, Ripley’s Mountain Coaster offers another of the area’s fastest options. The ride’s cable-pulled ascent lasts about two minutes, traveling through a young forest with peek-a-boo views of downtown Gatlinburg and Mount Le Conte. Mountain laurel speckles the hillsides in spring.

Once at the top, the thrill starts off with a bang, quickly picking up speed on a downhill straightaway. The track then curves to head away from the mountain and completes about four full loops suspended higher above the ground before slowing to the end of the track. The Roaring Fork stream rushes alongside you as your cart slowly pulls its way back to the loading dock.

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• One ticket gets you two rides on the coaster. This lets your first ride be a warm-up and your second be where you can really cut loose.
• While the mountain coaster is a standalone attraction, Ripley’s offers additional packages if you want to pair it with their many other activities in the area, such as the aquarium.
• The ride’s photo spot is in an excellent location for capturing funny expressions and memorable moments.
• The track has a heavy focus on 360-degree loops, so may not be as appealing to riders looking for more diversity in the route.

Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster

• Length: Just over 1 mile of track, 7–8 minutes, 1 ascent/descent
• Max Speed: 27mph
• Price: $18 for ages 13 and up, $14 for ages 7–12, $6 for ages 3–6 
• Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Location: 867 Wears Valley Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
• More Info: www.smokymountainalpinecoaster.com

The Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster opened in 2013, making it the region’s first mountain coaster. While the Wild Stallion is now the longest mountain coaster in the Southeast, that length occurs over the course of two ascents and descents. With over a mile of track and a single ascent and descent, the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster is the longest downhill ride in the United States. 

In many ways, as the area’s eldest, the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster sets the standard for everything someone could want in a mountain coaster. As you wait in line for your car, Lauren Light’s pump-up jam, “Steal the Night Away,” plays over videos of coasters zooming down the mountainside with smiling passengers. The recordings also include detailed safety instructions so you’re prepared by the time you buckle up.

After taking off from the loading dock, your cart begins a long, steep pull up the mountain through a forested tunnel rich with green vines and the smell of honeysuckle. Flickering rainbow lights trace the length of the track. While the ride can last up to about eight minutes, the downhill portion only accounts for about 90 seconds of that time, so this initial climb is a big one worth savoring. Once at the top of the mountain, you’ll find a smooth ride down through a range of loops, curves, and straightaways through thick forest and down rocky slopes.

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• People flock to this attraction, meaning lines can get long during peak hours. Consider going around dinner time or earlier in the day.
• The cars on this ride are well-spaced, so you never feel like you have to slow your journey to avoid bumping into the person in front of you.
• The entire ride is well-marked with great safety instructions, perfect for initiating newcomers to their first mountain coaster.

The Goat Coaster At Goats On The Roof

• Length: 0.9 miles of track, 5–7 minutes, 1 ascent/descent
• Max Speed: 27mph
• Price: $12 per person
• Hours: 9 a.m.–11:30 p.m.
• Location: 1341 Wears Valley Rd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
• More Info: goatsontheroofofthesmokies.com/goat-coaster.php

The Goat Coaster is undoubtedly the region’s kitschiest mountain coaster. There are, in fact, goats on the grass roof of the coaster’s store and ticketing area. Visitors can purchase feed to give to the goats via a pulley system.

After taking in the experience of the goats, riders buckle into their cart and begin a cable-pulled ascent of an exposed mountainside. As you reach the top of the mountain, sparse trees provide shade and cutouts of cartoon goats sporadically greet you in hillside divots. 

The ride down is smooth and quick, ending with double 360-degree elevated loops that provide an extra thrill and make you feel like you’re going even faster than you are. At night, the track lights up in bright colors.

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• With construction around the coaster, the forested part of the ride isn’t as lush as other coasters. The young vegetation will likely fill out over the next several years.
• The Goat Coaster is neighbors with the Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster and often has a shorter line, providing a fun alternative if you’re not wanting to wait.
• Goats on the Roof is worth a stop simply for how delightfully touristy it is. In the last several months, the business started construction on what appears to be a dinosaur-themed mini golf course up the side of the same mountain—complete with a goat on a T-Rex, of course, to tie everything together.
  

Rocky Top Mountain Coaster

• Length: 0.7 miles of track, 8–10 minutes, 4 ascents/descents
• Max Speed: 30mph
• Price: $18 for ages 13 and up, $14 for ages 7–12
• Hours: 10 a.m.–10 p.m.
• Location: 2940 Veterans Blvd, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
• More Info: www.rockytopcoaster.com

Just down the road from Dollywood, Rocky Top Mountain Coaster claims to be the longest coaster in East Tennessee—presumably for the amount of time spent on the coaster rather than actual track length. This is thanks to its additional claim of being the first mountain coaster in the world to have four ascents.

As you approach the loading dock for the coaster, country music blasts in the waiting area with the lyrics lighting up on a big screen in case riders want to sing along. A fun cartoon safety video orients passengers to the ride.

After being cable-pulled up the first ascent, you get a quick spurt of downhill joy that automatically brakes as you enter a tunnel to connect to your next pull back up the mountain. The track winds around 20 acres of property with regional decorations, colorful lighting, and ponds with fountains. The four ascents provide plenty of downtime to take in the ride’s mini amusement park style.

The ride is darker than other coasters at night, which offers spooky excitement as you travel through the woods to the croaks of resident frogs and sweet songs of whippoorwills. When you push down to accelerate, a light at the front of your coaster car turns on to guide you down the track, turning off again when you release to pull back up the mountain.  

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• Night rides are unique at this coaster and highly recommended. You’ll get to experience the forest in a quieter, more natural way.
• The ride is exciting with multiple loops, tunnels, and fast straightaways.
• When it’s busy, riders can get congested around the track’s multiple ascents, meaning you’re unable to go at full speed without getting too close to the person in front of you. Aim to visit during off-peak hours.
• After each downhill, make sure to lean forward in your seat as your cart connects to the next cable-pull. The process is a little jerky and can be unkind to your lower back.

Tennessee Flyer Mountain Coaster At Ober Mountain

• Length: 0.7 miles of track, 5–6 minutes, 1 ascent/descent
• Max Speed: 25mph
• Price: Included with purchase of $49 wristband for access to the park
• Hours: 10 a.m.–9 p.m.
• Location: 1339 Ski Mountain Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
• More Info: obergatlinburg.com/ski-mountain-coaster

The Tennessee Flyer Mountain Coaster is only accessible with full admission to the Ober Mountain entertainment center (formerly the Ski Mountain Coaster at Ober Gatlinburg). Your admission also includes other activities depending on the season, such as ice skating, a scenic chairlift, rock wall climbing, and a wildlife habitat. 

You can reach Ober Mountain via an enclosed aerial tramway, which provides scenic views of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, even passing over sections of the park’s Gatlinburg Bypass road. If you’re lucky, sometimes you can spot a black bear in the woods below.

The mountain coaster begins with a 3.5-minute, 1,000-foot climb of a lightly forested hillside. Once released from the cable at the top, you’ll pick up speed for a series of downhill corkscrews, dips, and zig-zags.  

Pros, Cons, & Tips

• The coaster is outfitted with safety features that automatically brake your cart if it gets too fast or too close to the rider in front of you. This can be reassuring for first-time riders, but can feel constricting on busy days when you’re unable to get up to full speed.
• The coaster is open year-round. Winter is a unique time to enjoy it with the park’s snow activities in full swing.
• The ride is pricey given you have to pay for full admission to the park, as well as potential parking fees. Plan ahead to take advantage of all available park activities.