The Newest, Biggest Park In Pigeon Forge

The Revel Group, which also brought us the world-class adventure park Anakeesta is now pushing the envelope even further with a new project in 2024. And for those of you who are concerned with overdevelopment in the Smokies, the nature of this place should keep you happy as well. This summer the group will bring locals and visitors to the area an 850-acre outdoor enthusiast’s utopia of UTV, mountain biking, and hiking trails (many of which existed before The Revel Group acquisition). 850 acres of mountainous land stretching from Pigeon Forge to the backdoor of Gatlinburg is significant to say the least. To put the size in perspective, Dollywood spans just around 150 acres.

We here at All About The Smokies had the opportunity to get an exclusive look and tour of the property. As of the publishing of this article, Revel officials are keeping the location and name of the park under their hats. Fortunately, there are still many things we can share with you. The park entrance sits just minutes away from traffic light 10 in Pigeon Forge. Oddly, considering its proximity to town, it feels as if you are in the middle of a deep forest experience almost immediately. This feeling increases as you take to a UTV and venture deeper into the property. It smells, feels, looks, and sounds like you are in the national park. On the trail, you pass by native rhododendron and ford mountain streams. The path hits switchbacks as you climb and views of surrounding areas emerge through the trees. What’s great about the UTV journey is you can go at your own pace. The park had developed these outdoor experiences with the whole family in mind. According to Marketing Communication Manager Austin Martin, the UTV tours will be guided at first, with the possibility of solo excursions somewhere down the line. Additionally, the experiences we discuss in this article will just be the beginning, as new activities will be added to the park in future phases.

Eventually, you surpass 3,200 feet in elevation as you make your approach to Raven’s Den, the park’s highest peak. From here you are looking down into Pigeon Forge. The Wheel at The Island is in clear view. You get the notion that if not for the trees you may be able to get a glimpse of Knoxville from the top. This is a great place to stop and take it all in. The feeling of being in the middle of nowhere, while simultaneously looking down on the bustle of Pigeon Forge is a unique one.

Making your descent from Raven’s Den the size of the park becomes evident. It would take most of the day to explore all of the UTV trails alone. Then you realize that these trails are separate from the biking trails, which are also separate from the hiking trails. This separation by trail use, according to Martin, will help to keep everyone safe.

Continuing into the valley we make our way back to Base Camp. Providing a hub for visitors, the soon-to-come Base Camp will serve as the initial contact point for visitors to the park. This is where you will prepare for your day in the forest while also having the opportunity to fill your belly.

Martin added “Everybody has to have food, so we're gonna give you a little bit of energy and fuel to ride these trails on either your mountain biking or your UTVs. Speaking of those we're gonna offer mountain bike rentals as well as e-bike rentals and then we're gonna offer those guided UTV tours So this is where you will suit up get ready kind of learn the basics before you head out on the trails We want to keep everyone safe Your time at Base Camp will provide you the opportunity to connect with other riders and guides. So whether you’re mountain biking, hiking, or riding a UTV, you can kind of come together enjoy a little bit of food, a little bit of friendship, and just have a good time here.”

It seems this new park while providing visitors with enough activities to have fun all weekend, will not be a development in the usual sense. The park at this time only plans to have one structure on the property (Base Camp). So aside from the trails, the 850 acres will go largely untouched. This is the best possible development scenario for visitors to the area and those interested in preserving nature.

As more details emerge from this development we will keep you informed right here at allaboutthesmokies.com!