The Longest Pedestrian-Only Suspension Bridge in America Opens This Month in Gatlinburg
Whether you're catching thrills at Ober Gatlinburg, the ski resort and amusement park or visiting a local winery, Gatlinburg, Tennessee, has no shortage of stellar attractions.
Now, they're about to add their latest, greatest, and longest to the list: The SkyBridge at Gatlinburg SkyLift Park, the longest pedestrian-only suspension bridge in North America. On May 17th, the SkyBridge's grand opening will take place with a special invite-only event for members of the media and city and tourism officials, accompanied by live music. Following the event, the park will open to the public at 1:00pm where guests can be among the first to experience the new bridge and the SkyDeck, an observation platform with spectacular views. The deck also houses a snack shop, bar, and gift shop with ample seating. Interested individuals can buy tickets at the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park office in downtown Gatlinburg or online here.
Measuring 680-feet in length, the SkyBridge is the longest bridge of its kind in North America. Designers also incorporated glass panels into the floor of the bridge at its highest point for even more impressive vistas.
WATCH: Gatlinburg Is Getting the Longest Pedestrian-Only Suspension Bridge in America
While visiting, guests can also take a ride on the scenic chair lift which goes up five hundred feet to the top of Crockett Mountain. Known by locals as the SkyLift, the attraction was rebuilt following 2016's devastating wildfires in the region.
"The Gatlinburg SkyLift is an instantly recognizable landmark in the downtown area, and we wanted to preserve its history and all treasured memories in our expansion,” said Randy Watson, general manager of SkyLift Park Gatlinburg, in a press release. “The wildfires destroyed the iconic chairlift and shop, and rebuilding has been a labor of love for our team. We’re proud to say that the ‘Best Seat in Gatlinburg’ is back and better than ever with these breathtaking new additions."
Okay, we'll go ahead and cut off on these gorgeous pictures for now before we're compelled to throw an overnight bag in our car and hit the road for an impromptu road trip to the sky.
