If you love the great outdoors and happen to experience a little rain during your Smoky Mountain vacation, don’t let that spoil your fun! While you can certainly take advantage of indoor rainy day activities in Pigeon Forge, you’ll also find plenty of exciting outdoor things to do in the Smokies, rain or shine! As long as you are properly prepared with a poncho or rain jacket, you’ll be pleasantly surprised at just how many activities are available in some wet weather! Here are 4 fun outdoor activities in the Smoky Mountains you can still enjoy on a rainy day:
1. Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster
The Smoky Mountain Alpine Coaster is one of the many mountain coasters in the Smokies that operate in the rain, as the safe braking system operates the same in any kind of weather! The awesome thing about this particular mountain coaster is that rain shields are available for your coaster cart, helping to protect you from the elements as you race down the mountain! Your journey begins with a leisurely ride to the top of the mountain, but the thrilling downhill run is filled with airtime drops, corkscrews, zig-zags, and other incredible elements!
2. White Water Rafting on the Pigeon River
Another one of the fun outdoor activities in the Smoky Mountains you can still enjoy on a rainy day is white water rafting! This can be one of the best times to get out on the water, as you’ll be getting soaked anyway during your rafting adventure! Smoky Mountain Outdoors is one outfitter that offers white water rafting trips on the Pigeon River, with the most popular trip featuring a 6.5-mile ride through class III and IV rapids! The Smoky Mountain rafting outpost is only about 45 minutes north of Gatlinburg, making them the closest white water rafting outfitters to the Smoky Mountain area.
3. Hiking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open year-round for your enjoyment in any kind of weather, so pack your rain gear and get ready to explore the scenic hiking trails! As a bonus, you’ll find that the most popular trails are much less crowded on rainy days! Many hikes run through dense parts of the forest, which helps protect you from significant rainfall, so consider starting your day at one of the excellent visitor center facilities to get a few recommendations from a park ranger. Rainy days are also the perfect time to focus on some of the trails with waterfalls, as the water flow is even more dramatic!
4. Dollywood Thrill Rides
Most of the thrill rides at Dollywood theme park operate in light rain as long as there is no lightning within 10 miles of the park! If you have a poncho or don’t mind getting a little wet, rainy days can be the best times to take advantage of short lines on the most popular attractions! Soar through the air on the Wild Eagle coaster, experience a 20-foot freefall on the Drop Line, or challenge the rapids on the Smoky Mountain River Rampage!
These are just a few examples of outdoor activities in the Smoky Mountains you can enjoy rain or shine. Curious about what to do indoors? Check out more Gatlinburg rainy day activities!
