The Island
The Island sits on the West Prong of the Little Pigeon River, at 131 The Island Drive, directly off the Parkway between lights 3 and 4. It has a paved riverwalk and the Great Smoky Mountain Wheel, a 200-foot observation wheel. Parking in the marked lots is free. The main lot, between The Island and the LeConte Event Center, has a complimentary city tram to the entrance. For shops, ride hours and the fountain schedule, use The Island's own site. If you want a hotel on the property, see Margaritaville Island Hotel on the hotels page.
The riverwalk continues along the river beyond The Island, past the LeConte Center and on toward Patriot Park. It is a simple way to walk part of town without getting back on the Parkway.
The park
Great Smoky Mountains National Park begins just south, through Gatlinburg. Sugarlands Visitor Center is about ten miles from the center of Pigeon Forge, and about two miles south of Gatlinburg. The park is free to enter and open all year, but a parking tag is required if you park for more than fifteen minutes: $5 a day, $15 a week, or $40 a year. An America the Beautiful pass does not replace it. Buy the tag on recreation.gov and print it, at a visitor center, at a machine in the park, or at the REI on Teaster Lane. A tag does not hold a space. Popular trailheads fill early.
Cades Cove, a valley south of Townsend, has an 11-mile one-way loop that is open from sunrise to sunset. It is typically closed to cars on Wednesdays from May through September. The drive from Sugarlands is about an hour; from a Wears Valley cabin, the Townsend approach is shorter. Kuwohi, the highest peak in the park at 6,643 feet, is about 45 minutes from Sugarlands and has an observation tower. That road is seasonal. So is the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail. Check roads and trail closures on the National Park Service pages before you go. Cell service in the park is extremely limited.
Dollywood
Dollywood is at 2700 Dollywood Parks Boulevard, on the east side of town. Tickets, calendars, parking and hours are on Dollywood's own site. Splash Country, the water park, is next to it and is seasonal. For a room beside the park, see hotels near Dollywood. This guide is not affiliated with Dollywood.
The Old Mill, and a few other stops in town
The Old Mill, at 175 Old Mill Avenue, sits on the Little Pigeon River just off the Parkway at light 7. It was built in 1830 and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places. Patriot Park, the hub for the city trolley, is next to it. The Titanic Museum is at 2134 Parkway, in a ship-shaped building, with free parking on site. WonderWorks is at 100 Music Road, near the Music Road hotels, with free parking in front of the building. For current hours and tickets, use each attraction's own site.
The city's Fun Time Trolley runs from Patriot Park to the north and south Parkway, Dollywood, Wears Valley Road, and the Gatlinburg Welcome Center. It is a way to park once and move along the strip without driving every light. Check the city's pages for fares and hours.
Tours
Where to stay
Pigeon Forge cabins and Hotels in Pigeon Forge.
Questions
Do I need a parking tag for the national park?
Yes, if you park for more than fifteen minutes. The park has no entrance fee. The tag is $5 a day, $15 a week, or $40 a year. Print it from recreation.gov, or buy one at a visitor center, a park machine, or the REI on Teaster Lane.
How do I get to Cades Cove from Pigeon Forge?
Through Gatlinburg and Sugarlands is about an hour from the visitor center. From Wears Valley, go on to Townsend and enter from that side. The loop is 11 miles, one way, and is open from sunrise to sunset.
Where is The Island, and is parking free?
Between lights 3 and 4 on the Parkway, at 131 The Island Drive. Parking in the marked lots is free, and a city tram runs from the main lot by the LeConte Center.
Where do I buy Dollywood tickets?
On Dollywood's own site, or at the park. This guide does not sell tickets.