Ripley’s Mountain Coaster in Gatlinburg is a self-operated, gravity-propelled mountain coaster that offers a ride down the mountainside on a rail-mounted coaster cart, with a speed you can control. This was formerly the Rowdy Bear coaster, taken under Ripley’s management in 2022.
Images courtesy of Gatlinburg.com
The advantage with ticketing is the large number of other Ripley’s attractions in Gatlinburg – including the famous Aquarium of course – so it makes sense to “combo up” with tickets and save money on multiple attractions.
The coaster operation also offers the innovative glider, a monorail experience that combines hang-gliding with ziplining, with the additional coaster feel of the curves and spiral courses.Nighttime is very different and special on any mountains coaster, and Ripley’s coaster has a dazzling array of sparkling lights along the track for an enchanting evening ride – a great date-night excursion, lots of fun.
You can see more description of the coaster and glider runs in our old Rowdy Bear post. The Bear is still active, by the way, choosing to focus on its Pigeon Forge operation, where it has innovated snow tubing and a snow coaster for the winter season, as well as its summer thrills, and a few more innovations as well – definitely one to watch.
On balance this works out well for everyone,with Ripley’s adding the Gatlinburg coaster to its efficient management and happy staff, and its expansive menu of attractions, and Rowdy Bear playing in the snow, where its heart seems to be (and we like the results).
Useful Information
Ripley’s Mountain Coaster
386 Parkway Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Tel: (865) 430-7800
Web: Ripley’s Mountain Coaster
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