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    Forbidden Caverns

    4.0 (105 reviews)
    Closed 10:00 am - 4:00 pm

    Forbidden Caverns Photos

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    Mike V.

    Had an amazing adventure into the Forbidden Caverns. This is a fascinating excursion for all ages. The tour was just under an hour, with lots of beautiful things to see about 200 feet underground. The guide was seemingly a bit grumpy, but we did our best to not let it sully the visit. There are few points on the tour that may not be good if you're claustrophobic. If you're going with a family, make sure you have well behaved children, it is a very strict do not touch policy, as the oils on your hands will damage the growth of the stalagmites and stalagmites. If you're looking for a unique, fun experience, this is one to remember

    Cave with stalagmites and stalactites
    Meadow S.

    Amazing adventure. The cave is very cool, both temperature-wise and otherwise. Great tour guide, very fun and intelligible about the cave and history of it.

    Attraction sign
    Victoria B.

    While doing the tourist thing, we stumbled across ads for Forbidden Caverns. It was really an interesting diversion. The guides are local and well trained to field questions and address situations that pop up on the tours. The photos are great, but don't touch the beauty of seeing the underground grottoes in person. The temperature difference between the sweltering summer day above ground and the cool chill of underground was remarkable. Definitely worth a visit.

    underground cave river
    Tay B.

    this is the second time I've ever been to these caverns and I definitely recommend it to anyone who's in Tennessee and wanting to go on a first time cabe tour. The staff is super nice and enthusiastic & the cave is so beautiful!

    Ka V.

    Very cool experience, our guide was also very nice and knowledgeable. Thought the tour would last a little longer, but it was not as big as we thought it was. It's nice and cool down there, wore a light sweater and some tennis shoes, lots of little puddles everywhere.

    Awesomeness and me
    Janet C.

    Wonderful journey through this cavern! I would hope anyone wanting to explore the beauty within a cavern would venture here. I've been to others and have enjoyed them as well BUT THIS ONE does not have a path to return up above that can be hard for some... it's quite a nice trip with out over exhausting yourself with too much of an upward path. The Stalagmites and stalactites are amazing and the most I've ever seen in a cavern ... The price is beyond reasonable for the beauty elegance and mystery that lays inside this cavern ...in the hundreds of years that it took to create what we are able to see today! And there are still leftover remnants of the moonshine still that was smuggled down below in the belly of the cavern! I took too many pictures to show... so you just need to get in your car and go. Definitely a bucket list adventure for those of you who have not been.

    Inside caverns
    Jacob D.

    This place is awesome. We had a fantastic tour guide named Tori and she was funny and very informative about the caverns. The caverns are very nice and safe except for the steps which if you aren't careful could be dangerous. Very beautiful area and great for families. The gift shop had fair prices and beautiful jewelry. Would recommend for anyone who likes different experiences.

    Melitta S.

    Great family excursion!! Bring a sweatshirt ... cave is cool 58 degrees. Our guide was good. Fun diversion from the crowds at Pigeon Forge

    Official sign indicating they were closed.
    Ros Rio R.

    Make sure they're open before you get your hopes up. This is a small business and will close without notice. You'll feel like Clark Griswold at Wally World. The handmade sign said they were closed due to "flooding". They did update the website later that day saying they were closed.

    D H.

    We decided to go as a family to see the Forbidden Caverns and it was an enjoyable experience for all of us. We came during the summer when it was 83 degrees outside. The cave remains in the mid 50's year round. Little ones may want to wear pants or a jacket in the event they get cold easily. Tour guides were stationed through the walking tour. You can walk at your own pace and take pictures! The staff provides historic insight to the geologic formation as well at the Moonshine business from 1919-1943! They rebuilt a moonshine station to show what it looked like. Make sure to be careful when you are walking. The clearances vary so please watch your head. You can NOT record videos but you can take as pictures as you'd like. Please make sure to not touch anything other than the rails if need be. Enjoy your time!

    Cave features
    Kevin L.

    Can't believe this place was not on the recommended list for rainy day activities... Awesome place for a novice to see caves! It contains some amazing features and sights. It is not a difficult walk (don't be scared) and you won't need fancy footwear or clothes. And best of all is it is about 100 steps from the parking lot to the cave entrance!

    Enit S.

    Oooooo Forbidden caves!!!! Should I spoil it for you and tell you why they have that name? ... Ok, I'll let you hear it for yourself when you go do the tour, but the reasoning behind it is actually really interesting so if you're into history/nature, you'll really get a kick out of this tour. Considering all that you see/do, I think the tour is definitely worth the money. Our tour guide was great and warned us several times in advance to watch our step, and be vigilant about staying together with the group, and I can't say I blame her for repeating this since being stuck down there by yourself would definitely not be cool. So let me clear the air about previous reviews stating you can't take pics. That's not true, at least it's not true now in 2017. You can take pictures but only when the group has come to a complete stop, and if you think about it, this makes perfect sense. The floors in the caves are slick, plus add to the fact that you've got areas where you have to watch the ceilings too so if you're busy trying to walk/take pics, and you have an accident because you weren't watching your step, whose fault is it? So yeah, you can take pics but you need to completely stop, and let the tour guide know; it's for your own safety. Another tip, the roads leading up to this attraction are gorgeous, be aware of cars stopping and people getting out to take pictures. There's also a trout farm close by where you can go fishing and then they cook your trout, just an FYI in case you want to divide your time doing that too.

    Kim K.

    Such a great tour. Very educational and intersects information. Worth the time! Great location. Not too far from pigeon forge.

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    11 months ago

    This was absolutely amazing!!! It was so much fun, and our guide was super nice and funny! Would definitely recommend!

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    3 years ago

    Just amazing and worth the trip! Staff very friendly and the guides are very patient.

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    Page 1 of 3

    Ask the Community - Forbidden Caverns

    Can someone confirm that there really are 9 steps up and 50 steps down? Are the 50 steps all at once? My husband has a bum knee sometimes. Thanks.

    yes there is a break in between. It is quiet slippery as it is very wet down in the caverns. The steps are steep.

    Does the gift shop sell stickers?

    We saw magnets and other kitschy things but didn't see any stickers

    Took the tour. Missed why it's called Forbidden Caverns. Anyone know?

    How much time is recommended to set aside for a tour? And also, we are traveling with our dog, can dogs come on the tour on-leash?

    The guided tour takes approximately one hour. Service dogs are obviously allowed, small dogs that can be carried on tour are allowed.… 

    What accommodations are provided for children and families who have special needs such as autism?

    I'm not sure what kind of accommodations you are asking about but for the physically disabled, there are no ramps and the trails can be tight. There are steep and slick stairs. There is some dimming of lights and the lights going out altogether… 

    How much for the admission?

    I want to say it was around $13-$15 per adult and a couple of dollars less for those under 10. Three adults and 1 child for us was around $55.

    View All 7 Questions

    Review Highlights - Forbidden Caverns

    Rich history and a very knowledgeable tour guide.

    Mentioned in 2 reviews

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    Pink Jeep Tours - Smoky Mountains - Pink Jeep Tours' Smoky Mountain Tours offer hidden gems and stunning views around every bend.

    Pink Jeep Tours - Smoky Mountains

    4.5(90 reviews)
    14.5 mi

    You need to know something about me: I don't eff with bears. I stay away from them so they'll stay…read moreaway from me. This means I don't go camping (in general, but especially in bear country), I don't go on hikes where there are known bears, and I don't visit parks where a bear might stumble into my picnic and try to get my food. I don't visit the bear section of a zoo. I even moved to the place where I live partially because there are zero reported bears in the state. (Not really, but that was a bonus that I learned after I moved to Indiana.) So, of course I'd find myself in a situation where I was obligated to go on an open Jeep tour through Smoky Mountains National Park, a part of the country that is swarming with bears. And of course it would be in the spring, right when the bears are waking up from hibernation and at their hungriest. But Pink Jeep Tours was great. Apparently, there is a possibility of seeing a bear at some point, because they're just everywhere. My tour guide, who had been giving tours for many years, told me that he had seen several dozen bears last week on his tours. OK! I didn't like that we got out of the Jeep a few times to walk around a couple of scenic spots, because bears, but I never ended up seeing any, and I'm sure you, a normal person who doesn't have an irrational fear of bears, would appreciate getting out of the Jeep and wandering around. One of the stops was at the official Smoky Mountain National Park area, and we got a good 30 to 45 minutes to just explore. We also drove through Gatlinburg a bit, where we were told that the bears will just mosey down the streets sometimes. (Lord help us all.) The Jeep itself is very comfortable, and there are spots underneath the seats to put your bags or water bottles. At the end of the tour, we went off-roading, which was an extremely bumpy ride, but there are handles above the seats to hold onto. The tour was about two hours, which was a little long for me, but you really get to see the forest and other parts of this area of Tennessee. Plus, the tour guide was funny and informative, and he was available to take pictures of us, so we didn't have to do selfies.

    I had such an amazing time. Our tour guide was THE best; he was entertaining and engaging. We…read morevisited some historic places, saw a bear and learned some Gatlinburg history. We even went off roading. Thank you for a great time.

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    Pink Jeep Tours - Smoky Mountains - Travel along "America's prettiest drive" on our Foothills Parkway Smoky Mountains Tour.

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    Pink Jeep Tours - Smoky Mountains - See the Smokies like never before from the back of a custom, open-air Pink Jeep® Wrangler.

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    Pink Jeep Tours - Smoky Mountains - Ride along the newest section of the Smoky Mountains Foothills Parkway, completed in 2018.

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    Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Mushroom

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park

    4.7(433 reviews)
    18.4 mi

    Great Smokey Mountains National Park is bigger than we expected! So much to take in and we only had…read moreso much time. We did go to the visitor center and get a map. It was a good visitor center and had some cool merch and friendly rangers with good advice. We hiked a bit, saw many mushrooms, squirrels, birds and snakes. We did not see bears but we heard there are there. Highly recommend and can't hardly wait to check it out again with more time.

    So incredibly beautiful. So many dang bears…read more Or so I've been told. Fortunately for me, a person who is very much afraid of bears and wants nothing to do with them, I did not see any bears during my visit to Great Smoky Mountains National Park. But they're there! Lurking ... somewhere ... in the forest, I'm sure. I visited during the spring, when the bears were waking up from their long slumber, and I'm sure they were just waiting, with growling tummies, to eat someone. Because of the bears, I didn't travel too far away from the visitor center area of Newfound Gap. But there are trails and other things to see that are beautiful if you like hiking and whatnot. As for me, I was satisfied staying close to where there was more concrete and cars than nature. (I know! I'm kind of dumb sometimes.) Newfound Gap straddles both Tennessee and North Carolina, so you can be in two states at once -- literally, you can have one foot in Tennessee and the other in North Carolina! There's also a cool rock structure that you can climb to the top of called the Laura Spelman Rockefeller Memorial, where you'll get great views of the mountains. They really do look smoky! They ain't lyin'. The Newfound Gap area of the Smoky Mountains also has a trailhead for the Appalachian Trail, plus restrooms. I saw backpackers who definitely looked like they had been on the the Appalachian Trail for a while. I've since learned that although this is not the largest national park, it's the most visited, and I believe it! There were quite a lot of people at the Newfound Gap area. That said, I visited a few other places around the park where there were zero people, so you might have to change locations, depending on how many people you want to share your park experience with.

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    Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Babbling brooks

    Babbling brooks

    Great Smoky Mountains National Park
    Great Smoky Mountains National Park - Sugarlands Visitor Center

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    The Sinks - The Sinks in its glory.

    The Sinks

    4.8(39 reviews)
    24.0 mi

    I never met a waterfall that I didn't like. We did a driving tour along Little River in Great Smoky…read moreMountains National Park to see if we could spot some wildlife. The Sinks is a lovely waterfall along the river. There is a small parking lot with about a dozen spaces where we found parking. An observation area is a short walk from parking. A sign describes the area and that the falls were manmade. During the late 1800's the river was used to transport logs/timber to the nearby town of Elkmont. After a storm, flood waters caused a jam in the river. Dynamite was used to restore water flow. The blast resulted in a twist in the river and creation of the waterfall. A set of stone steps leads up a hill, offering lovey views of the falls. There are dozens of waterfalls in the Park. Sinks is one of the few that is drivable, which is great for people that cannot hike. I picked up a Waterfalls map at the visitor center that I found interesting and informative. Parking passes are required to park in the lot. There are no amenities at the falls. Plan 15-30 minutes for a stop and photos.

    We found a prime parking spot at The Sinks and looked at the area from above the bridge. People…read morewere cliff jumping from the cliffs using ropes, and just free jumping into the water below. Saw the waterfall, but we did not venture into the water. Very small parking lot, but worth a quick stop if you can find a spot to park the car.

    Photos
    The Sinks
    The Sinks - Observation patio

    Observation patio

    The Sinks - View from path to the platform.

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    View from path to the platform.

    Gatlinburg SkyPark - Skybridge

    Gatlinburg SkyPark

    4.0(568 reviews)
    16.4 mi

    Wow. Pricey, but great experience. Should be some sweet memories for the kids - and us!!…read more Special shout-out to Chad (no idea about last name), who was taking tickets before we got on the lift. Super nice guy - professional and helpful (good tips) - friendly and welcoming. Sending us off with a God bless was a nice touch, although I could see that sounding funny to some folks, ha ha. (Dear God, please watch over us on this chair lift...) It was the kids' 1st time on a chair lift / ski lift, and it was a good one. Had to go open-air. No one freaked out. They even took selfies together on it. So sweet. Great views on the way down! Lift was rebuilt in... 2019 (?) after wildfires destroyed it, but they maintained a great old-school feel. Now! To the top. The SkyBridge. THE SKYBRIDGE. WOW. So so cool. Longest suspension bridge in North America, apparently. It was awesome, complete with grating and plexiglass at the middle. Amazing views. A little scary, sure, but so cool. Was stoked the kids wanted to walk across it multiple times. The trails up top are better than I expected. Not top tier Smokies trails, but better than expected. And more good views. Tulip Tower was cool, too. The overall SkyPark area was also beautifully landscaped. REALLY impressive - beautiful. Highly recommended.

    Skypark gives you scenic views of Gatlinburg and the surrounding countryside. Nestled right…read moredowntown, the Skyview Chairlift takes you up to the hillside overlooking downtown Gatlinburg. Scenic views from Skypark abound and their is the Skyview Bridge which is a fun experience for children and adults alike. Built in 1954, the Gatlinburg Skylift is the oldest attraction in Gatlinburg. Originally a one seat attraction it was updated shortly after as a two seater, and now seats three people. Come to visit this wonderful attraction in the heart of Gatlinburg.

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    Gatlinburg SkyPark - Bridge at night

    Bridge at night

    Gatlinburg SkyPark - Glass floor on the skybridge

    Glass floor on the skybridge

    Gatlinburg SkyPark - Up top

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    Tennessee Riverboat Company

    Tennessee Riverboat Company

    3.3(64 reviews)
    31.9 mi

    An Absolute Must-Do in Knoxville!…read more This incredible river cruise was so relaxing and a great way to spend our afternoon. The staff were so friendly and really made the atmosphere feel warm and welcoming. The boat and bathrooms were very clean and maintained. The music was nice and we enjoyed the fun facts about Knoxville from the captain as well. The bar drinks were reasonably priced and absolutely delicious! This was perfect for our date night, but would also be the perfect family excursion. We cannot wait to be back in Knoxville, we will definitely be doing this again! Huge thanks to the staff for a truly incredible experience!

    Excellent service and a decent buffet lunch yet the cruise itself was disappointing. Sure, we saw…read moresome water views of the city and bridges, yet we only traveled from the docks near Volunteer Landing to Crescent Bend on the Tennessee River, a distance of approximately 3 miles. About 10 years ago we took the same boat ride and traveled farther down the River. Along the route, a man narrated our short journey pointing out buildings and markers along the way--however, with diners carrying on conversations, background music playing, dishes clanking and the engines roaring, it was difficult to hear even half of what he said. Again, the buffet lunch tasted fine, nothing outstanding, yet the chicken appeared to be seasoned with pepper and maybe a bit of salt. Perhaps a Chicken Piccata with slices of lemon in a creamy sauce or chicken-broth-seasoned sauce would have been more creative. The stewed cinnamon-sugar apples with pastry, served warm in the buffet might have been offered at the end of the food line as a dessert and in a separate dish. Instead, it appeared after the buttery biscuits and before the cold pasta salad with cucumbers and tomatoes and the hot carrots and corn. Overall, perhaps the paddle wheeler is an excellent experience for a first-time rider and a wonderful party venue for special events like weddings, birthdays and anniversaries. Having sailed twice before, this $45 per person ride (there were 4 of us) needed a more clearly-heard narration, a longer ride, and perhaps more creative food. Kudos to the servers, though! Attentive and friendly!

    Photos
    Tennessee Riverboat Company - Us

    Us

    Tennessee Riverboat Company - River side living

    River side living

    Tennessee Riverboat Company - Homes on the rivers edge

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    Homes on the rivers edge

    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park

    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park

    4.8(24 reviews)
    17.9 mi

    Well I do have to address the issue with the cost as I see someone left a 2 star review because of…read morethe pricing. I definitely think that $21 a person is extreme especially since minimum wage is $7.50. So this is kind of a tourist trap. But they should definitely do something about the pricing. I understand that they have to feed the animals but a lot of people would look ar the price and leave. Was 3 of us and Ive been to others like this in Montana with Bears and another wildlife one.... but prices were better. So you park and pay and can buy a pail of feed for $5 then drive the property. You can go more than once if you want. The first 1/3 had no animals, so not sure where they were hiding or if there were any in that area. You take your time because some animals want to walk right in front of your car and wont move. One donkey was a smart cookie, he kept walking beside our car as we were moving slowly, then he went and stood in front of the vehicle, we slowly started backing up thinking he would move if we moved... he ran to the back of the vehicle.... lil twerp. Cute animals.... cows, zebra, buffalo and donkies were all hanging out in the same area.

    I had sticker shock at $21 per person, not a per car price. I'm glad I went though. We got the 3…read morebuckets of food for $12. They were nice sized buckets so I didn't feel gouged. The animals were very "friendly" and would put their heads into the car window to get food if you let them and weren't quick enough to feed them. I was practically nose to nose with a bison, fed an ostrich, and my daughter loved the young zebra. Staff were pleasant. I had to get a car wash afterwards, but it was worth it.

    Photos
    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park
    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park
    Briarwood Ranch Safari Park - Have to feed the ostrich from the bucket

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    Have to feed the ostrich from the bucket

    Forbidden Caverns - tours - Updated August 2026

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