Planning to go snow tubing in Tennessee with kids? Perfect. You can read lots of information your family needs for snow tubing and learn about the various resort options available in the Tennessee area.
There are many options you can choose from when snow tubing in Tennessee. In fact, in 2018, the first indoor snow tubing park in the US opened in Tennessee, particularly in the Pigeon Forge area.
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The top three spots for snow tubing in TN are the following:
These could be your top three choices, too. However, there are other options to check if these places are packed, and you can’t book a session with any of them in your convenient schedule. Keep reading to learn more about places to go snow tubing in Tennessee.
In this article, we will discuss snow tubing tips for families, snow tubing clothes, and when to go snow tubing in TN. Followed by videos and a review of the most popular places to go snow tubing in Tennessee, including Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and Sevierville. Here are the best spots for Snow Tubing in Tennessee with children, including year-round indoor and outdoor tubing options.
Kindness is like snow. It beautifies everything it covers. – Kahlil Gibran
What’s snow tubing?
Snow tubing allows gravity to let you slide in the snow on a jolly ride downhill. You go to the top of the snowy hill, sit on an inner tube, and allow the tube to slide down the slope and upslope towards the other end, where you and the tube stop.
Such a ride is really fun but sometimes can be scary depending on the length and safety of the sliding lane.
Top Snow Tubing Tips for Families
If this is the first time your family will go snow tubing, remember these snow tubing tips before heading out to a Tennessee resort. And to learn more, read this article about Snow Tubing with Kids.
Bring extra clothes.
There is a good chance your clothes will get damp upon contact with snow or due to sweating. So, packing a fresh change of clothes ensures you ride back home in comfortable, dry clothes.
Ensure that you get tickets.
If not, you might return home without the joy of the experience and, perhaps, with grumbling kids. Frequently, tickets are sold out, and you can arrive at a resort with tickets already sold out. Then you will be told to come back the next day to try your chances again later.
Some resorts do not sell tickets online, so you do not know if tickets are still available until you arrive. Plan to avoid busy times when resorts are full of guests, such as weekends and holidays. Choose a resort for snow tubing in Tennessee where you can pre-purchase tickets online to avoid disappointment.
Check the Snow Tubing Rules of the Resort.
One of the important snow tubing tips is “check the rules of the resort.” Some resorts do not allow bringing your tubes, so check if they only allow renting equipment from the establishment.
Check if they require parents to be with their children all the time. Some do. Other resorts have separate areas for kids to play in.
There are age and height requirements. So, ask if the minimum is two or three years old or if the height requirement is 42 inches, lower, or higher.
Snow Tubing Clothes
Choose snow tubing clothes that ensure comfort and safety. Some resorts allow using gloves and hats, but others don’t. These are considered loose items hanging off clothes that may risk safety, so ask about these items.
You need the following items to go snow tubing:
Snow Tubing Pants
These Snow Tubing Pants for Kids offer warmth with their ThermaTech Insulation feature. These pants are lightweight, low-bulk garments that range from $20 to $50 on Amazon.
Snow Tubing Boots
Get waterproof winter snow boots specifically for protection while snow tubing. Check for features such as non-slip rubber and fur lining that ensure full protection and comfort for your feet. Check out these unisex child snow boots.
Snow Tubing Accessories
Some of the important accessories for snow tubing include:
- Goggles – to shield your eyes and face against airborne snow and debris.
- Tow rope – for ease of carrying or dragging your tube.
- Kids winter gloves – to help keep your little ones happy with warm, dry hands all day long.
- Warm Lined Hat – we lose 40-45% of body heat through our head.
When to go Snow Tubing in Tennessee
Now that you’ve decided to take your family snow tubing, when does the snow tubing season start in TN?
The snow tubing season in TN is from late November to late March, so you’ll have plenty of time to enjoy snow tubing at either Ober Gatlinburg, Smoky Mountain, or Pigeon Forge.
Best Place for Snow Tubing in Tennessee
Here are the best spots we recommend for snow tubing in the state of Tennessee. This includes details about the various snow tubing resorts and videos of where you can go snow tubing in TN.
Snow Tubing in Gatlinburg
If you want to go snow tubing in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, your best option is the Ober Gatlinburg resort.
Ober Gatlinburg
Address: 1339 Ski Mountain Rd, Gatlinburg, TN 37738
Phone: 865-436-5423
Email: fun@obergatlinburg.com
Website: obergatlinburg.com/snow-tubing/
Description of location: The snow tubing runs are located at the top of Ober Gatlinburg, which is accessible via Ski Mountain Road or the Aerial Tramway.
Open: 10 am to 8 pm Monday – Sunday.
Restrictions: Pregnant women are not allowed; Solo riders must be six years old and above and at least 42 inches tall; kids 3 to 5 must ride with older adults
Pricing: Ages 5 and up ($30 on non-holiday weekdays, $35 on weekends and holidays); Kids aged 3 and 4 (free w/paid adult for each child)
Watch this video about Snow Tubing at Ober Gatlinburg.
Sessions at Ober Gatlinburg snow tubing resort are 90 minutes each. The tubing hill runs a distance of 350 feet with a 50-foot drop. For every completed run, you will be elevated to your starting point using their Magic Carpet elevation equipment, so you will not have to walk to the top again and again.
The Snow Tubing Hill is serviced by a system called Snow Magic, which allows the resort to make snow starting from early to mid-December.
So, anyone can have snow tubing fun from their opening in December until March the following year. So, plan your vacation accordingly.
Snow Tubing in Pigeon Forge
While visiting the Great Smoky Mountains, there are several options for snow tubing in Pigeon Forge.
Pigeon Forge Snow
Address: 2533 Teaster Ln, Pigeon Forge, TN 37863
Phone: 865-366-1334
Email: pigeonforgesnow@gmail.com
Website: pigeonforgesnow.com
Description of location: You will know you found the spot when you see a big building covered with snowflakes. If coming from Gatlinburg or Sevierville area, first get on The Parkway. The site is directly accessible from Teaster Lane.
Opening days/times:
Monday – Thursday from 10:00 am to 9:00 pm; Friday from 10:00 am to 10:00 pm; Saturday from 9:00 am to 10:00 pm; Sunday from 9:00 am to 9:00 pm
Restrictions: For snow tubing, age and height requirements are three years old and 38 inches, respectively. There should be only one person per tube, and the maximum weight acceptable is 375 pounds.
Pricing: For all ages, the price is $29.99 per 1 hour of tubing. For Snow Play, $9.99 per 30 minutes. For 1 hour of tubing + Snow Play, $36.99.
Watch this video of indoor snow tubing at Pigeon Forge Snow.
Pigeon Forge Snow is a popular Pigeon Forge attraction that is open year-round. It is America’s only indoor snow tubing facility. Therefore, at this all-year-round snow tubing resort, the snow does not melt away! They maintain cold but comfortable temperatures indoors, so customers do not need to bring their parkas.
Also, Pigeon Forge Snow makes its snow every day of the year, so you do not have to check the weather before coming over. You do not even have to make a reservation. Just stop by, and they will be ready to get you on the slopes each time.
Smoky Mountain Snowpark
Address: 2155 Parkway SuiteB, Pigeon Forge, TN 3786
Phone: 865-365-1883
Email: Submit a Contact Us form
Website: rowdybearmountain.com/pigeon-forge/tubing-hill/
Description of location: This snow park is diagonally from the Titanic Museum and near the Local Goat Restaurant.
Opening days/times: Open Everyday 10 am – 8:30 pm
Restrictions: 40 inches tall to participate with an adult; if tubing alone, the minimum height is 47 inches; riders must be able to get in and out of the tube unassisted; no weight restrictions.
Pricing: Prices are not posted on the website, but they offer one low price for four of the Rowdy Bear Amusement Park attractions. Still, there is no specified price for this offer. Group parties of 25 or more can receive discounts.
Watch this video of Rowdy Bear’s Smoky Mountain Snowpark in Pigeon Forge, TN
Rowdy Bear’s Smoky Mountain Snowpark has the longest, fastest outdoor snow tubing hill in Tennessee. They have snow-making and snow-grooming equipment to ensure everyone has an unforgettable experience with snow tubing.
See if you can get the most fun sliding through their 500-foot snow tubing lanes that can be exhilarating yet fun. After snow tubing, grab a cup of chocolate from the resort’s Sugar Bears Café and Creamery.
They have a year-round outdoor tubing hill in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. So you can even visit during the summer months for a one-of-a-kind outdoor tubing experience.
Snow tubing in Sevierville TN
When visiting Sevierville with children, there are several snow tubing options nearby. Check out the above location for snow tubing in Pigeon Forge and snow tubing in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. These destinations for snow tubing in Tennessee are within a 15 to 30 minutes drive from Sevierville.
Where to go Snow Tubing in Tennessee with Kids
If you can’t book or get a snow tubing schedule from any of the options above and you still want to discover places where to go snow tubing in Tennessee, you can go beyond the state of Tennessee to Western North Carolina.
Read our article about snow tubing in North Carolina. These are also popular options for snow tubing near Tennessee. For instance, there are plenty of locations for snow tubing in Asheville, NC, less than 1.5 to 2 hours from Eastern Tennessee.
These North Carolina snow tubing destinations make for an easy day trip from TN and are perfect for a family day out. Two of the most popular snow tubing resorts nearby include Zip N Slip in Mars Hill, and Tube World in Maggie Valley, NC, so try them out.
If you’re visiting in the warmer summer months, consider the best places for river tubing in Asheville, NC.
Conclusion
These are the many options you have for your family to go snow tubing in the state of Tennessee and the nearby western side of the state of Carolina. These are all resorts that many people go to and offer affordable prices and discounts for families and groups.
Remember, weekends and holidays are busy times for these snow tubing resorts, and there may be issues with sold-out tickets. So, make sure you plan your vacation and pre-book tickets when possible. And most importantly, have fun snow tubing with your kids.
To learn more about snow tubing, read our popular Snow Tubing With Kids article. We also have articles about snow tubing locations in North Carolina, the Poconos mountains, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and Colorado.
For more about family travel, check out these posts:
River Tubing in Asheville NC with Children
Fun Things to do in Asheville NC with Kids
Snow Tubing in the Asheville Area and WNC
River Tubing with Kids: What You Need to Know
The Complete Guide To Traveling With Children
Multi-Generational Travel Ideas For Families
