Views from the top of SkyLand Ranch, or during the coaster ride, are incredible. (Larry Vaught Photo)
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect when I got a chance for a behind the scenes look at SkyLand Ranch, the newest attraction in Sevierville, Tenn., Tuesday along with Amanda Marr, director of marketing and communications for the Sevierville Chamber of Commerce, and Holly Jones, chamber membership director.
It knew it had a great location across from Tanger Outlets, always a popular spot for visitors in the Great Smoky Mountains. However, you truly have to see this place to appreciate it — and it is still nowhere close to having everything it eventually will on this 100-acre property.
Still, when it opens next month, you will be able to ride the 1.25-mile Wild Stallion Mountain Coaster, the longest coaster in the southeast that takes 12 or more minutes to complete depending on how often you use the break. I used the brake a lot — not because I was scared but because Jordan Briggs, director of sales and marketing for SkyLand Ranch, told me not to miss the “spectacular” views and he was right.
“You can see Mount Leconte (in the Smoky Mountains), you can see Sevierville and Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg,” Briggs said. “At nights the views are even awesome with all the lights you can see.”
You will ride a chairlift to the top of SkyLand Ranch where you will find shops, dining, live entertainment, animals and more. At peak season, there will be between 150 and 200 employees.
“We hope to have an amphitheater next year and a concert series with some popular people,” Briggs said. “We are going to have a Christmas village with Santa Claus visiting this year.”
“The plan is to have something that all ages can enjoy. We want to have something for everybody.”
That includes food trucks at the top with some unique soft drink fountains/barrels and a candy shop where you can help create your own SkyLand Ranch chocolate bar complete with the ranch logo in a plastic case to take with you — or eat immediately if you want.
The bakery/candy shop will also have a lot of other delicious goodies you can enjoy outside listening to the house band, watching a cowboy show or other scheduled entertainment. There will be three 15-minute shows that rotate during the day with schedules posted for guys to know who will appear when.
There’s even a Christmas shop and souvenir shop complete with cowboy hats for those who may decide they need one.
SkyLand Ranch will have a variety of miniature animals to let guess see and probably even interact with at times. There will even be a fiberglass cow that guests can milk.
Another perk is free parking and there will also be free wheelchairs available at the top for those with mobility issues.
But the biggest perk for two lucky patrons will be free lifetime passes. As part of the grand opening celebration Nov. 11 on Veteran’s Day, the first two guests to step off the chairlift at the top of the ranch will get lifetime passes.
“We were looking for something no one else had done and thought this would be a great way to kick off our grand opening,” Briggs said. “I am really excited to see how this turns out and how everyone reacts. We hope it is really going to be fun.”
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A general admission ticket to SkyLand Ranch is $29.99 for those 10 and up and $23.99 for 10 and under. A combo ticket that includes admission and a mountain coaster ride is $44.99 for adults and $33.98 for 10 and under. A coaster only ticket is $18.99 for those 10 and up and $9.99 for ages 3-9.
