Gatlinburg Parks Creating a Winter Wonderland
While the Gatlinburg Parks are best known for the Great Smoky Mountain National Park it also has Ober Gatlinburg high on a mountain top in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, in the Great Smokey Mountains. Visitors reach the ski and amusement facility by a tram from downtown Gatlinburg or by car. The ski and snowboarding facilities include nine fantastic trails that are specifically designed for experts and beginners as well as tubing lanes and much more.
The nine trails are served by two quads, one surface and one double lift, so waiting for the lift is almost nonexistent. They have a ski and snowboarding school for anyone who needs lessons and a high tech snow making system that brings the snow on all of their slopes as soon as the temperature drops. The park crew keeps the slopes freshly groomed all day and into the night for the best possible skiing.
Everyone can ski in Gatlinburg. The school teaches beginners as well as advanced skiers techniques of slowing down, gliding, stopping and turning. They offer lessons for groups as well. First time skiers and snowboarders must have a beginner lesson for their own and other’s safety.
Gatlinburg Ober offers equipment rental for anyone who wants to enjoy the winter activities but who doesn’t own the equipment. They rent skis and snowboards as well as jackets, helmets and pants. They have both adult and children’s sizes. Equipment is rented on a first come, first served basis and may not be reserved in advance.
Ober Gatlinburg ski resort has a state-of-the-art tubing park as well as a freestyle terrain park for every level of activity. It has new rails and boxes as well as other snow features including table tops and spines. The resort also offers tips for courtesy rules for safety in the terrain park.
The Gatlinburg parks are some of the most beautiful in the South, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is one of the finest in the country. It has trails for casual walkers as well as mountain climbers throughout the forests, and there are spectacular views, waterfalls and wildlife. The Cades Cove Loop Road is popular for visitors to see wildlife as well as cabins that show how people lived centuries ago.
Ober Gatlinburg offers a wildlife encounter where visitors can watch river otters play in an underwater viewing area as well as see various species of the night in the Nocturnal House with raccoons, flying squirrels, snakes, turtles and skunks. It also has black bears including two new cubs among other native animals of the Smokey Mountains.
The restaurant and lounge promises a warm and relaxing après ski with live entertainment. There is also a snack bar and sidewalk café near the skating rink. The resort has several shops for ski gear and clothing and downtown Gatlinburg is just a short ride on the cable car.
Whether the vacation is focused on skiing or just on having great fun in the snow, Ober Gatlinburg has something for everyone. They offer day session, twilight session and night session lift tickets at prices that are affordable for a family vacation budget.
