The Longest Pedestrian Bridge in the US Opens This Month With Gorgeous Smoky Mountain Views
Scared of heights? Well, you might want to prepare yourself for this. The longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the United States is opening in Gatlinburg, Tennessee on Friday, May 17. It's called "Sky Bridge," and it's suspended 140 feet above the ground.
Gatlinburg, a mountain town dubbed the "gateway" to Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is about an hour-long drive from Knoxville Airport (TYS) and not too far from Dollywood Amusement Park. As for the bridge, it will stretch 680 feet across a valley in Gatlinburg SkyLift Park, offering panoramic views of both downtown Gatlinburg as well as the mountaintops of the Smokies.
On Sky Bridge, guests are permitted to move at their own pace to take in the views, snap some photos and enjoy the setting before continuing their walk. Also — acrophobics, if you're still here, we warned you — plans to install glass-floor panels at the midway(and the highest) point of the bridge are in the works. So, for once, it might actually be a good idea to look down.
Part of the larger SkyLift Park, the suspension bridge is just the latest attraction for guests seeking impressive mountain views. There's already a chairlift suspended about 500-feet off the ground that runs from Gatlinburg to the top of Crockett Mountain, according to Travel + Leisure. Tickets for the lift cost $15 per adult and $12 for children.
"SkyBridge is an absolutely spectacular but easily attainable experience you'll remember for a lifetime — especially as you cross the glass-floor panels in the middle of the span," says the official Sky Park website. "If there's one photo you'll want to share with family and friends after your trip to Gatlinburg, it will be of the Sky Bridge."
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