Anakeesta Tickets: 2026 Prices, Hours and How to Get to the Top

Anakeesta is a 90-plus-acre mountaintop adventure park that rises 600 feet above downtown Gatlinburg, Tennessee, reached from the Parkway by the Crystal Express Gondola or the Ridge Rambler vehicle. Advance online tickets start at $39.99 for ages 12 to 64, $34.99 for seniors 65 and older, $27.99 for kids 4 to 11, and ages 3 and under ride free. One ticket covers the ride up plus the Treetop Skywalk, AnaVista Tower and Vista Gardens.

Quick answer

• Advance tickets: $39.99 ages 12 to 64, $34.99 ages 65 and up, $27.99 ages 4 to 11, free ages 3 and under (prices exclude tax and can run higher at the gate or on busy dates)
• Address: 576 Parkway, Gatlinburg, Tennessee 37738, at traffic light number 5
• Hours vary by day and season and typically start around 10 a.m.; check Anakeesta's online calendar before you go
• Getting to the summit: ride the Crystal Express Gondola or the Ridge Rambler, both included with admission
• Time needed: plan 3 to 5 hours for a relaxed visit, more if you add the zipline, coasters or Astra Lumina
• Parking: Anakeesta does not run its own lot; use the adjacent Parkway Parking lot or a nearby city garage

What's included with a general admission ticket

A single general admission ticket is an all-day, unlimited-rides pass to most of the mountain. It includes unlimited trips up and down on the Crystal Express Gondola or Ridge Rambler, the Treetop Skywalk's 16 hanging bridges stretched across 880 feet and suspended 50 to 60 feet above the forest floor, the 86-step climb up AnaVista Tower for a 360-degree view, Vista Gardens, the TreeVenture Challenge Course, Treehouse Village play areas, and the Firefly Experience light walk woven through the Skywalk after dark, all at no extra charge.

• Crystal Express Gondola or Ridge Rambler rides to and from the summit, unlimited all day
• Treetop Skywalk: 16 hanging bridges across 880 feet, suspended 50 to 60 feet above the ground
• AnaVista Tower: 86 steps to a 360-degree overlook of the Smokies
• Vista Gardens and the TreeVenture Challenge Course
• Treehouse Village play areas and the Firefly Experience, a glowing light walk through the Skywalk from about 30 minutes after sundown to closing

What costs extra

A few experiences are sold as add-ons rather than being bundled into general admission. Add-on pricing as of October 2026, each excluding tax:

• Astra Lumina night walk: $18.99
• Coaster Pass, two rides on the Hellbender or Rail Runner mountain coasters: $16.99
• Dueling Zipline: $59.99
• Bear-Varian beer tasting card, six 8-ounce pours, 21 and older, redeemable in the park through November 1, 2026, with a valid admission ticket and ID: $22.99
• Annual VIP pass: $79.99 adults, $72.99 seniors, $67.99 children, unlimited visits for 12 months plus 20 percent off retail, food and beverage, add-ons and photo packages

Crystal Express Gondola vs Ridge Rambler: how you get to the top

Anakeesta offers two ways up the mountain, and both are included with your ticket. The Crystal Express Gondola is the park's newest lift, which replaced the original Chondola that had carried guests since 2017. It runs 56 all-glass, glass-bottom cabins on a four-minute ride from the base station on the Parkway to the summit village, with 360-degree views the whole way up. The Ridge Rambler is a guided vehicle that also runs from the Parkway to the summit, included with admission, and it's a good pick for anyone who would rather not ride a glass-bottom gondola. You can ride either one as many times as you like during your visit, so it is easy to take the gondola up for the view and the Ridge Rambler down, or the other way around.

What's at the top of Anakeesta

Once you reach the summit, Anakeesta spreads across Firefly Village with dining, shopping and lookout points alongside the rides. For food there is Clifftop in Black Bear Village for a sit-down modern American menu, Smokehouse Restaurant, Kephart Cafe, Cloud 9 Cafe and Bakery, the Tap House, and the Bar at the Top of the World. Shops include Adventure Outpost, Willow's Workshop, The Mercantile, Catching Fireflies and Fur Trader. Because admission is good all day, plenty of visitors ride up for the afternoon, head back down for dinner in Gatlinburg, then return after dark for the included Firefly Experience or the paid Astra Lumina walk.

Hours, parking and how much time to plan

Anakeesta's hours shift by day and by season, so always check the live calendar on Anakeesta's site for the exact opening and closing time on the date you plan to go rather than assuming a fixed schedule. The park sits at 576 Parkway in Gatlinburg, at traffic light number 5, and does not operate its own parking lot. Most visitors park in the adjacent, independently run Parkway Parking lot, the city garage across the street at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, or the McMahan Parking Garage at traffic light number 3, then walk to the gondola or Ridge Rambler entrance. If your group is bringing more than one vehicle, plan to pay separately at each lot.

• Hours: vary by date, typically opening around 10 a.m.; confirm the day's closing time on Anakeesta's calendar
• Parking: Parkway Parking (paid, independently operated, adjacent), the garage across from Ripley's Aquarium, or the McMahan Parking Garage at light #3
• Time needed: 3 to 5 hours for the Skywalk, Tower and gardens at an easy pace, longer with the zipline or coasters

Group and family tips

Anakeesta offers dedicated group pricing for parties of 20 or more, covering school groups, church groups, families, bachelorette and bachelor parties and tour buses. It's an a la carte approach: everyone in the group buys general admission, then each person picks the add-ons they want rather than being locked into one package. Group purchases need to be finalized at least a week before your visit to lock in the discounted rate, so book early if you are coordinating a reunion or multi-family trip, and tax-exempt groups should include their exemption form with the inquiry. If your crew is comparing Anakeesta to Gatlinburg's other treetop attraction, see our guide to the SkyPark and SkyBridge, and for help deciding how to split your time between the two towns, read Gatlinburg vs. Pigeon Forge vs. Sevierville. Families planning a full week together may also want our Smoky Mountains family reunion planning guide.

Where to stay for an Anakeesta trip

Tula & Oak House in Sevierville is built for exactly this kind of day trip. The five-bedroom, five-bathroom house sleeps 14 across four king suites, a queen room and a bunk room with six bunks, with a private indoor heated pool, hot tub, theater room and arcade to come home to after a day of climbing towers and crossing hanging bridges. It sits about 18 minutes from the Pigeon Forge Parkway and 22 minutes from both Dollywood and Great Smoky Mountains National Park, putting the whole Gatlinburg Parkway corridor, Anakeesta included, within easy reach for the day. If your group also wants a pool day built into the trip, our guide to Smoky Mountain cabins with a private indoor pool covers what to look for. Check your dates and book direct.