Smoky Mountains Jeep Tour from Pigeon Forge: Newfound Gap

Climb a mile above sea level and descend on an open-air jeep ride through mountain woodland.

A 3-hour jeep tour from Pigeon Forge to Newfound Gap, one mile above sea level, with a professional guide who narrates the Appalachian Trail, the Rockefeller Memorial and the geography that shaped the Great Smoky Mountains. The tour splits into two halves: the ascent through woodland with stops for photographs and history, then an exhilarating off-road descent back to base. Children from age 2 are welcome. The operator notes that the off-roading portion is not recommended for children under 3.

Step-by-step itinerary

Jeep tour to Newfound Gap

• Meet at Pigeon Forge
• Board open-air jeep
• Listen to town history
• Travel through woodland
• Learn how Smokies got name
• Stop for photographs
• Hear nearby geography and history
• Experience extreme jeep ride back

The experience

The tour starts at the meeting point in Pigeon Forge, where you board an open-air jeep with your guide. The first half climbs through woodland featuring trees and fragrances found only in the Rocky Mountains, with stops for photographs and commentary on how the Smokies got their name, the nearby geography and the region's history. Your guide points out the Appalachian Trail and the Rockefeller Memorial, which carries significant historic weight in the area.

Once you reach Newfound Gap at one mile above sea level, the character of the tour shifts. The return to base becomes an extreme jeep ride (the operator calls it exhilarating and seat-clenching) on terrain that turns the descent into the main event. This is not a scenic drive back down. It is an off-road experience that justifies the whole afternoon.

The guide is a professional driver trained to deliver commentary that differs from what other Smoky Mountains tours offer. All fees, taxes and the guide are included in the price. The tour runs three hours total, and you'll see landscapes that shift with the season: no two departures look quite the same.

What’s included

• Professional guide and driver.
• all fees and taxes.
• open-air jeep for the full three hours.
• stops for photographs and history along the ascent to Newfound Gap.

Information

Lasts 3h, runs every day, 5 start times, from US$ 124.59 per person, with a live guide in English, in groups of up to 10 and with free cancellation up to 24 h before.

Days and timesMonday, Tuesday, Saturday and Sunday: 10:00 and 14:00Wednesday: 10:00, 14:00 and 15:30Thursday: 08:30, 10:00, 12:00 and 14:00Friday: 08:30, 10:00 and 14:00Last departure this season: 4 Jan 2027

GroupUp to 10

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupNo hotel pickup: you go to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.

Book up to4h before

AgesAdult (13 and older) · Child (2 to 12 years)

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated yesterday

Good to know

Low physical effort

Operated by Smoky Mountains Jeep Tours

Is this one for you?The guide speaks English throughout, so you follow the commentary without translation. If you want the history and geography of the Smokies explained as you ride, plus an off-road descent that makes the return trip memorable, this tour delivers both in a single afternoon.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (2 to 12 years).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

What is Newfound Gap and why does the tour go there?

Newfound Gap is a mountain pass in the Great Smoky Mountains at one mile above sea level. The tour climbs to it because the elevation and the location give you a vantage point over the range, and the descent from there is where the off-road portion of the experience happens.

Is this tour just scenic driving, or is there something more active to it?

The first half is scenic. You ride, listen and photograph. The second half is the off-road descent, which the operator describes as exhilarating and seat-clenching. It is a rougher, more physical ride that makes the return journey itself the highlight.

How long is the whole tour?

The tour runs three hours from start to finish, including the ascent to Newfound Gap, the stops along the way, and the off-road descent back to Pigeon Forge.

What does the guide talk about during the tour?

Your guide covers the history of Pigeon Forge and the Smokies, explains how the mountains got their name, points out the Appalachian Trail and the Rockefeller Memorial, and shares geography and history of the region. The commentary is designed to be different from what you'd hear on other Smoky Mountains tours.