Those of you who have driven through Gatlinburg at any point in the last few months may have noticed a big change at the north end of town just as you get in from the Spur. A brand new mountain rollercoaster establishment has taken up residence at a part of the city that doesn’t have as many rides as others and it goes by the name “Rowdy Bear”!
Rowdy Bear is not just one thrilling ride, but two – the aforementioned mountain coaster and a “mountain glider”, purported to be the first in the world. From their website: “Rowdy Bear Mountain is home to two amazing thrill rides including the First Mountain Glider in the world. The Glider combines free falling and hang gliding into a safe fun experience. The Rowdy Bear Mountain Coaster allows you to experience the Great Smoky Mountains in a fun, fast, and unique way, reaching speeds up to 35 mph. You control the speed!
* The Gravity Coaster: The Rowdy Bear Coaster is a gravity-propelled alpine mountain coaster that reaches speeds up to 35 mph while it winds through the woods of the Rowdy Bear Mountain. You control your speed! Our coaster carts have the latest Intelligent Distance Control System to ensure our guests have a safe and enjoyable experience.
* The Mountain Glider: The first of it’s kind in the world, the Rowdy Bear Mountain Glider is a suspended single rail coaster that safely soars through the treetops of Rowdy Bear Mountain. This amazing adventure combines free falling and hang gliding into a safe, fun experience.”
Mountain coasters have been a big part of new attraction development in the Smokies over the last several years and we’ve seen some excellent ones in Pigeon Forge, Wears Valley and definitely Gatlinburg come up as a result of it. Rowdy Bear fits in nicely to our activities landscape, particularly with its addition of a Mountain Glider, and we hope you get a chance to visit it!
See more on Rowdy Bear at http://www.rowdybearcoaster.com/.