By Gail Marsh
I love squirrels. I enjoy watching them leap from treetop to treetop in our backyard or in the campgrounds we visit. I’ve always wondered what it would be like to have a squirrel’s view of the world and how it might feel to stroll through the treetops. You might well imagine my delight when I discovered the Tennessee Treetop Skywalk in Gatlinburg, TN.
Better than zipping!
I’ve taken ziplines through forest trees, but I felt cheated in a way because everything goes by so fast. It all becomes a blur. There’s no time to really notice birds, butterflies and, well, even squirrels! I guess that’s why they call it a zipline. You really do zip through the trees! I’d been looking to find a better way to experience the forest. That’s when I discovered the Treetop Skywalk. It far surpasses ziplining—at least for me.
What is it?
The Treetop Skywalk is the longest tree-based bridge in North America. Featuring a five-foot wide walking path, this suspension bridge enables visitors to experience treetop views as well as see the forest and its inhabitants below. Greater than the length of two football fields, the Skywalk is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America.
Need not zip through
In my opinion, the best part of the Skywalk is that you can set your own pace as you walk across this engineering marvel. A slower, deliberate pace will allow you to experience the Great Smoky Mountains from a treetop perspective. At midpoint on the bridge, 140 feet from the forest floor, you’ll come to a heart-stopping section where the bridge features 30 feet of glass decking. The glass enables you to look below your footsteps to see the valley far below. It’s mind-blowing!
Take your time and you may spot a bear. Construction workers say that as the bridge was being built, bears often wandered near to see what was going on. It’s also not uncommon to see woodpeckers, songbirds, butterflies, and small forest mammals (like squirrels). Take a walk across the Skywalk at night and you may see raccoons, owls, and other nocturnal forest creatures.
Where is the Skywalk?
Located in the heart of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, the Skywalk bridge is part of the attraction Anakeesta, or “the place of high ground,” according to the Cherokee language. Skywalk’s central location makes it a great getaway for Midwest RVers or for RVers traveling cross-country. There are several RV parks near Gatlinburg, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is also nearby.
Check out Anakeesta.com for more information.
##RVT1096
Thanks, Gail! If you make it to the Chattanooga area, we host a Boondockers Welcome site (Davis Farm) NE of Chattanooga between exits #11 and #27 on I-75. 😎
Do it, Gail. And when you’re there, say “Hi” to Neal for me. He’s one of my very favorite commenters here. Oh … Hi, Neal! 😉 Have a great day! 😀 –Diane at RVtravel.com
Hi Diane! 🙂 Thank you for the compliment! 🙂 😊 Sorry to be so tardy. 🙁 I must have not clicked the bell when I posted my comment. 🙁 Have a great day and safe travels! 🙂
😉 My comment was from a year ago, in case you couldn’t tell, but it still holds true. Have a great day, Neal. 😀 –Diane
Yes, I was a year late replying to you. 🙁 Sorry to be so tardy, Diane. 🙁 Thank you! 🙂 I did. Finished removing a fallen elm tree from a large flower bed. It fell sometime Sunday night/Monday morning. ‘Tis one of the downsides of living so near the woods. 🙂 Have a great evening, Diane! 🙂 Safe travels! 🙂
👍 I’m glad the tree didn’t fall on a person or a house or anything. Whew! I know all about woods and falling trees. As you know, I have 18+ acres of undeveloped property in the mountains which is covered in all kinds of trees (being the Evergreen State, and all😉). If/when I do get up there, there are always more trees down, but I don’t have anything up there that I need to worry about getting destroyed by falling trees, luckily. It’s just interesting to see how Mother Nature has landscaped the property each time. Have a good night. 😀 –Diane aka Mountain Mama
I could never get my wife on that.
Me either!!
Thank you, Gail! 🙂 Was your visit to Gatlinburg part of the same trip that brought you to Collegedale? We live between the two, but much, much closer to Collegedale. DW would love to do this walk and she could tell me all about it over lunch or dinner, depending on when she did the walk. 🙂 Thanks again and safe travels! 🙂
We have been there and walked across the Bridges. They are a novel idea and a great attraction. There are also many other things to do at the top of Anakeesta. There are a couple of Restaurants and even a Brewery. We have 2 weeks of timeshare at Westgate Resorts Smoky Mountains and absolutely love it there. I highly recommend going up the Mountain at Anakeesta. he entire family will love it.