Pigeon Forge Information
Nestled
in the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, Pigeon Forge is a small town that's
big on fun. We are home to theaters filled with lively entertainment and talented
performers; a five-mile-long parkway lined with more than 50 rides and attractions;
and six outlet malls with more than 200 stores and home to Dolly Parton's Dollywood
Theme Park. Whether it's thrilling rides, live entertainment, or just good old-fashioned
fun, you'll be sure to find it in Pigeon Forge, your all-American getaway!
The name Pigeon Forge was derived in 1820 when Isaac Love built an iron forge on
the Little Pigeon River. Although the forge was dismantled in 1885, a mill
was built around the same time and still operates today using the same machinery.
The Old Mill, a national historic site, is more than 150 years old.
Pigeon
Forge, Tennessee is one of the primary gateways to the Great Smoky Mountains National
Park. Over half of the nearly 11 million visitors to the Smokies pass through Pigeon
Forge, located on U.S. Highway 441, within a day's drive of two thirds of the nation's
population. Pigeon Forge is five miles from Gatlinburg, 35 miles southeast of Knoxville,
and is easily accessible from Interstate 40. The Great Smoky Mountains National
Park is the most visited National Park in the United States.
The park is a half-million-acre wilderness preserve which was designated an International
Biosphere by the United Nations for purposes of far-reaching environmental research.
It covers mountainous terrain in Tennessee and North Carolina, hosts majestic stands
of virgin forest, boasts hundreds of miles of developed hiking trails and supports
programs of history, heritage and environmental traditions.