Take your fears to the limit in Gatlinburg

By Stephanie Edwards

Anyone who has a fear of heights can face their phobias head-on in Gatlinburg.

The Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway is a good place to start. Sure you have to go hundreds of feet into the air, but the views of the Smoky Mountains and downtown Gatlinburg are so striking that the experience is worth the anxiety.

The most nerve-wracking feeling during the ride is at the half-way point up the mountain when the tram car shifts onto a different cable, trading places with cars that are descending the mountain.

Plus, you can enjoy the ride, knowing that technicians check the tram cars each morning by riding on the top of the outside of the car.

The Ober Gatlinburg Aerial Tramway parking lot is located at traffic light #10 on the Parkway.

Tramway fare is $10 for adults and $8.50 for kids ages 7-11.

If you enjoy the view from the tramway, and you’re willing to push yourself a little further, try the Gatlinburg Sky Lift. Instead of riding in an enclosed tram car, you ride on a two-person, open-air chairlift, feeling the wind in your hair as you ascend 500 feet up Crockett Mountain.

The Sky Lift entrance is at 765 Parkway, at traffic light #7. Parking is available a block away from the attraction.

Rates are $12 per adult and $9 for children ages 3-11.

Another great fear-busting opportunity is the Gatlinburg Space Needle.

Passengers ride a glass elevator up more than 400 feet and step out onto the observation deck, which features a 360-degree view of the Great Smoky Mountains. Sure it might be scary at first to think about being able to see through an elevator as you ascend hundreds of feet, but just think about all of the beauty that will surround you at the top.

Among the most picturesque sights to be seen is Mount LeConte, which at 6,593 feet is the tallest mountain in the eastern United States. The Space Needle’s observation deck provides the best view of this mountain and its surroundings.

Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5 for seniors age 60 or older and $3.50 for children ages 5-12.

The Gatlinburg Space Needle is located at 115 Historic Nature Trail, near traffic light #8.

Gatlinburg can be a scary place for anyone who is afraid of heights, but if you can convince yourself to try something new, you just might come away with the experience of a lifetime.

As you may have guessed from reading this article, I personally have a fear of heights. However, I had to meet them head-on to experience all that Gatlinburg has to offer.

Before tackling my phobia, I was even afraid to ride on roads through higher elevations ... something that can be cumbersome living in East Tennessee. Now, I am not afraid.