Routinely listed on many Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge “must do ” lists, Jayell Ranch Adventure Park is technically located in Sevierville, Tennessee. It’s loads of fun and something I really enjoyed doing. It’s only about a 15-minute drive from Pigeon Forge and about 25-minutes from Gatlinburg. They offer a plethora of activities including: 6 zip-lines, ATV rides, off-road go-carts (UTVs), and horseback riding, all within various packages. We chose to do horseback riding + 3 zip-lines, which was $55.99.

Jayell Ranch is open year-round (they do close for “extreme weather”), from 9am to 5pm. Per their website, they do not do reservations and are “first come, first serve”. As for age requirements, 5 years and up can ride their own horse, and those under 5 can ride with an adult. Only those aged 2+ can zipline, and those over 12 can ride their own ATVS. Those under 12 years must ride with an adult. As for the UTV’s, you must be 21 years old to drive those, but any age is allowed to ride with an over-21 adult (you must bring your own car seats and booster seats). Tours leave every 15 to 20 minutes for all three attractions (horseback riding, ziplining, and ATVs/UTVs).

The horseback riding was no big deal to me, as I grew up riding, specifically showing horses, however, I was extraordinarily nervous about the zip-lining 🥴. I’m petrified of heights, and I kept replaying the zip-line snapping because it couldn’t hold my weight (spoiler alert: it did).

I’m not sure if we arrived at a good time (around 11am-ish), or if we simply got lucky, but there were no other parties at the ranch when we went. Paying was a breeze, and they already had the (poor) horses pre-saddled, lined up, and ready to go. Many public horse-riding companies require guests to wear helmets, but Jayell Ranch did not (something I did not mind). This was in 2016, so their policies may have changed, but just an FYI!

We didn’t ride far back into the Great Smokey Mountains, but we did ride around the base, which offered an amazing view of them. They had us ride in a line through the various, well-worn trails on the property that the ranch owned during an approximately hour-long ride. The guide rode with us the entire time, stationed at the front of the line, and lead the way. After we were done riding, it was time to gear up for the dreaded zip-line.

Full disclosure: At the time, I was larger. I was very worried that they were going to tell me I was too heavy to zip-line because I’d break the line. I was relieved to find out that the weight limit is approximately 300 pounds. The reason I’m adding this embarrassing bit of information is because I know that there are others who also worry that the line will snap, regardless of their weight. So, fret not, if this line could hold me up at my biggest, it can hold you up too!!

My friends insisted that I go first all 3 times because “Gotta face your fears!” Well, I did, and went first all 3 times. It was terrifying and exhilarating all at the same time. I’ve heard people say that zip-lining is “lame” (I’ll never forget South Park’s episode about it), but I thought it was a good time.

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Overall, Jayell Ranch Adventure Park is a tad pricey, but it was something I really enjoyed doing and felt it was worth the price (as did all my friends). As mentioned, the ride was about an hour-long and the 3 ziplines felt adequate (although we all would’ve loved more!). The employees were super polite and helpful, as well. So, if you’re ever in the Sevierville, Pigeon Forge, and/or Gatlinburg area, give Jayell Ranch a visit! 🐴