Photos: Gatlinburg Skybridge
People cross the skybridge in various manners in June of 2019. (Photos and words by Sean Rayford)
“Come on child,” said a presumed mother, encouraging a young girl around a flopping woman at the glass paneled midpoint of the new Gatlinburg SkyBridge. It’s 140 feet above the sloping terrain with stellar views of the Great Smoky Mountains and it inspires assortments of reactions. Some people flop on the panels for photos as others hesitantly cross. Children cry. The bridge shakes. But in a good way. It’s also brand new.
The Gatlinburg SkyBridge is the longest pedestrian cable bridge in North America, opening in May of 2019 when all day access to the Skylift, which gets you to the Skybridge, was $17-$22. Ticket prices in 2026 are now $36. Summer hours of operation are 9am-11:00pm. Parking in the area is $5-10.
On my way into Gatlinburg heading west on #441 through the national park I ran into several traffic jams because of an abundance of moose hanging out on the shoulders.
Getting to the bridge is also a fun adventure on The Gatlinburg SkyLift — a ten minute ride from downtown Gatlinburg to the top of Crockett Mountain.
About the author: Sean Rayford is a South Carolina photojournalist traveling the east coast. This was one of the first photo trips Sean made with his first micro camper-van.
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