Smokies Guide

Your online resource for the Smoky Mountains

Pigeon Forge, TN

Fun Around Every Corner

Pigeon Forge, TN has become a vacation destination. With attractions lining both sides of the streets, plenty of restaurants and fun around every corner, Pigeon Forge has grown from a small burg to a thriving town in the shadow of the Smoky mountains. Whether you are looking for an award winning theme park or just some good shopping, Pigeon Forge has it all.

Pigeon Forge Stats

👥 5,083 Population (2000)
⛰️ 1,001’ Average Elevation
📍 35°47′38″N
83°33′51″W Coordinates
🌲 Sevier County
🌐 mypigeonforge.com Official City Site
Pigeon Forge, TN

History & Heritage

Pigeon Forge gets its name from the iron forge that was built towards the center of town and the passenger pigeons that congregated around the rivers that run from one end of the town to the other. The area that would become Pigeon Forge was at one time a mere wide place in the trail that led from one side of the Smokies to the other. The Cherokee had settlements, at times, in the area but it was not heavily settled until the Europeans came to the area.

By the 19th century the area had become settled and Isaac Love established a water driven iron forge that became the heart of the community. Along with the forge, Love built a mill near the current site of the Old Mill and a health resort was established at Henderson Springs. The town stayed small until the 50s and 60s when the traffic in Gatlinburg began to overflow into the area. In the 60s, two brothers opened Rebel Railroad (which would eventually become Dollywood) and the now incorporated town continued to grow.

Nowadays, Pigeon Forge is as much a destination as Gatlinburg. Pigeon Forge continues to reinvent itself as the tourist that flock to the area ask for more diverse attractions, restaurants and activities.

Most Recent Posts

Explore popular attractions, historical sites, dining, and local highlights around Pigeon Forge:

🏍️ Honda Goldwing Spring Fling - Roaring engines, whether from automobiles or motorcycles, have definitely carved out a place amongst the tourism industry in Sevier County. It’s a loud and fast growing group of motorcycle enthusiasts that all come together in April for the Tennessee Goldwing Road Riders Association Rally & Show. 🙃 WonderWorks - If you’re taken aback by the upside down house that rests beside the Pigeon River in Pigeon Forge, you wouldn’t be the first. WonderWorks, a combination arcade/science museum, is one of handful of Pigeon Forge attractions that not only stand out because of their rave reviews, but because of their outward appearance. 🎢 Dollywood - Don’t miss out on the Dollywood experience if you’re going to be coming through the Pigeon Forge/Great Smoky Mountains area during the summer. With a theme park and Dollywood’s Splash Country Waterpark all on site, there’s something for everyone. 🏇 Dixie Stampede - The Most Fun Place to Eat in the Smokies! If there is one show that has made itself a stop for visitors to the area each and every year it is Dixie Stampede, created by the owners of Dollywood and Dolly Parton herself. 🎭 Hatfield & McCoy’s Dinner Feud - Everyone loves a dinner show. You get to see world class entertainment and you get to eat a great meal at the same time. One of the most successful dinner show locations in the Smokies taking its story from the mountain families. 🪓 Lumberjack Feud Dinner Show - One of the newest entertainment venues in Pigeon Forge, TN. The Lumberjack Feud is one of the first non-musical shows in Pigeon Forge and it’s a dinner show to boot in a state-of-the-art theater. 🎸 Elvis Museum - Everyone loves the King of Rock & Roll! In Pigeon Forge, TN, there is no shortage of Elvis memorabilia and places to get into your Elvis groove, combining both a museum and a theater. ⛳ Gatlinburg Golf Course - Best Municipal Golf Course in all 50 States – Golf Digest. With all the majestic beauty surrounding you when you visit the Smokies, the majestic sweep of the mountains draw the eye to the beautiful course. 🌊 Dollywood’s Splash Country - Dollywood added on to their amusements here in the Smokies when they built Splash Country in 2001. While open, they are one of the best waterparks in the country with activities aimed at everyone. 🎤 Country Tonite Theater - 16 Spectacular Seasons in Pigeon Forge. Now, you can still see variety show excellence at Country Tonite, right on the Parkway located at traffic light 1 in Pigeon Forge.
← Back to Tennessee