Gatlinburg SkyBridge opening new scenic trail for fall in the Smokies

GATLINBURG, Tenn. (WZTV) — North America's longest simple suspension bridge nestled in the Great Smoky Mountains is getting ready to open a new scenic trail just in time for fall in the Great Smoky Mountains.

The Gatlinburg SkyBridge is adding the "SkyTrail," a 0.3 mile scenic walkway along Crockett Mountain that connects both sides of the bridge. A "SkyWalk" event planned for this weekend has been postponed due to weather. The opening event will now take place on Oct. 17 and 18.

There's not yet an opening date for the SkyTrail, but it's expected to open this Fall.

Editor's Note: A previous version of this story reported that the SkyTrail will open the weekend of Oct. 17018. That is incorrect and this story has been updated.

SkyWalk Event Update: Rescheduled | Due to forecasted inclement weather in the area this weekend, the SkyWalk event has...

Posted by Gatlinburg SkyLift Park on Wednesday, October 7, 2020

Guests can take a stroll along the half-elevated boardwalk, half paved walking path to soak up views of the Smokies, SkyBridge and iconic SkyLift.

SkyBridge recently got an upgrade with double the amount of glass panels at its center.

At 680 feet across and 150 feet high, the Gatlinburg Skybridge is the only attraction in the downtown area where you can see the three highest peaks in the Smokies: Clingman’s Dome, Mount Le Conte and Mount Guyot.

The bridge may look bold at first, but when walking at a “normal pace” it takes only 3 minutes to get from one end to the other. However, visitors will no doubt want to stop along the way to take in that fresh mountain air an epic view.