Skip the traffic and the parking fees. Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge each run their own trolley system, and you can ride between the two towns with one transfer at the Gatlinburg Welcome Center. Here is what guests need to know, plus the stops closest to each of our rentals.
Hibernation Station (Baskins Creek, Gatlinburg): The nearest stop is Mountain Brook Apartments on the Red route, about a 3 to 5 minute walk. It's also an easy walk of about 15 minutes to the Mass Transit Center at Ripley's Aquarium, where every Gatlinburg route stops.
Basecamp Gatlinburg (Baskins Creek, Gatlinburg): Same as Hibernation Station: Mountain Brook Apartments on the Red route, about a 5 to 8 minute walk, or walk about 15 to 20 minutes to the Mass Transit Center.
River Song Condo (Cedar Lodge Resort, Pigeon Forge): The nearest stop is Camp Rivers Landing on the South Parkway route, about a 5 minute walk. The Dollywood Information Center stop on the Parkway (North and South Parkway routes) is about a 10 minute walk.
Walking times are estimates from OpenStreetMap walking directions and our approximate locations. Allow extra time with kids or luggage.
Map
Jump to: Gatlinburg 路 Pigeon Forge 路 Both. Rental markers are approximate (neighborhood level). Route lines come from the cities' own trolley tracker data and are for orientation only.
Fare: Free. There are no fares or fees to ride the Gatlinburg Trolleys.
Hours: Runs 365 days a year. Regular schedule (May 1 to Oct 31): 8:30 AM to midnight. Winter schedule (Nov 1 to Apr 30): 10:30 AM to 10 PM. Hours can vary by route and during special events.
Mass Transit Center: Every route stops at the Mass Transit Center at Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, so that's the easiest place to transfer.
Red route: River Road, part of Ski Mountain Road, the Parkway, the Airport Road area, Cherokee Orchard Road and the Baskins Creek area. This is the route closest to our Gatlinburg townhouses.
Blue route: East Gatlinburg along U.S. 321 (East Parkway), including the Community Center area.
Purple route: North Parkway and the Gatlinburg Welcome Center Park-n-Ride on the Spur (1011 Banner Road), where you can connect to the Pigeon Forge trolley.
Yellow route: The Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community along Glades and Buckhorn Roads. Runs 10:30 AM to 6 PM, daily April through October, and Monday to Saturday in November and December.
Info line: 865-436-3897
Pigeon Forge Trolley
Fares: $1 per ride on the North Parkway, South Parkway, Wears Valley and Gatlinburg Welcome Center routes. $2.50 on the Dollywood route. All-day pass $3. Children 3 and under ride free. Drivers take exact fare only and can't make change. Day passes are sold at the Mass Transit office or on the mobile app, and they don't work on Gatlinburg's trolleys.
Hours: Daily 8 AM to midnight from March through the first week of January, and 10 AM to 10 PM from January through the first week of March. No service on Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve or Christmas Day.
Trolley station: All routes start and end at the Pigeon Forge Mass Transit station at Patriot Park in the Old Mill District. Turn off the Parkway at traffic light #7.
South Parkway: Runs every 25 to 30 minutes. Serves the south end of the Parkway, including Dolly Parton's Stampede, and stops near River Song Condo.
North Parkway: Runs every 20 to 25 minutes, north through Pigeon Forge into Sevierville as far as the Governor's Crossing and Walmart areas.
Dollywood: Runs about every 15 minutes between the station and Dollywood, starting 30 minutes before the park opens. Dollywood's Splash Country route isn't running right now.
Wears Valley: Runs about once an hour out Wears Valley Road to the city limits.
Gatlinburg Welcome Center: Runs every 30 minutes, nonstop between the station and the Gatlinburg Welcome Center, with hours tied to Gatlinburg's trolley schedule.
Info line: 865-453-6444
Riding between Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg
From Pigeon Forge, take the Gatlinburg Welcome Center route ($1) from the Patriot Park station to the Gatlinburg Welcome Center on the Spur, then transfer to Gatlinburg's free Purple route into downtown and the Mass Transit Center. Do the reverse to come back. Times vary with traffic, so leave yourself plenty of time, especially on busy weekends.
Into the national park
Neither trolley system currently lists a route into Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and the Laurel Falls Trail is closed until sometime in 2027. To reach trailheads, plan to drive, and remember the park's parking tag. See our easy hikes and waterfalls guides.