Gatlinburg SkyLift Park, offering premier views of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since 1954, will host highline team Rucksack Circus where performers will walk a line suspended 150 feet, on Oct. 10 and 11 for multiple shows throughout the weekend for its SkyWalk event.
For its first performance in Tennessee, the highline team will anchor its line on each side of the mountains, running alongside the SkyBridge, and will span approximately 75 yards on the bridge’s city side.
During each performance, a member of the highline team will provide commentary and will be available for guest questions. Guests can also try line-walking themselves on a short line on the SkyDeck.
Highlining is the act of walking on webbing generally made of nylon or polyester, called a line, at great heights, but differs from traditional tightrope walking in several areas. Lines are rigged to a much lower tension, usually 1000 pounds or less, which can cause the line to swing and bounce freely making for very dynamic movements. Additionally, performers do not walk with a balance pole or any stabilizing lines attached to the line.
“Walking on a highline is much more of a moving meditation than about adrenaline chasing,” said Thomas Rogers of Rucksack Circus. “You really enter into a flow state when on the line.“
Gatlinburg SkyLift Park will also be officially opening the Gatlinburg SkyTrail, which offers a scenic walkway connecting both sides of the SkyBridge, as it follows the contours and slope of Crockett Mountain.
From the trail visitors can enjoy scenic views of the world-famous SkyBridge, with the length and height of the bridge on full display and the Great Smoky Mountains in the distance. The easy-to-walk, family-friendly trail can be walked in either direction, with the east side constructed of a wooden boardwalk and the west side a natural pathway. The trail will also include covered rest areas and elevated platforms with interpretive signage to learn more about the SkyBridge, SkyLift and history of the city, such as the wildfires that swept through the area in 2016. The opening of the trail will officially make the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park "dog-friendly," with dogs allowed to walk the trail.
For detailed hours and more information regarding the park’s health and safety measures, visit gatlinburgskylift.com or the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park Facebook and Instagram pages.