The Smokies light up with Winterfest lights during the holiday season, and some of the displays are truly incredible to see. You'll see plenty of amazing displays by simply driving down the Pigeon Forge and Gatlinburg parkways. Here are the best displays and where to find them.
2022 Winterfest Lights Map
NEW: Wonders of Light Walking Trail
All new for 2022, the Winterfest Wonders of Light Walking Trail will take over the Riverwalk Greenway this year. The $1.5 million addition features a collection of Smoky Mountain critters, oversized flowers, dancing snowflakes, and some pieces more than 25 feet tall. Also new for 2022, Patriot Park will be turned into a Christmas Village with food trucks, vendors, and more seasonal fun.
Fairytale Fantasy
Drive along Teaster Lane to see giant animated light displays like Mother Goose, Hey Diddle Diddle's cat & the fiddle, Hickory Dickory Dock, Humpty Dumpty, and all the kings horses and all the king’s men. The image shown above is "the Cow Jumped Over the Moon" - located just outside the Pigeon Forge municipal parking lot if you are turning into it from Teaster Lane.
Patriot Park
One of the best places to see light displays in Pigeon Forge is right along Old Mill Square in Patriot Park. You'll find a tank and a battleship, rolling waves ("from sea to shining sea"), the American flag being raised at Iwo Jima - a 40 foot tall display - and individual salutes to every branch of the country's armed forces.
12 Days Of Christmas
This storytelling light display stretches along the median on the southern side of the parkway. If you're driving from Gatlinburg, you'll start with twelve drummers drumming right in fron of Baskin Robbins and end with a partridge in a pear tree in front of the Quality Inn and Firehouse Subs.
Winterfest Express
Another long-time staple of the light displays during Winterfest is this long, glowing train. For many years it was displayed in front of the Mountain Breeze Motel on the western side of the parkway, but now you can find it on the opposite side right in front of the Dollywood office on the parkway.
Old Mill Scene
Up on a hill next to Teaster Lane is the beloved Old Mill Scene featuring more than 6,000 lights and active animations. The long-time favorite scene is of course a tribute to Pigeon Forge's own Old Mill, one of the oldest businesses in the area and a staple of the Smoky Mountains.
Bridges
There are four bridges located on the east side of the parkway that will take your breath away as you drive over them. The first is located at stoplight #3 on Wears Valley Road, followed by stoplight #5 on Jake Thomas Road, stoplight #7 on Old Mill Avenue, and stoplight #8 on Dollywood Lane.
Click on the map below to open a printable PDF.
