City: Sevierville, TN

Category: Tours & Attractions

Telephone: (865) 453-5972

Address: 455 Blowing Cave Road

Description: Although you won’t exactly journey all the way to the center of the earth here, you’ll get a good feel for what it might be like in this large underground cave located approximately 15 miles east of downtown Sevierville (accessible via Dolly Parton Parkway/Highway 411N; call for directions). Stalactites, stalagmites, towering natural chimneys, and grottoes are among the many natural formations you’ll witness on your adventure, as well as the largest known wall of rare cave onyx. Enhanced by special lighting effects and a stereophonic sound presentation, your guided, 55-minute tour is chock-full of memorable sights and will take you a half-mile into the heart of English Mountain. The trails are well lighted, with handrails where necessary. In addition to the rock structures, you’ll also see a running stream that’s believed to flow from a lake deep within the mountain. Your guide will tell you about the people who carved out the cavern’s colorful history, from the Eastern Woodland Indians who used the cave as shelter to the moonshiners of the 1920s and 1930s. Forbidden Caverns is open from April through November. Admission is $13 for adults and $7 for children ages 5 through 12; prices include tax. Souvenirs and refreshments are also available, as is plenty of free parking.