Soaky Mountain Waterpark Brings Thrills for the Whole Family: Sevierville, TN

I’m a sucker for a good waterpark! Give me fast slides, wave pools, and cool water on a hot day, and I’m all in. Soaky Mountain Waterpark in Sevierville, TN, totally delivered. Less than three hours from the Upstate, it’s the kind of place that makes the drive worth it.

Opened in 2020 with a whopping $90 million investment, the park brought 500 jobs to the area and brought along some much-needed entertainment to the growing area. It’s right across the street from Wilderness at the Smokies (a resort we’d absolutely recommend), and if you stay there, you can score discounted tickets to Soaky Mountain, which is a great bonus!

Attractions at Soaky Mountain Waterpark

Soaky Mountain’s 50-acre park is loaded with thrilling waterslides and splash zones for all ages. With younger kids in tow, my husband and I took turns hitting the big rides—The Edge was an adrenaline rush ( I couldn’t stop grinning after that race), and he couldn’t get enough of The Avalaunch. The 35,000-square-foot wave pool was another highlight. The waves felt just like the ocean, minus the sharks and jellyfish. Big win! With swells reaching up to six feet, it brought serious beach vibes to the Smokies. Our family favorite had to be Black Bear Rapids, and for a good reason (keep reading to find out why!).

Rides We Loved

My kids (ages 6 and 3) loved The Hive, a multi-story water playground with several age-appropriate slides for kids, although lots of adults were playing with their kids on it. 

Boomer’s Bay & The Edge

They also couldn’t get enough of Boomer’s Bay, which is located behind the giant Soaky Surge wave pool over by The Edge. Here, my little adrenaline junky 3 year old could ride “big kid waterslides”, which were just pint size versions of larger tube slides. Here, my husband and I took turns catching a ride on The Edge. This was my absolute favorite! The two-seater dualing watercoaster takes you on a race against another group through tubes and up the side of an incline before crowning the winner.

Our writer, Kristina, also visited Soaky Mountain in 2023 and said that The Edge was “Unreal. I screamed my head off because immediately you are sent into a stomach-churning drop, then launched into tubes with AquaLucent light rings, then another drop, then speed into more tubes with more lights. The final, three-story drop sends you high up on a near-vertical launch on the Boomerango wall. I was terrified and wanted to do it all over again.”

Rainbow’s Revenge

Kristina and her kids loved Rainbow’s Revenge, a huge, multi-passenger raft ride through a bright, colorful, and semi-fast tube. That one was a blast, and getting in line early made it a fun start to the day.

The Avalaunch

My husband was able to sneak away to ride The Avalaunch, which is touted as a “first of its kind” watercoaster. My husband was grinning ear to ear after this slide, and said it was an adrenaline rush, saying “as you go down the hill and get shot back up, you get drenched before entering two turns, before you get shot out into the wall climb, which has an awesome view”.

We spent a lot of the afternoon checking out any of the areas that our younger kids could enjoy, including the Soaky Surge wave pool, which has some pretty intense waves! We had both kids out toward the 4-foot section with their lifejackets on, and the waves were a lot of fun. Just make sure your kid can swim if they want to go out that far, or they will stop the wave action early. This is a great place to lounge, there are dozens of chairs and shade along the shore.

Black Bear Rapids

My daughter’s favorite, and possibly all of ours, was Black Bear Rapids. She has a thing for lazy rivers, so we grabbed some tubes and made our way through the course. I failed to read the sign saying that the rapids would be occurring during that time, and was pleasantly thrilled when we were floating along and a huge wave came cruising toward us! It had us all laughing hysterically, and it is such a unique take on the traditional lazy river. There are only a couple of times throughout the day that they have the rapids turned on, but it is fun either way.

For a list of all the rides, watercoasters, slides, and height and weight requirements, see the Soaky Mountain website.

Food at Soaky Mountain Waterpark

You won’t go hungry at Soaky Mountain Waterpark, there’s no shortage of food options throughout the park. From a taco truck and a frozen yogurt shop to multiple snack bars, you’ll find everything from nachos, pretzels, and popcorn to hot dogs, cookies, novelty ice cream, fresh-squeezed lemonade, ICEEs, bottled water, and fountain drinks. Just know that alcohol isn’t served on-site.

To save some money, we recommend packing your own lunch, the park allows reentry with a valid day ticket, perfect if you want to step outside to eat. Just note that outside food and drinks aren’t allowed inside the park, except for sealed water bottles.

Cabanas 

Cabana rentals start at $69.99 for a two-person rental and go up to $399.99 for a 20-person rental. These are private shelters around the park that include access to a server and a limited menu (food and beverages are extra). We noticed that you could reserve them at different sections of the park, so if you know that you are going to spend a lot of time in a certain area, shoot for booking a cabana there.

I saw a lot of families utilizing these. They are great as a home base to relax, eat, rest, change diapers, etc. And you rent them by the day. 

Tips For Visiting Soaky Mountain

1. Arrive Early to Maximize Your Day
One of the best tips for visiting Soaky Mountain Waterpark is to get there early. We visited at the beginning of June, and many of the lines were short early in the day. However, at midday, the crowds began to form, and the waits for the bigger slides were much longer. Still, the earlier you go, the more rides you can enjoy with little to no lines.

2. Rent a Locker for Your Stuff
Lockers are available near the entrance and are totally worth it if you’re bringing towels, dry clothes, your wallet, or other valuables. The smallest lockers cost $13 for the day, and they give you peace of mind so you can focus on the fun without juggling your gear. We just carried out things from place to place, but after a chat with a local, we realized it was because it was early in the season. For peak season (June/July/August), there are almost no chairs to lay your things down in.

3. Skip the Water Shoes, Maybe
Wondering if you need water shoes at Soaky Mountain? We didn’t find them necessary. Many waterslides don’t allow shoes anyway, so we stashed ours in the locker and went barefoot. The ground wasn’t too hot, even in the afternoon sun. That said, if you’re sensitive to heat or prefer sandals for walking between attractions, bring a pair just in case.

4. Be Ready for Some Stair Climbing
This waterpark doubles as a leg workout! Many of the best rides, like the mat racing slide and several tube slides, require a climb to the top. Plus, you may also be dragging along a float. One of our favorite slides had nearly 100 steps, and we rode it multiple times. My legs definitely felt it the next day, but it was totally worth it. If you need to pause and catch your breath, don’t worry—there are plenty of landings to rest on the way up.

Soaky Mountain Tickets

A one-day ticket online for adults (over 42”) is $52.99 and tickets for kids under 42” are $43.99. Ages 2 and under are free. The family 4 pack is a steal at $43.99 per ticket. If you go after 4 pm, tickets are slightly cheaper.

If you stay at Wilderness at the Smokies resort across the street, you can purchase discounted tickets or even get them for free during some specials. We were able to snag a deal during the last weekend of May that included free tickets to Soaky Mountain, which we took the shuttle from the hotel to the waterpark and back. A season pass also includes discounted rooms at Wilderness at the Smokies.

Parking is $14.75/car when bought online and $19.25/bus and RVs. If you’re paying at the gate, it costs around $20/car.

Hours vary, so look at the Soaky Mountain Waterpark calendar to see updated hours before you go. They are open mid-May through August, and with select dates in September, weather permitting. They also have a rain check policy if the park has to close for more than 90 minutes.

Would you like to go to Soaky Mountain Waterpark?

Soaky Mountain Waterpark
175 Gists Creek Road, Sevierville, TN