Big Bear Mountain
Steel Launched Family Coaster at Dollywood, Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. Opened 2023.
- Height
- 66 ft
- Drop
- n/a
- Top speed
- 48 mph
- Length
- 3,990 ft
- Inversions
- 0
- Ride time
- n/a
- Designer
- Vekoma
Big Bear Mountain is a launched steel roller coaster at Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, set in the hills near the park's Wildwood Grove area. Built by Vekoma, it opened to the public on May 12, 2023. At 3,990 feet it is the longest roller coaster at Dollywood, and at $25 million it was the largest single attraction investment in the park's history.
The ride uses linear induction motors for one launch and two later boosts. It reaches a top speed of 48 mph and a height of 66 feet, with no inversions. The layout includes multiple airtime hills, high-speed carousel turns and tunnels, and it passes behind a waterfall. Big Bear Mountain was the first attraction at Dollywood with on-board audio.
The theme is the legend of a black bear, with explorer Ned Oakley taking riders out in search of it. The trains are styled as four-wheel-drive SUVs with working headlights and taillights, and each seats 20 riders, two across in ten cars.
Sources
- rcdb.com/20328.htm (RCDB: operating since May 12, 2023; Vekoma Family Launch Coaster (custom); length 3,990 ft, height 66 ft, speed 48 mph, 0 inversions; LIM launch and two LIM boosts; 10 cars of 2 riders.)
- wlos.com/news/local/dollywoods-newest-attraction-big-bear-mo... (Opened to the public Friday, May 12, 2023; $25 million, the largest single attraction investment in park history; 3,990 feet, longest coaster at Dollywood; near Wildwood Grove; built by Vekoma; 48 mph; three separate launches; airtime hills, carousel turns, tunnels, pass behind a waterfall; first Dollywood attraction with on-board audio; SUV-styled trains with working headlights and taillights seating 20.)
- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Big_Bear_Mountain_(roller_coaster) (Wildwood Grove location; Vekoma; 66 ft height, 3,990 ft, 48 mph, 0 inversions; black bear legend theme with explorer Ned Oakley.)
- dollywood.com/themepark/rides/big-bear-mountain (Park page: triple-launching family coaster in Wildwood Grove; 66-foot maximum track height, 48 mph, 3,990 feet of track, longest coaster at Dollywood; onboard audio; 39-inch minimum height.)
Numbers are from the ride's manufacturer and park where published; "n/a" means we have not confirmed that number yet. Spotted an error? Tell us.