The Goat Coaster at Goats on the Roof

We stumbled on this place driving out to Wears Valley and honestly, the goats on the actual roof sold us immediately. The Goat Coaster is nearly a mile long — 4,875 feet winding down the mountain at whatever speed you want, up to 27 mph if you're feeling it. You control your own brakes, which is perfect when you've got a nervous kid riding with you.

The whole goat thing isn't just a gimmick. They literally live on the roof and you buy feed downstairs, then use this pulley system called a "goat-cycle" to send treats up to them. Our kids spent more time feeding goats than riding the coaster. You can watch from the air-conditioned gift shop window for free if you don't want to buy feed, but honestly, the goats expect it at this point.

At $15 for adults and $12 for kids, it's the cheapest mountain coaster in Pigeon Forge — no coupon needed. We've done all the others and this one's got the shortest lines too, probably because it's off the main strip. They added dinosaur mini golf this year which the kids loved, plus there's gem mining if you want to make a whole afternoon of it.

One heads up — summer prices go up and the gift shop's pretty pricey for souvenirs. But the coaster itself and watching those goats is worth the drive out Wears Valley Road. Just call ahead to confirm hours since they're seasonal.