Goats on the Roof, a franchise of the popular Georgia-based attraction, first opened in Pigeon Forge in 2013. Quickly increasing in popularity, this quirky Wears Valley Road attraction is just over two miles off the parkway and features gifts and souvenirs, homemade ice cream and fudge, Amish food, gem mining, Goats on the Roof Pigeon Forge alpine mountain coaster, and goats living on the store roof.
The main building, which is the gift and souvenir shop, sells visitors cups of goat food for a mere fifty cents each! Buy the food, then take your family outside and hop on the bicycle to begin the goat-feeding frenzy. Place the food on the bicycle-powered conveyor bike and begin pedaling to deliver a meal to the rooftop goats.
Although I was initially disappointed that only one bicycle was available, after pedaling up several cups of food, I quickly saw that watching other visitors pedal the bike was just as fun and much less work. Plus, when you are off the bike, you can have an even better view of the goats. Even though the attraction has the appearance of being cheap, the delicious fudge, other homemade delights, optional gem mining, and the draw of area souvenirs may pan out to be more than you expected to spend.
The eye-catching nature of this attraction makes it a worthwhile stop and adds to the ever-growing list of must-see places in the Smoky Mountains. With the precedence that the goats bring to the area, I can only wonder what’s coming to Pigeon Forge next.
Directions:
Goats on the Roof is located on Wears Valley Road in Pigeon Forge. As you head toward Gatlinburg and the National Park in Pigeon Forge, turn right off the parkway onto Wears Valley Road. The attraction is about 2.3 miles up the road on the left side.
Insider Tip:
It is definitely worth a visit! However, don’t visit this attraction expecting a petting zoo. As the name implies, the goats are actually on the roof. This means no petting or touching the goats for the kiddos. It is a tourist trap, but one of the most reasonable, affordable tourist traps in the area.