The Smoky Mountain Swing links three parks across the Carolinas, Tennessee, and Georgia: Carowinds in Charlotte, Dollywood in Pigeon Forge, and Six Flags Over Georgia in the Atlanta suburbs. Done as a loop with one day per park and two travel days for the roughly 4 hr 45 min drives in between, it’s a realistic 5-day trip covering about 9 hr 30 min and 420 miles of driving.
This itinerary suits coaster fans who want a giga coaster, a wood-steel hybrid, and a mountain-town theme park on one trip without trying to cram all three into a single long weekend. Below is the route at a glance, a stop-by-stop breakdown of must-ride coasters, a day-by-day plan, what’s new on this route for 2027, and practical tips on timing and passes.
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Stats at a Glance
- Parks: 3
- Days: 5
- Total Driving: about 9 hr 30 min / 420 mi
- Best Season: April to June or September to October
- Start → Finish: Carowinds → Six Flags Over Georgia
The Route at a Glance
The trip runs south and west from Charlotte to the Smokies to Atlanta, with no backtracking.
| Stop | Park | Location | Drive from Previous Stop | Must-Ride Coasters |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Carowinds | Charlotte, NC | Start | Fury 325, Copperhead Strike, Thunder Striker |
| 2 | Dollywood | Pigeon Forge, TN | about 4 hr 45 min / 205 mi | Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle, Mystery Mine |
| 3 | Six Flags Over Georgia | Austell, GA | about 4 hr 45 min / 215 mi | Goliath, Twisted Cyclone, Great American Scream Machine |
Stop by Stop
Each park gets a full day; here’s why it made the route and what to ride.
1. Carowinds — Charlotte, NC
Carowinds opens the trip because of Fury 325, a 325-foot (99 m) giga coaster that reaches 95 mph (153 km/h) and gives the route its headline ride. Pair it with Copperhead Strike, a double-launch coaster with five inversions, and Thunder Striker, a 232-foot (71 m) hypercoaster that hits 80 mph (130 km/h).
Give the park a full day — the layout straddles the North Carolina–South Carolina state line and takes time to cross. Ride Fury 325 early before the line builds. Stay in Charlotte, NC, or just across the border in Fort Mill, SC.
🏨 Find hotels near Carowinds (Charlotte, NC)
2. Dollywood — Pigeon Forge, TN
Dollywood is the trip’s midpoint, built around Lightning Rod, a Rocky Mountain Construction wood-steel hybrid coaster with a 165-foot (50 m) drop; it now climbs its lift hill on a chain after the original launch system was removed in 2024. Add Wild Eagle, a wing coaster standing 210 feet (64 m) tall at 61 mph (98 km/h), and Mystery Mine, a Euro-Fighter whose second of two vertical lift hills leads into an 85-foot, 95-degree drop into darkness — not the ride’s opening drop.
Plan a full day; the park is spread across a hillside and moving between lands takes time. Ride Lightning Rod before afternoon storms, which are common in the Smokies in spring and early summer. Stay in Pigeon Forge or Sevierville, TN, close to the entrance.
🏨 Find hotels near Dollywood (Pigeon Forge, TN)
3. Six Flags Over Georgia — Austell, GA
Six Flags Over Georgia closes the trip with Goliath, a 200-foot (61 m) hypercoaster reaching 70 mph (113 km/h); Twisted Cyclone, an RMC steel hybrid with three inversions built over the old Georgia Cyclone’s structure; and Great American Scream Machine, a wood coaster that’s been running since 1973.
A full day covers the coaster lineup. Note that Georgia Gold Rusher, the park’s launched shuttle coaster, was benched for the rest of the 2026 season for manufacturer work and is slated to return for 2027 — confirm it’s running before you go. Stay in Austell or Marietta, GA, west of downtown Atlanta traffic.
🏨 Find hotels near Six Flags Over Georgia (Austell, GA)
Day-by-Day Itinerary
Five days: three park days and two dedicated travel days for the long drives.
Day 1: Carowinds
Spend the full day at Carowinds in Charlotte, riding Fury 325, Copperhead Strike, and Thunder Striker along with the rest of the lineup.
Day 2: Drive to Pigeon Forge, TN
Make the roughly 4 hr 45 min, 205-mile drive from Charlotte to Pigeon Forge. This is a dedicated travel day — settle into the Smokies in the afternoon or evening rather than trying to add a park stop.
Day 3: Dollywood
Spend the full day at Dollywood, prioritizing Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle, and Mystery Mine.
Day 4: Drive to Austell, GA
Make the roughly 4 hr 45 min, 215-mile drive from Pigeon Forge to Austell, another dedicated travel day given the drive length.
Day 5: Six Flags Over Georgia
Spend the full day at Six Flags Over Georgia, riding Goliath, Twisted Cyclone, and Great American Scream Machine before heading home or on to your next stop.
New for 2027 on This Route
No new coasters are announced for Carowinds, Dollywood, or Six Flags Over Georgia for the 2027 season as of this writing. Carowinds has a new log flume, Rip Roarin’ Falls, planned for 2027, but it’s a water ride, not a coaster. The newest coaster on this route is Dollywood’s NightFlight Expedition, an indoor hybrid family coaster and whitewater raft ride that opened August 19, 2026, in the park’s Wildwood Grove — it’s already part of the lineup rather than a 2027 debut.
When to Go
April through June or September through October fits all three parks’ regular calendars while avoiding the worst summer heat and crowds. In 2026 all three parks opened in mid-March and ran into early January 2027, with fall event nights (SCarowinds, Fright Fest, Dollywood’s Harvest Festival) adding extra hours each September and October.
Check each park’s published 2027 calendar before booking — operating days narrow outside summer, and Dollywood in particular runs a packed festival schedule that shifts hours.
Road Trip Tips
Carowinds and Six Flags Over Georgia are both part of Six Flags’ East region: starting in 2026, a Gold Pass bought at either park includes regional access that covers the other park (and several other East Coast Six Flags properties) at no extra cost. That regional access does not extend to the rest of the Six Flags chain — reaching all 40-plus North American Six Flags parks requires the higher Prestige pass tier. Confirm 2027 pass tiers and benefits before buying — Dollywood is independently owned and isn’t part of that network, so budget for it separately.
The two long drives — Charlotte to Pigeon Forge and Pigeon Forge to Austell — each run close to five hours and cross mountain grades in the Appalachians, so build in fuel and rest stops. The whole route stays within the Eastern time zone.
Explore more: Roller Coasters guide.
Quart-size and airport-ready — keeps sunscreen from leaking into your bag.
Weigh your bag before the airport does — avoid overweight fees on the way home.
80 pieces for blisters, scrapes and long park days, in a compact case.
The Smoky Mountain Swing FAQs
How many days do you need for The Smoky Mountain Swing?
Plan on 5 days: one day at each of the three parks and two travel days for the roughly 4 hr 45 min drives between Carowinds, Dollywood, and Six Flags Over Georgia.
Should you start the Smoky Mountain Swing at Carowinds or Six Flags Over Georgia?
Either direction works since the drive times are similar. Starting at Carowinds puts the giga coaster Fury 325 first and ends the trip near Atlanta, which has more flight options if you’re flying home.
When is the best time to drive the Smoky Mountain Swing?
April through June or September through October line up with all three parks’ regular seasons while avoiding peak summer heat and crowds — confirm each park’s 2027 calendar before booking.
What’s the one coaster you shouldn’t skip on this trip?
Fury 325 at Carowinds is the trip’s namesake ride: a 325-foot (99 m) giga coaster that reaches 95 mph (153 km/h), and the reason the route starts in Charlotte.
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