Dollywood is a 168-acre theme park in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee, co-owned by entertainer Dolly Parton and Herschend Enterprises, which handles day-to-day operations. The site traces back to 1961 as a small tourist attraction called Rebel Railroad, later renamed Goldrush Junction and then Silver Dollar City, Tennessee, before relaunching as Dollywood on May 3, 1986.
Set against the foothills of the Great Smoky Mountains, the park blends Appalachian craft, food, and music with a growing lineup of thrill rides. Dollywood now draws roughly 3 million visitors a season, making it one of Tennessee’s biggest tourism draws and the region’s largest employer with about 4,000 workers on payroll.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Pigeon Forge, Tennessee
- Opened: May 3, 1986 (site opened 1961 as Rebel Railroad)
- Owner: Dolly Parton Productions & Herschend (joint ownership)
- Size: 168 acres
- Rides & Attractions: About 50
- Roller Coasters: 10
- Annual Attendance: About 3 million guests
The Ride Experience
Dollywood’s coaster lineup ranges from family-friendly to record-breaking. Lightning Rod, built by Rocky Mountain Construction and opened in 2016, debuted as the world’s first launched wooden roller coaster, reaching about 73 mph. A 2021 retrofit replaced more than half of its original wooden track with steel I-Box track after the wood sections showed excessive wear, turning Lightning Rod into a steel-and-wood hybrid rather than a pure wood coaster; in 2024 its magnetic launch was also swapped for a traditional chain lift hill. Wild Eagle, opened in 2012, was the first wing coaster built in the United States, seating riders in pairs on either side of the track with nothing above or below them.
Other coasters include the wooden Thunderhead and Blazing Fury, the Gerstlauer Eurofighter Mystery Mine, and the launched family coaster FireChaser Express, giving the park a mix of styles found in few regional parks its size.
More Than a Theme Park
Beyond rides, Dollywood is known for its craftsmen’s valley, live music shows, and seasonal festivals that celebrate Smoky Mountain culture, reflecting Dolly Parton’s ties to her East Tennessee hometown of Sevierville. The Dollywood Express, a pair of authentic 19th-century steam locomotives, has carried guests on a scenic loop since the park’s earliest days under different names.
The broader Dollywood Parks & Resorts complex has also grown to include the DreamMore Resort, HeartSong Lodge, and the Splash Country water park, turning what began as a small railroad attraction into a multi-day Smoky Mountain destination.
Explore more: Explore more theme parks.
Dollywood FAQs
When did Dollywood open?
The site opened in 1961 as Rebel Railroad. Dolly Parton became a co-owner in 1986, and the park was relaunched under the Dollywood name on May 3, 1986.
How many roller coasters does Dollywood have?
Dollywood has 10 roller coasters, including Lightning Rod, Wild Eagle, Thunderhead, Mystery Mine, and Tennessee Tornado.
Is Lightning Rod still a wooden coaster?
No. It opened in 2016 as a launched wooden coaster, but a 2021 retrofit replaced most of its wooden track with steel I-Box track, making it a hybrid coaster rather than a pure wood ride.
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Photo: Brian Stansberry (photographer) / CC BY 2.5, via Wikimedia Commons.