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Home » Blog » Gatlinburg Attractions » Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort Announces 2018 Open Date
girl playing in snow at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort

Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort Announces 2018 Open Date

Calling all snowbirds! Our beloved Gatlinburg ski resort is now open for the winter season.

That’s right! Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort is once again open for visitors to enjoy another thrilling year of snow tubing and skiing in the Smoky Mountains.

Ober Gatlinburg 2018 Opening Date

On November 17, Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort opened its popular snow tubing tracks for guests to enjoy.

If you have never been snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg, you are in for a real treat! Guests get to enjoy all the thrills of sledding without having to walk back up the hill each time. Each session will last an hour and a half.snow tubing at Ober Gatlinburg

Snow tubing is open to anyone ages 3 and up. Tickets can be purchased at the resort’s two ticket booth locations, and they are sold on a first-come-first-served basis. Please keep in mind, no same-day tickets are sold at the downtown ticket booth location for Ober Gatlinburg. Tickets can also be purchased online on the Ober Gatlinburg website. For more information, check out our complete guide to Ober Gatlinburg snow tubing.

For visitors looking to enjoy a day of skiing, you’re in for a treat. The opening date for Ober Gatlinburg’s ski and snowboarding lanes is December 11, just in time for a Christmas vacation in the Smoky Mountains. On noon on December 11, the attraction opened Cub Way, Castle Run and Ski School. Slopes will be open from noon to 10 p.m. every day throughout December. Holiday hours begin December 21  and run through January 1, when it will be open from 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.

POV shot of riding a mountain coaster.Ski Mountain Coaster 

Even if you don’t like to go skiing, snowboarding, or snow tubing, Ober Gatlinburg is a wonderful wintertime destination! Thrill seekers will love Ober’s incredible Ski Mountain Coaster. This exhilarating alpine coaster is built right into the mountain, offering breathtaking views and plenty of twists, turns, and corkscrews. Passengers have the ability to control their own speed with a special lever, which makes the ride perfect for children and families. The Ski Mountain Coaster reaches a top speed of 25 miles per hour and the ride lasts around 5 ½ minutes.

Follow the link to learn more about the Mountain Coaster at Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort.

Ober Gatlinburg Wildlife Encounter 

bobcat kitten at Ober Gatlinburg ski resortOpen year-round, the Wildlife Encounter at Ober Gatlinburg is bigger and better than ever. The stars of the exhibit are a family of black bears: Minnie and BJ and their fully grown children, Holly and Chief. While the bears hibernate away from the public view in December – February, you can still see them in the early and late periods of the snow tubing season.

Other animals that call Ober Gatlinburg’s wildlife exhibit home include bobcats, river otters, raccoons, flying squirrels, turtles, snakes, owls, and even more critters!

Ober Gatlinburg Ski Resort Season Passes

If you can’t wait to hit the ski slopes this year, then you and your family may want to consider purchasing one of Ober Gatlinburg’s season passes. The most cost-effective way to enjoy the Gatlinburg ski resort, season pass holders also receive a ton of exclusive benefits that are unavailable to other guests.

family skiing at Ober Gatlinburg Ski ResortThese benefits include:

  • Unlimited access to the ski slopes
  • Unlimited aerial tramway rides
  • Unlimited ski lift rides

Season passes can be purchased on the official Ober Gatlinburg website.

Looking for even more fun wintertime activities to enjoy during your vacation? Check out our complete listing of Things to Do in Gatlinburg!