Longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the US is now open — includes glass-floor panels

Here’s a new place to travel to on your next family getaway. The SkyBridge in Gatlinburg, Tennessee, believed to be the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in North America,  has open its doors to the public. It stretches 680 feet across a valley in the Great Smoky Mountains.

But if you have a fear of heights, you might want to pass on this one as the bridge features glass-floor panels in the middle that will allow visitors to admire the beauty of the valley 140 feet below.

The longest pedestrian bridge is part of the Skylift Park, which features a chairlift that takes passengers 500 feet up from Gatlinburg to the summit of Crockett Mountain. Once the bridge opens, visitors will be able to step off the lift and walk onto the bridge to enjoy the majestic views. To ride the chairlift, guests would have to pay $19 per adult and $12 per child.

According to the park’s website, no time limit will be set for crossing the bridge. Visitors can spend as much time as they want to take pictures and to bask in the gorgeous view of Gatlinburg and the neighboring Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

The SkyBridge is located at 765 Parkway at the Gatlinburg SkyLift Park.

Although SkyBridge’s developer declares that it is the longest suspension bridge in North America, that claim is still up for debate because there is a suspension bridge in Canada that is said to be more than 800 feet long.

Julie Ard, SVP of corporate communications and programs for Boyne Resorts, which operates the SkyLift and built the bridge, explains:

“The stated length of ‘over 800 feet long’ is the distance between the points at which the bridge’s anchoring cables enter the ground. The Gatlinburg SkyBridge is believed to be the longest of its kind in North America. Its length of 680 feet is a measurement of the suspended walking surface visitors can experience versus a measurement of the overall components of the bridge.”

Here are other long suspension bridges around the world.

Charles Kuonen Suspension Bridge in New Zealand is the longest pedestrian suspension bridge in the world measuring 1,621 feet and rises as high as 279 feet.

The Kelowna Mountain Bridge in Canada measuring over 800 feet long.

See what the Gatlinburg SkyBridge has in store for its guests in the video below.