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Anakeesta—getting above it all in Gatlinburg, Tennessee

KCBX | By Tom Wilmer
Published May 18, 2017 at 2:53 AM PDT
Karen Bentz surveys finishing touches on the new Anakeesta mountaintop experience in Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Thomas Wilmer

Anakeesta marks a new dimension in Gatlinburg, Tennessee-- a popular base camp for vacationers who have come to these parts to experience the Great Smoky Mountains National Park since the 1930s. The Anakeesta adventure begins with a high-tech combination gondola, chairlift base station in the heart of town. Atop the mountain is Firefly Village, a zip line course, and treetop canopy walk 40 to 60 feet above the forest floor. Join visionary partners Karen and Bob Bentz.

Anakeesta mountaintop in mid distance
Credit Thomas Wilmer
Anakeesta mountaintop in mid distance
Zip Line and rappelling an integral part of the Anakeesta experience
Credit Thomas Wilmer
Zip Line and rappelling an integral part of the Anakeesta experience
Bob Bentz surveying final phase of construction at Anakeesta
Credit Thomas Wilmer
Bob Bentz surveying final phase of construction at Anakeesta
Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer NPR podcast and Apple Podcast logo
Credit Thomas Wilmer
Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer NPR podcast and Apple Podcast logo

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Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer NPR Podcast award
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Travel NPR OneTennessee TourismAnakeestaGatlinburgKaren & Bob Bentz
Tom Wilmer
Tom Wilmer produces on-air content for Issues & Ideas airing over KCBX and is producer and host of the six-time Lowell Thomas award-winning NPR podcast Journeys of Discovery with Tom Wilmer. Recorded live on-location across America and around the world, the podcasts feature the arts, culture, music, nature, history, science, wine & spirits, brewpubs, and the culinary arts--everything from baseball to exploring South Pacific atolls to interviewing the real Santa Claus in the Arctic.
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