The Track in Pigeon Forge Is Closing After 42 Years. Here's What Visitors Should Know.

After more than four decades of go-kart races, mini golf, arcade games, and family vacations, one of Pigeon Forge's longtime attractions is preparing to take its final lap.

The Track Family Fun Park in Pigeon Forge will permanently close on October 31, 2026, giving families just a few more weeks to visit before the park closes after 42 years. The Track first opened in Pigeon Forge in 1984 and has since welcomed millions of visitors.

For generations of families who return to the Smokies year after year, it has become one of those familiar places along the Parkway that feels like part of a Pigeon Forge vacation.

Quick Answers

When is The Track in Pigeon Forge closing? October 31, 2026.

How long has The Track been in Pigeon Forge? The park opened in 1984 and is closing after 42 years.

Can you still visit The Track? Yes. The Pigeon Forge location remains open during its final month, giving visitors an opportunity to take one last ride before it closes.

Are all The Track locations closing? No. The company will continue operating locations in Destin, Florida; Gulf Shores, Alabama; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The End of a Pigeon Forge Tradition

The Track opened in Pigeon Forge in 1984 and eventually became the first of seven locations developed by the company. Over the years, the Pigeon Forge park became known especially for its go-karts, including the multi-level Wild Woody, along with the Family Track and smaller Kiddie and Rookie tracks designed for younger drivers.

But go-karts were only part of it. The property has also offered mini golf, Blaster Boats, bumper cars, Kids Country rides, thrill rides, and Fat Daddy's Arcade, with more than 50 games.

For plenty of families, though, the significance of The Track isn't really about a particular ride. It's about returning to the same place during Smoky Mountain vacations year after year.

Why Is The Track Closing?

The Track has announced the closure and its October 31 final day, but its public announcement does not give a specific reason for the decision. Rather than speculate about what comes next for the property, the company has focused its announcement on celebrating the Pigeon Forge park's history and the people who have been part of it.

The company is calling the final season its "Final Lap."

Read The Track's Final Lap announcement.

The Track's Impact Goes Beyond Tourism

The Track hasn't just entertained visitors. According to the company, approximately 5,000 people have worked at the Pigeon Forge park during its 42-year history, and for many local young people, it provided one of their first jobs.

General Manager Jeff Wolfe has spent more than 35 years with The Track, making the closing especially significant for the employees who have spent much of their careers there.

The attraction has also been around long enough to see Pigeon Forge transform dramatically. The city visitors see today looks very different from the Pigeon Forge of 1984, but The Track remained a familiar presence as new attractions, restaurants, theaters, and developments appeared around it.

You Still Have Time for One Final Lap

If The Track is part of your family's Smoky Mountain memories, you haven't missed your chance to go back. The Pigeon Forge park remains open through October 31, 2026, and The Track is encouraging longtime visitors to return during its final season.

That means there's still time for another race around Wild Woody, another round of mini golf, a trip through the arcade, or one more visit with the kids before the gates close.

Visitors are also being encouraged to share their memories and photos using #FinalLapAtTheTrack and #TrackMemories.

Check current hours and information before visiting.

Planning a trip this month? See our guide to October festivals and events in the Smoky Mountains to round out your visit.

What Happens to Unused Points?

If you have points remaining on a Track point card, they won't disappear when the Pigeon Forge location closes. The company says points never expire, and the full remaining balance can be used at any of its five remaining locations in the future.

That may not be particularly convenient if Pigeon Forge is the location your family normally visits, but you don't have to rush to spend the balance simply because the park is closing.

Are Other Track Family Fun Parks Closing?

No. The closure applies to the Pigeon Forge location. The Track says it will continue operating Family Fun Parks in Destin, Florida; Gulf Shores, Alabama; and Myrtle Beach, South Carolina.

The company will also continue operating Fat Daddy's Arcade locations in Destin and Orange Beach, Alabama. Pigeon Forge, however, has a special place in the company's history because it was the first location in what eventually became a much larger family entertainment business.

What's Next for the Property?

That's one of the biggest questions surrounding the closure, but there isn't an answer we're comfortable giving yet. The Track's announcement focuses on the attraction's final season and does not identify what will replace the Pigeon Forge park.

Pigeon Forge continues to change quickly, particularly along the Parkway, so a property associated with a longtime attraction naturally creates plenty of curiosity. Until plans are officially announced, though, anything about what comes next would be speculation.

We'll update this story when there is confirmed information about the future of the property.

A Lot Has Changed Since 1984

The Track's closing is notable partly because of how long it has been part of Pigeon Forge. Forty-two years is a long run anywhere, but especially in a tourism destination that constantly reinvents itself.

New attractions will continue to open. Old landmarks will occasionally disappear. That's part of the evolution of a destination visited by millions of people every year.

But there are certain places families associate with their trips to the Smokies simply because they've been there for decades. For a lot of visitors, The Track is one of those places.

So if racing around Wild Woody is part of your family's Pigeon Forge story, October is your chance to take one final lap.

Stay Up to Date With What's Changing in the Smokies

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