Mountaintop adventure park Anakeesta in Tennessee has inaugurated its new Crystal Express. The world’s first all-glass gondola ride offers stunning views over the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains and was part of a $100 million investment.
Gondola rides have long been a practical attraction in mountainous regions but are becoming increasingly sought-after for their high level of entertainment, offering an unusual way to look at the world from above. At the end of 2025, even Paris unveiled a new urban cable car system, which also turned out to be the longest of its kind in Europe.
On 22 May 2026, at the other end of the world, a whole different kind of cable car was inaugurated at the mountaintop adventure park Anakeesta in Tennessee. The Crystal Express, as the attraction is named, is the world’s first all-glass gondola ride, offering visitors previously unseen sights over the surrounding Great Smoky Mountains.
During a four-minute ride, visitors who embark on the ride at Anakeesta’s Parkway station are transported over 600 feet (182 meters) up the mountainside to the Anakeesta summit. All 56 panoramic cabins feature glass floors and walls, guaranteeing an almost immersive ride and 360-degree views.
“The Crystal Express represents a major step forward at Anakeesta. From the moment visitors leave the Parkway, we want them to feel the magic of this mountain. This new lift enhances that experience with incredible views, greater comfort, and the efficiency needed to welcome even more families to the Smokies,” Bob Bentz, one of the founding partners of Anakeesta, said in a statement.
The Parkway station at the base of the gondola ride was also renovated as part of the building works, resulting in better accessibility. According to the adventure park, strollers now roll directly into the cabins without folding, while the system operates at triple the capacity of our previous gondola, thus limiting waiting times.
The Crystal Express is part of a $100 million expansion of Anakeesta, a project called Making More Magic. Aside from the gondola ride, this includes a makeover of the park’s Firefly Village, described as “a whimsical storybook escape”, an elevated treetop walk reaching new heights, and a nighttime firefly experience during the first phase of the project.
“Most visitors to the Great Smoky Mountains never get to see the synchronous fireflies that appear for two or three weeks each summer. During this short window, crowds often descend on the Smokies, but depending on when they arrive during the event, they might only see a few flashing fireflies. Anakeesta is changing that. Starting this May, the park’s new Firefly Experience brings the wonder of one of the Smokies’ most extraordinary natural events to life year-round, with no seasonal window required,” the park explains.
Visitors purchasing a $39.99 general admission ticket for the mountaintop adventure park can enjoy unlimited access to the Crystal Express, as well as a visit to the AnaVista observation tower, the aviary-inspired adventure zone BirdVenture, and the Treetop Skywalk. Some of Anakeesta’s other attractions require an additional fee.
