Forbidden Caverns: Tennessee’s Haunting Subterranean Cave
The name Forbidden Caverns brings to mind the lair of a fierce dragon, or the dwelling of a grumpy witch who will not hesitate to turn intruders into newts. Forbidden Caverns—located in Sevierville on the outskirts of the Great Smoky Mountains—is one of the state of Tennessee‘s most popular caves. Visitors are routinely captivated by sharp rock formations that are illuminated by red, green, and purple lights.
Legend states that a lost Indian Princess wandered into a forbidden section of a cave located many feet below ground. Forbidden Caverns now houses her restless spirit, along with the spirits of many Prohibition era bootleggers who produced moonshine inside of the secluded cave. Visitors delight in leaving the surface world behind and venturing deep into one of America’s spookiest caves.
If you’re a geology lover, the chance to see an abundance of dramatic dripstone that looks like petrified icicles is worth the price of admission.
UnusualPlaces Field Notes
- Location
- Forbidden Caverns, 455 Blowing Cave Road, Sevierville, Tennessee, USA
- Coordinates
- 35.9042, -83.34685
- Access
- Guided tours only; tickets sold on arrival, with no advance or online sales. Cave is damp, slippery and about 58°F, with 50 stairs in a narrow passage; not recommended for mobility or respiratory limitations. Free parking for cars and small RVs, adjacent restrooms and a picnic area. Buses and organized groups are not accepted currently because of staffing and parking limits.
- Admission
- Age 13+ $25; age 5–12 $15; age 4 and under free
- Time needed
- Guided tour averages 55 minutes
- Opening hours
- April 1–November 25: 10:00–16:00; closed Thursdays and Sundays. Last tour departs at 16:00. Closed Thanksgiving through March.
- Location checked
- 2026-09-26
- Facts checked
- 2026-09-26
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