Bring It Inside
Motivation tends to drop with the temperatures for most, and as winter wears on hibernation can seem more appealing than exploration. However, keeping up performance levels or getting that rush is simpler than venturing into the woods 365 days out of the year. Adrenaline lovers can head inside to one of these three adventure centers.
Smoky Mountain Adventure Center
Asheville, North Carolina
With their grand opening in December, the Smoky Mountain Adventure Center is a microcosm of Asheville. Located in the River Arts District, SMAC’s combination of climbing-oriented gym and gear rental offers a one-stop shop for Western North Carolina’s outdoor enthusiasts as well as travelers.
Visitors can start their morning with a smoothie or coffee at the center’s bar before heading to yoga class and later the climbing gym. Then they can make an afternoon of fishing on the French Broad with the shop’s supply of poles, tackle and bait. Get a local cider or microbrew from The Asheville Hangout, an upstairs bar, and end the day on SMAC's outdoor deck looking over the river and the Biltmore Estate.
828.252.9996; smacasheville.com.
High Point Climbing Gym
Chattanooga, Tennessee
High Point brings together a world-class climbing gym with a top-level fitness gym to send anyone’s game to the next level.
The biggest location in downtown Chattanooga offers 30,000 square feet of inside and outside lead, top rope, and auto-belay walls, as well as two 15-meter speed climbing and two bouldering walls. The outside wall is especially eye-catching with its transparent material construction.
A third the size of downtown’s gym, the Riverside location is no less intense. The layout and equipment direct more toward bouldering with 3,000 square feet worth of challenges as well as campus and hang boards.
Both centers also have a strong focus in cross-training with multiple rooms for yoga, aerobic, and weight exercise classes. Professional climbing instructors are also on hand for those interested in developing their skills along with their fitness.
423.602.7625 (downtown) and 423.475.6578 (Riverside); highpointclimbing.com.
Rocky Top Sports World
Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Just an hour away from one of the 20 biggest athletic programs in the nation, Rocky Top Sports World is all about the athletic arena. RTSW mirrors the University of Tennessee in what it can provide aspiring young athletes in sports such as soccer, football, volleyball, and wrestling, among others. The 80-acre campus opened in July 2014, featuring turf fields and new hardwood courts.
While most of what Rocky Top Sports World offers is traditional sports, what places it among alongside other adventure sports center is both its proximity to mountains and its partnership with neighboring action-sports business. The view of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park is unprecedented. Among RTSW’s partners are Smoky Mountain Outdoors rafting and CLIMB Works Zipline Canopy Tour.
865.325.0044; rockytopsportsworld.com.