In May 2009, Dollywood guests were able to fly like an eagle over Dolly’s 150 acre theme park and experience the majesty of the Great Smoky Mountains with the opening of SkyZip. SkyZip became the first multiple station zip-line experience to open in a U.S. theme park. The hour-long, premium SkyZip Dollywood adventure included five zip-line treks, ranging in length from 100 to nearly 1,000 feet, and a 100-foot long swinging bridge perched above the trees. Each zip-line is an elevated and inclined wire from which a pulley and seating apparatus are suspended, allowing the guest to move between two points via gravity.
The zip-line adventure provided an environmental and historical tour of undeveloped and unspoiled property surrounding Dollywood. It was hosted by specially-trained adventure guides as part of Dollywood’s celebration of the 75th anniversary of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Dolly is proud of her Tennessee Mountain Home, so when officials from the Great Smoky Mountains National Park (GSMNP) asked her to serve as the park’s celebrity ambassador during its 75th anniversary, she answered with a resounding YES! Dolly said,
"Having grown up and lived in the heart of these beautiful mountains, my love for this area is deep and genuine. The mountains have inspired so much of my music, and through my songs, I’ve always been sort of an unofficial ambassador for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. I’m truly honored to join this yearlong celebration."
To commemorate the Great Smoky Mountains National Park 75th anniversary, Dollywood unveiled a new show, "Sha-Kon-O-Hey!." The 45-minute musical production incorporated scenic elements and stage effects never before seen at Dollywood. "Sha-Kon-O-Hey!" captured the spirit of the mountains and the rich heritage of the people who call them home. The title, Sha-Kon-O-Hey is the phonetic spelling of "Shaconage," the Cherokee word which means "land of the blue smoke."
