President and celebrated Country and Western singer Dolly Parton has announced the $25m (£20.6m) Big Bear Mountain.

The roller coaster will span 3,990 ft. and will treat guests ‘to embark on an unforgettable expedition through the Smokies in search of the elusive Big Bear.’ 

It will have a maximum speed of 48mph and have three separate launches, multiple airtime hills, high-speed carousel turns, and tunnels, including a pass behind a waterfall.

Big Bear Mountain will commence the expansion of Dollywood’s newest area, Wildwood Grove. 

The ride is to be built by manufacturer Vekoma and will feature on-board audio. The sound system ‘provides auditory thrills to match the ride’s dynamic movements as guests come daringly close to Big Bear,’ according to a park spokesperson. 

“The Smokies are all about adventure and going exploring,” Dolly Parton said. “I’m excited our guests will be able to head out on their own trip into the Smokies to see if they can find that Big Bear! Whether he’s out there or not, I’m sure they’ll find a lot of memories along the way that they’ll keep forever.”

“Big Bear Mountain is an exciting ride that really is going to be a game changer for us,” said Eugene Naughton, President of the Dollywood Company. “Not only is it the largest coaster we’ve built, but it includes features like on-board audio that are new for our company. Big Bear Mountain also expands the footprint of Wildwood Grove and serves as another monumental step in the ongoing investment plan Dolly and I announced in June 2021. She’s keeping me busy. Now that we’ve announced Big Bear Mountain, I’ll start working on the next projects she has lined up for me!”