The Cross at Wears Valley: Pigeon Forge's Illuminated Landmark

About

If you have driven the Parkway after dark, you have probably noticed a tall white cross glowing on the hillside near the turn for Wears Valley. It is the Cross at Wears Valley, erected by First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge as a landmark for the city and a reminder of the Christian faith for the millions of people who pass through each year. Many visitors say they found the church simply by asking about the cross.

The structure is larger than it looks from the road. It stands 110 feet tall and 65 feet wide, built from steel pipe with half-inch walls and clad in aluminum with a baked enamel finish. The base is set in a concrete foundation 10 feet square and 14 feet deep, and the whole cross weighs more than 60,000 pounds. It was assembled on the ground and lifted into place by crane, then lit for the first time on Good Friday in April 2022.

The cross is meant to be seen from a distance rather than visited up close, and it stands just off the Parkway near the Wears Valley Road intersection. The best views come from the Parkway and the Wears Valley Road intersection, especially at night when it is lit. Please do not stop in traffic lanes to take photos; use a nearby business lot with permission. First Baptist Church holds Sunday worship at 10:30 AM at 3290 Parkway.

Photo: First Baptist Church of Pigeon Forge

Did You Know

• The cross measures 110 feet tall and 65 feet wide and weighs more than 60,000 pounds (First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge).
• Its base sits in a concrete foundation 10 feet square and 14 feet deep (First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge).
• The cross was built on the ground and set in place with a crane (First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge).
• It was first lit on Good Friday in 2022 and now shines 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (First Baptist Church Pigeon Forge).