During its heyday, Brushy Mountain State Penitentiary housed some of the worst criminals in the nation.
These days guests can take self-guided or guided tours, enjoy adult beverages from their award-winning distillery, enjoy a great meal at two onsite restaurants, and even chase down a few ghosts.
The prison museum and distillery brought a community back from the edge of extinction. The once thriving coal mine industry had long died out. When the prison closed in 2009, the community feared the area would die out too.
Co-Founder Pete Waddington met with the property owners and shared his vision of what the facility could become.
Jamie Brock is a direct descendant of the family who originally owned the property where the prison was built. “My family signed that lease agreement in 1894, and they built the prison in 1896,” she said. “We met up with Pete. He shared his vision, and we liked it and embraced it.”
Brushy Mountain State Pen opened in 2017. Brock’s son, Caanan Brock, is the current master distiller.
Waddington said they recently opened an onsite RV Park, and a new restaurant called Parolee’s Pizza. He said there is more to come. “We just added the RV Park with 57 RV sites with full hook up,” he said. “Right next to the RV area is where we opened Parolee’s Pizza which will be open year-round. We are also adding 23 cabins, shipping containers, tiny homes, which should be ready by spring.”
Guests can take a self-guided tour of the prison. Guided tours are led by former prison officers and even former non-violent offenders. Tickets for self-guided tours can be purchased onsite. Guided tours should be purchased online ahead of your visit.
The prison did house some notable criminals like James Earl Ray who assassinated Martin Luther King Jr. in 1968. The prisoners were the ones who worked mines.
Waddington said the museum and the restaurant inside, called The Warden’s Table, close for the season from Dec. 1, 2025, through March 31, 2026. However, the distillery is always in operation, and the paranormal tours are also year-round. As owner of End of the Line Paranormal, it’s Brock who leads those tours.
She said guests have seen apparitions, heard strange sounds and some were even touched. “We have one spirit named Leroy,” she said. “He seems to like to interact, and he can be really nasty. He and others are usually in the auditorium which used to be the prison hospital. We tend to get a lot of activity from that area. We’ve seen doors slam shut, heard audible sounds, you name it we’ve experienced it.”
Brock said they use EMF meters, dowsing rods, recording devices and other paranormal equipment during the tours. Guests can bring their own, but they also have a few they can provide for visitors.
Public overnight paranormal investigation tours are from 9 p.m. until 4 a.m. Overnight Investigations are available seven days a week. There is a minimum of 12 people required for this tour to run. Standard paranormal investigations are available Monday through Friday. They are open for up to 6 people and run from 10p.m. until 2 a.m.
Brushy Mountain State Pen hosts concerts and events and is available for rent for weddings and private parties.
For the remainder of October Brushy Mountain State Pen is open from 10:30 a.m. until 6:30 p.m. (ET) Thursday through Sunday. For the month of November, the hours are 10:30 a.m. until 5:30 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays with the last tour starting at 4 p.m. The Walden’s Table and gift shop stay open until 6:30 p.m.
The distillery produces Frozen Head Vodka, Double Barrel Whiskey, Brimstone, Copperhead, and End of the Line Moonshine. They are the only spirits distilled (legally) at a prison. From farm to still, they use water from the mountains’ natural springs to make these one-of-a-kind moonshine and vodka.
The distillery is free to visit and not part of the prison tour. A tasting bar is in the gift shop. “We have nine different moonshine flavors,” Waddington said. “The distillery never stops. My guys are up there running all the time.”
Come and stay for more than a day. “We have the distillery, museum, and places to stay,” he said. “Parolee’s Pizza offers Philly sandwiches, New York Style Pizza, wings, salads, and subs, It’s right next to the RV Park area and store with camping supplies.”
The menu at the Warden’s Table changes daily. The restaurant offers a variety of southern food, serving up everything from classic BBQ plates and loaded potatoes to BBQ nachos and cheeseburgers. It’s Southern cooking with a twist.
Waddington said there are tons of hiking, biking and off-road fun in the vicinity. “We sit in a bowl with Frozen Head State Park on one side of us and Windrock Park on the other,” he said. “We get tons of visitors that also come out to hike the area or ride their bikes or recreational vehicles.”
Book a tour of the prison before it closes for the season and then stay a while longer to enjoy the rest that Brushy Mountain State Pen has to offer.
Plan your visit by checking out all the information online at tourbrushy.com.