Chimney Tops

Chimney Tops is one of the most recognizable and beloved features of Great Smoky Mountains National Park — a pair of dramatic, knife-edged rocky pinnacles jutting from the forested ridgeline at about 4,724 feet, on the Tennessee side near Newfound Gap Road. Their distinctive bare-rock summits, rare in the heavily forested Smokies, give the peak its name and make it an iconic sight.

The Chimney Tops Trail is a short but very steep climb, long one of the most popular and rewarding hikes in the park, leading to spectacular views of the surrounding mountains. A 2016 wildfire that began here scarred the area and the final rocky scramble to the pinnacles has since been closed for safety, but the trail still rewards hikers with a steep workout and a fine outlook. With their dramatic profile and iconic status, the Chimney Tops remain one of the most celebrated landmarks of the Smokies.

The Chimney Tops Trail is a short (about 3.3 to 4 miles round trip) but very steep and strenuous hike, climbing sharply to a viewpoint near the dramatic rocky pinnacles. Hiking and the spectacular mountain views are the draws, with the distinctive bare-rock summits as the goal. The final rocky scramble to the very top has been closed since the 2016 fire for safety, but the trail still offers a rewarding workout and fine outlook, popular with strong day hikers in the Smokies.

Spring and fall offer the best hiking weather and clear views — fall especially for color and crisp air. Summer is lush but humid, with afternoon storms possible on the exposed upper trail. Winter brings ice to the steep, rocky path, for the prepared only. The steep climb is best in cool, dry conditions; clear days reward the viewpoint with sweeping vistas of the surrounding Smoky Mountain ridges.

The Chimney Tops — called ‘Duniskwalguni,’ meaning ‘forked antlers,’ by the Cherokee — have long been an iconic landmark of the Smokies, the goal of one of the park’s most popular trails since the park’s dedication in 1940. In November 2016, a wildfire began near the Chimney Tops and grew, driven by drought and high winds, into a tragic blaze that swept into Gatlinburg. The area has recovered, though the final scramble to the pinnacles remains closed for safety.

The Chimney Tops are dramatic pinnacles of Anakeesta rock, a dark, slaty metamorphic rock that erodes into the steep, bare, knife-edged crags rare in the otherwise forested Smokies. The ancient Precambrian rock, uplifted hundreds of millions of years ago, weathers here into the distinctive twin spires. The exposed rock summits, unusual in the heavily vegetated mountains, give the Chimney Tops their iconic profile and their name.

The forest along the Chimney Tops Trail shelters black bear, white-tailed deer, salamanders and a rich bird community, with the recovering forest after the 2016 fire providing changing habitat. The Smokies’ extraordinary biodiversity — the Salamander Capital of the World and a biodiversity hotspot — is present along the steep, streamside climb, and hikers should keep a safe distance from the area’s bears.

The Chimney Tops area lies in the rich forest of the Smokies, recovering from the 2016 wildfire, where fire-adapted plants and the regenerating forest show nature’s response to disturbance. The exposed Anakeesta rock summits support specialized, hardy plants, set within the vast, biodiverse forest of the most species-rich national park in America. The steep, streamside lower trail and the rocky upper crags form a varied ecosystem within the protected park.

The Chimney Tops, with their dramatic twin pinnacles and iconic profile, are one of the most celebrated landmarks of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, long the goal of one of its most popular hikes. Known to the Cherokee as ‘forked antlers,’ the crags hold deep cultural significance, and the 2016 fire that began here and swept into Gatlinburg added a somber chapter to their story, even as the mountain remains a beloved symbol of the Smokies.

Chimney Tops is reached by the steep Chimney Tops Trail (about 3.3 to 4 miles round trip) from a trailhead on Newfound Gap Road (US-441) between the Sugarlands Visitor Center and Newfound Gap, on the Tennessee side. There is no entrance fee, though a parking tag is required, and the trailhead lot fills early. The trail is short but very steep and rocky; the final scramble to the pinnacles is closed. Check the National Park Service for current trail status and parking-tag requirements.

The National Park Service protects the Chimney Tops and the recovering forest within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, including managing the area’s recovery from the 2016 wildfire and keeping the dangerous final scramble closed for safety and resource protection. Visitors help by staying on the open trail, respecting closures, keeping a safe distance from bears and storing food, and packing out everything. Protecting the recovering forest and the iconic crags is central to the area’s stewardship.

The Chimney Tops Trail is short but very steep and strenuous, with a rocky, slippery upper section — the final scramble to the pinnacles is closed because of dangerous, sometimes deadly falls. Stay on the open trail, keep back from the rocky edges at the viewpoint, and carry water for the demanding climb. This is bear country, so store food and keep your distance. The trail is hazardous in ice; come prepared and respect all closures.

No entrance fee, but a parking tag is required. Stay on the open trail and respect the closure of the final scramble to the pinnacles. Never feed or approach wildlife — keep 50 yards from bears. Pets are not allowed on the trail. Collecting and drones are prohibited. Pack out all trash. Fire restrictions may apply. Check the National Park Service for current trail status, closures and parking-tag requirements before hiking.

The Sugarlands Visitor Center, Newfound Gap Road and its overlooks, and the gateway town of Gatlinburg lie close, with Clingmans Dome, Newfound Gap, and the trails to Mount LeConte all within reach along the Tennessee side of the park. The Roaring Fork area and the park’s waterfalls are nearby, making the Chimney Tops a central, iconic stop on a Smokies visit near Gatlinburg.

Hike the steep Chimney Tops Trail early in the day to beat the crowds and heat, carry water, and wear sturdy shoes for the rocky climb. Enjoy the views from the open trail and viewpoint, and respect the closure of the dangerous final scramble. Visit in spring or fall for the best weather, secure a parking tag, store food in bear country, and pair the hike with Newfound Gap and the Gatlinburg-area sights.