Picnicking alongside the river at the Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
See the Gatlinburg Region web page for an interactive location map.
Located south of Gatlinburg, Tennessee, on Highway 441, the 68-table Chimneys Picnic Area is the best in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here you will find a festive atmosphere on a busy day with people actually making an afternoon or evening out of picnicking, not just pulling in for a bite to eat and then leaving. The picnic area is heavily wooded, so even during bright, sunny days, there is plenty of shade.
The Chimneys Picnic Area is typically open from April until the end of November, though the exact dates change each year. Operating hours are from dawn until 8 PM from May 1st through August 31st, and until sunset the rest of the year. Before making picnicking plans, be sure to check the National Park Service’s Picnicking web page for the latest schedule.
There are three modern restrooms with running water and flush toilets, plus a fancy outhouse, which is what I call a pit toilet located inside a permanent building versus the portable toilets you see at construction sites. The restrooms are spread evenly throughout the picnic area.
Modern restroom building at the Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
The layout of the Chimneys Picnic Area is a long oval with a small, second loop attached to one side. A dozen or so tables are situated right alongside the Little Pigeon River, which is big enough for fishing and for kids to splash around in. There are even a few tables on decks overlooking the river. However, the majority of the tables are located in the wooded area in the middle of the loops, and there are perhaps a dozen tables up against the mountains on the far side of the loop. Of course sites along the river will be the first to go, so arrive early during the busy season if you want a prime location.
Picnic table along the Little Pigeon River at the Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Kids playing in the Little Pigeon River at the Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
In some cases, parking is done right at the picnic table just like at a campground, so you don’t have to lug your supplies long distances (all riverside tables are like this). Those sites where you must park along the road are no more than 50 feet away from the tables, though some are up- or downhill from the parking spaces due to the sloping terrain. However, all of the tables are situated on level pads, and each site has its own grill. Four tables are specifically reserved for disabled visitors. These have paved paths to the restrooms, plus there is parking at the tables.
Parking directly next to the picnic tables at Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There is one group picnic area, but for the most part, the Chimneys Picnic Area is not set up for large group picnics. Less than a dozen pads have two tables, and in some instances pads are fairly close together, but most are single tables designed for families or a small group of friends. There is no picnic pavilion that can be rented for group outings, and all tables are taken on a first come, first served basis. If you need a pavilion for a group picnic in this area, you can reserve the Twin Creeks Pavilion farther north near Gatlinburg or the pavilion at the Collins Creek Picnic area farther south on Hwy 441 near the Smokemont Campground.
Cluster of tables and table pads at the Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Chimneys Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
With a few exceptions, use of any photograph on the National Park Planner website requires a paid Royalty Free Editorial Use License or Commercial Use License. See the Photo Usage page for details.
Last updated on February 7, 2025
