chimneys picnic area

This is a very nice picnic area right by a stream which is really great for the kids to play in. The only drawback is that it is almost always very crowded. So make sure you go early and claim your table as well as a parking space. They have bathrooms and fire pits and grills for your use.

Love to order pizza or get a sack lunch and head straight to this picnic area. The sounds of the mountain stream are so relaxing. On warm months it's great to dip your feet in the water.

It's free and it's better and more memorable than anything your kids will do in the area. We brought our four kids, aged 2-10, and they played in the river all day!

I remember picnics here with my family when I was a child, and it hasn't changed much since then. The tables/picnic sites closest to the river are the most popular, and for very good reason. It's very relaxing to sit and listen to the rushing water while feeling the breeze blow.This picnic area is about six miles from the Gatlinburg entrance to the Smokies. On weekends, I recommend getting there early - especially for a riverside spot.

This tree-lined area offers tons of picnic tables with grills, as well as restroom facilities. It is so shady, it feels like going into the black forest. The river meanders right by this area so people were wading in the water. I wish we gotten "to go" sandwiches and taken them here for a picnic.

I love the rocky stream. Its an easy drive from Gatlinburg, and a great way to spend the day, or take a break.

I've been coming here since I was a small child. 50 years later and nothing has changed. This place has always been magical to me. My brothers and I have spent hours jumping from rock to rock in the Little Pigeon River. More fun and entertaining than any playground I've ever been to. Lots of space for all visitors and never feels crowded. Over 100 picnic spots with your own table and grill. My grandmother used to prepare an amazing spread but my mother could never get us out of the river long enough to enjoy it. Now my wife has to drag me out. Can't wait to bring my grandchildren. I highly recommend Chimneys Picnic Area!

I've been here about once or more a year for the majority of my life. I came here with my parents and grandparents and now we bring our kids here. The kids and the adults love the scenery and playing on the large rocks in the river. Highly recommended.

We stopped by - not to picnic, but just to sit awhile by the water. It is a quiet area on the water. Lots of picnic tables, but most by the water are taken very quickly. You can get in the water if you want. A very peaceful quiet area to rest and of course picnic if you want. Grills available and public restrooms as well. A must see- only about 5 miles into park from Gatlinburg side.

We stopped at Chimneys for lunch and ended up staying quite awhile to play. The children had a blast playing in the water and skipping rocks. Easy access with parking right beside tables. Great rocky mountain stream. Couldn't be better.

Beautiful place to visit. My family has visited several times thru the yrs and it never disappoints! Very peaceful and relaxing. Nice and clean picnic areas with grills and public restrooms. Beautiful mountain stream, rocks and waterfalls. This is a must see!

We decided to have our picnic here after leaving Roaring Forks Nature Trail - it was about a 45 minute drive but worth it. We got a nice table nearest to flowing water. Again, not many birds to see but we enjoyed the view. I did spot a chipmunk as we hiked around and butterflies are numerous. You can grill if you choose but we brought sandwiches and stayed a few hours. The park is busy so you might want to get there early lunch time or later lunch time.

This is our family's favorite spot to picnic. The river runs directly next to a large number of spots and the picnic spots are spaced out enough to provide some privacy. We love to get down into the river and go from rock to rock. And the water is so refreshing! It's best to get there by no later than 11:30 if you want one of the prime spots for lunch.

Our family of 11 visited the Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area this summer. I remembered visiting the Chimney's when I was a kid and loving it, so I wanted to take my own kids there. It's a playground created by God! Much better than any playground made of plastic or metal. There is a stream, paths, natural pools of water to swim in, rocks to hop on, and even deer and occasionally a bear. The kids, ages 18, 10, 7, and 2 had a BLAST. They didn't want to leave. Even us adults had a great time. This 33 year old mom loved hopping from rock to rock, maneuvering up the stream. We brought a picnic lunch and spent the afternoon there. We even hit this place a second time during our trip because it was so much fun. I definitely recommend it as a top place to visit if you are in this area!

At the visitor center, a local told us about this little gem. We came and never regretted. Each parking space is separate from each other and has its own picnic table, which makes it very private and neat. The stream is refreshing and has so many boulders. My kids spent a couple of hours there and really enjoyed. Definitely my favorite!