Chimney Tops Trail

Chimney Tops Trail is very popular among hikers due to the rugged nature of a portion of the hike.  Rising at just over 4,800 feet, Chimney Tops is not the tallest mountain in the park, but is one of the more challenging hikes.

The trailhead can be accessed on US 441 (Newfound Gap Road) with these coordinates: 35.63538, -83.46979.

It is two miles to the top.  The first mile features relatively flat terrain and is an easy hike.  However, the last mile becomes much more steep.

The last portion of the trail consists of several tree roots and rocks that must be climbed over to reach the higher capstone.  The lower capstone (seen at right) can be reached by unmaintained spurs from the main hiking trail.

The fire of November 2016 significantly scared the top of Chimney Tops mountain.  Most of the vegetation is gone.