Chimney Pots in Grampians National Park

Sight · Grampians National Park

Chimney Pots

Towering sandstone pillars above a steep, quiet bushwalk

Photo: Wikimedia Commons
Type
Sight
Nearest trail
1.2 km
Audio stories
4 nearby
  • Parking

Hear the audio tour

Chimney Pots: Around the Sandstone Towers

Overview

About Chimney Pots

Why stop

  • Distinctive sandstone towers with wide views toward Mount Abrupt and Mount Sturgeon

Heads up

  • Steep, loose-rock sections can be slippery and demanding
Chimney Pots is a compact but proper hike to a cluster of weathered sandstone towers. Layered cliffs and narrow ledges give the formation a more rugged feel than the park’s easy roadside lookouts, and the upper viewpoints open onto Mount Abrupt, Mount Sturgeon, and the rocky country around them.
Parkwolf’s verdictWhy stop

Map

Where it is

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Full map
SightChimney Pots-37.37959, 142.23893
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Plan your stop

Before you go

Best time to go

Go early in the day or later in the afternoon for cooler temperatures and softer light on the sandstone. Spring is a good choice for wildflowers; summer can be very hot, while winter brings cold, wet conditions. Carry plenty of water, wear sturdy shoes with good grip, and consider trekking poles for the steep descent.

The car park is reached from Glenelg Valley Road, which is unsealed near the walk, and there are no visitor facilities at the car park. Dogs are not permitted. Check Parks Victoria’s access information before setting out because fire, weather, and track conditions can change the practical experience.

5 active Grampians alerts

  • ClosureBushfire-damaged walks and picnic area remain closedMentions this placeThe Fortress, Red Gum, Billimina, Chimney Pots and Brownings Loop walks, plus Mafeking Picnic Area, remain closed because of track or site damage from the 2024/25 summer bushfires.Official details
  • ClosureMackenzie Falls precinct closed during constructionThe Mackenzie Falls (Migunang wirab) Precinct has no vehicle or visitor access during major construction works expected to finish by the end of 2026.Official details
See all 5 alerts
A park ranger sits on a dash-mounted phone, talking, as Parkwolf’s Tour Guide plays “Army Cutworm Moths: A Grizzly Bear Buffet” on Grand Loop Road below Dunraven Pass in Yellowstone
Parkwolf Tour GuideThe highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.

Grampians Tour Guide

Your drive to Chimney Pots, narrated.

Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Grampians National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.

Recorded for this place

Chimney Pots: Around the Sandstone Towers
0:00 / 0:47
“You're nearing the Chimney Pots car park, where a quieter hike takes you around a cluster of sandstone towers. The appeal is seeing those cliffs and ledges from different angles as the track circles the formation.”

Plays as you drive up to Chimney Pots in the Parkwolf Grampians Tour Guide.

More stories near here in the app

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  • 233 audio storiesacross Grampians’s roads, triggered by GPS as you drive
  • Wildlife heatmapsfor Short-beaked Echidna, Powerful Owl, Wedge-tailed Eagle, and 13 more
  • Works offlinemaps, 81 trails, 62 places, and audio download before you lose signal
  • CarPlay readysimple controls built for the drive
★★★★★
“Fantastic app with many points of information… It’s great to just turn on while you’re driving and it gives you an audio tour of the national Park. We love it!!!!”
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4.7 from 8,600+ ratings

Guide

More about Chimney Pots

What the walk is likeThe marked 3.

The marked 3.7 km return loop starts at the Chimney Pots car park, crosses a dry creek, and climbs through bushland before circling the formation. Expect a Grade 4 walk with sustained steep sections, uneven rock, and a short scrambly approach near the higher viewpoints. Allow roughly 1.5 to 3 hours, depending on your pace, stops, and conditions.

The walk is usually quieter than the headline Grampians lookouts, but that also means less forgiving terrain and less margin for a late start. Loose rocks, leaf-covered slabs, and damp shade can make the descent awkward. Take your time around the ledges and do not treat the formation as a casual climb.

Wildlife

Wildlife in Grampians

All Grampians wildlife maps

Sighting maps show where each species has been reported across Grampians. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.

Parkwolf’s Grampians ranking

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Take Parkwolf to Grampians.

The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.

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