Gatlinburg has added a genuinely new experience to its lineup of family attractions with the opening of Parrot Mountain Mini Golf. Located directly on the main parkway across from The Village shops and next to Tennessee Jed’s, this indoor course is being described by its own staff as the first putt putt course in the country built around live parrots. Visitors walk down a tunnel-style entrance designed to feel like descending into a jungle, and the entire 18-hole course sits underground, beneath the streets of downtown Gatlinburg.

Watch the YouTube video:

For anyone planning a trip to the Smoky Mountains and looking for something different from the usual mini golf format, this course combines obstacle-based putting with a real aviary experience, indoor climate control, and a photo opportunity with parrots next door. Below is a full breakdown of what to expect on every hole, what makes the format different from a typical course, and practical details worth knowing before a visit.

Where Parrot Mountain mini golf is located

The course sits on the main parkway in downtown Gatlinburg, positioned across from The Village shopping area and directly next to Tennessee Jed’s. Visitors approaching from the Ripley’s Aquarium area will find it within a short walk along the parkway. Because this stretch of downtown Gatlinburg draws heavy foot traffic during peak season and around events such as the Independence Day parade, parking near the course can fill up quickly, and nearby garages such as the one by the aquarium have been known to reach capacity. Visitors driving into town on a busy weekend should plan for a short walk from available parking, since much of the downtown parking supply is shared with other main attractions along the parkway.

Next to the mini golf entrance is a separate space where guests can take photos holding parrots, along with a small retail shop.

Parrot Mountain mini golf

Most mini golf courses in the Smokies operate outdoors, with landscaping, waterfalls, or themed structures built around the holes. Parrot Mountain Mini Golf takes a different approach entirely. The course is fully indoors and underground, which means it stays at a comfortable, air-conditioned temperature regardless of what the weather is doing outside. That makes it one of the few attractions in Gatlinburg suited equally well to a scorching July afternoon, a rainy day, or a cold winter visit.

The second major difference is the presence of live parrots along the course. Rather than a static decorative theme, guests encounter real birds at multiple points as they play through the holes, including opportunities to hear them make sounds or attempt to mimic noises. Staff have indicated that the specific birds present on any given day can vary, so no two visits will necessarily feature the same parrots in the same spots.

Course design also leans into an evolving format. Some features, including a volcano element on hole 14, are still being finished and are expected to become fully operational in the months following the opening. Staff have suggested the course will look noticeably different if guests return a few months after the initial visit, comparing the change to a shift in seasons.

Course layout and difficulty

The scorecard lists the course as a par 42 across 18 holes. Golf clubs and balls are available in a range of sizes and colors before starting, and the layout begins in the lobby area, which is decorated with parrot-themed artwork, before leading players down a hallway and a set of stairs into the underground course.

The difficulty level is generally approachable for beginners and families, with many holes built around a gentle divot near the cup that helps guide a ball into the hole once it gets close, rather than requiring a precise final shot. That said, the course becomes progressively more challenging as it goes, with several holes in the second half requiring more accurate distance control and shot placement than the early holes.

Holes 1 through 5: an easy start

The first hole opens the course with a straightforward, obstacle-lined path down the middle, using a few box-shaped obstacles as the main challenge. Hole 2 introduces a raised cup at the top of a small rise, with a design that lets a ball which misses the top roll back down toward the bottom rather than getting stuck.

Hole 3 offers multiple routes to the cup, including a path that channels the ball out closer to the final hole, plus what plays like a secret or bonus route toward the back of the hole. Hole 4 is built around a tree obstacle, giving players the option to aim directly at the cup or attempt to send the ball up and around the tree roots, which can drop it down near the hole from a different angle.

Hole 5 is a straightaway shot but ranks among the more difficult holes in the front half of the course, since hitting the ball too firmly sends it past the cup and into a drop at the back rather than settling near the target.

Holes 6 through 10: parrots come into view

Hole 6 requires enough force to get the ball up and over a raised hump where the cup sits, rewarding a shot with the right amount of power rather than too soft or too hard a putt. This section of the course is also where the first real, audible parrots become noticeable nearby, even before players reach the birds directly.

Hole 7 calls for a straight shot into a back corner that sits on a slight incline, making it a bit trickier than its layout initially suggests. Hole 8 offers a choice between aiming for a raised red section near the cup, which is more difficult to land cleanly, or working the ball in from the back side, where a built-in drop makes the shot considerably easier.

Hole 9 includes a rock formation that can be used as a direct route to the cup if a player putts through the gap in it, or a wider path around the rock for a safer, if longer, shot. Guests then cross a small bridge decorated with flamingos on the way to hole 10, which slopes and curves more than earlier holes, making it noticeably more challenging for players still adjusting to the pace of the greens.

Holes 11 through 15: rising difficulty near the birds

Hole 11 sits at a noticeable slant, requiring a precisely weighted putt since too much force sends the ball rolling into a drop at the back, while too little leaves it short of the raised section where the cup is located. This is also where guests encounter one of the course’s more interactive parrots, known for responding to voices and phone sounds, including attempts by visitors to get it to mimic noises such as an R2-D2-style beep.

Hole 12 begins near a viewing area where several live parrots, including an Amazon parrot and a Scarlet Macaw, are stationed for guests to see up close, though not to touch or feed. The hole itself uses rock obstacles to guide the ball toward the cup. Hole 13 offers another opportunity to view the parrots before players move on, and is also considered one of the more vocal points of the course depending on which birds are present that day.

Hole 14 is the planned home of the course’s volcano feature. At the time of opening, the volcano effect was not yet operational, and the hole played as a direct shot to the cup. Once complete, the design is expected to send the ball down a track along the side of the volcano structure before it reaches the hole area. Hole 15 returns to a straightaway format on a slight upward incline, rewarding a controlled putt into the vicinity of the cup, where a built-in divot helps drop the ball in.

Holes 16 through 18: the finishing stretch

Hole 16 requires getting the ball up onto a small hill positioned in a corner, on a slight incline that calls for careful pacing. Hole 17 includes a rock that can be putted through en route to a cup tucked into the back of the hole, similar in concept to the rock obstacle on hole 9.

The course closes with hole 18, its most distinctive feature. Rather than a traditional cup, the final hole functions similarly to a Plinko-style game: the ball is putted up to the top of a raised board with a large parrot figure above it, then works its way back down through a series of paths, landing on a section that assigns a negative score value, either negative one, negative two, or negative three strokes. Because this final hole can swing a final score by several strokes in either direction, it has the potential to change the outcome of a round entirely on the last putt, regardless of how the previous 17 holes went.

Live parrots along the course

Unlike most attractions that use static bird-themed decor, Parrot Mountain Mini Golf keeps live parrots present at multiple points along the underground course. Two birds observed during a visit include an Amazon parrot and a Scarlet Macaw known for its especially vivid coloring. The birds are stationed in viewing areas near several of the mid-course holes, where guests can see and sometimes hear them without direct contact, since touching or feeding is not permitted at these viewing points.

Staff have noted that which birds are visible on the course can change from day to day, so the specific parrots encountered may differ between visits.

Parrot photo and adoption experience next door

Adjacent to the mini golf course is a separate space where visitors can pose for photos while holding parrots directly. This area includes younger birds as well, including a baby rose-breasted cockatoo, native to Australia, that was around eight months old at the time of the visit. Some of the parrots available in this space, including young birds like the cockatoo, are also available for adoption.

The same area includes a small retail shop selling hats, shirts, and other gift items, giving visitors a natural stop after finishing a round of golf and taking photos with the birds.

Pricing and cost to play

Pricing for a round at Parrot Mountain Mini Golf has been described by staff as reasonable and in line with other mini golf pricing in the Gatlinburg area, though a specific dollar figure was not published at the time of the course’s opening. Visitors planning a trip should confirm current rates directly with the course before visiting, since introductory or opening pricing can shift as the attraction settles into regular operation.

Why this course works well as a weather-proof option

Because the entire course is indoors and set below street level, it functions as one of the more reliable options in Gatlinburg regardless of the forecast. On hot, humid days common in a Smoky Mountains summer, the underground setting stays noticeably cool. The same setup makes it just as workable during a cold snap, a rainy afternoon, or even snow, since none of the course is exposed to outside conditions. For travelers building a Gatlinburg itinerary with backup plans for bad weather, this is one of the more dependable indoor options directly on the parkway.

What to expect on a future visit

Because several elements of the course, most notably the volcano feature on hole 14, were still being finished at the time of opening, the course is expected to look somewhat different within a few months of its debut. Staff have suggested that guests who visit early and return later will notice meaningful changes to the course as additional effects and props are completed and added.

What to know before playing

Golf clubs and balls are available near the entrance in a range of sizes and colors, so groups with younger children and adults playing together can each pick equipment suited to their height and grip. The scorecard handed out at the start also lists the course rules on one side, which is worth a quick read before starting, since a few holes use mechanics, such as raised boards or drop chutes, that are not immediately obvious from a glance.

Because the course sits below street level and includes a lobby, a themed hallway, and a staircase before reaching hole one, groups should plan for a few extra minutes of walking before the round actually begins. The hallway leading to the stairs is decorated with additional parrot artwork and includes signage pointing toward Parrot Mountain and Gardens in Pigeon Forge, a related attraction under the same general theme.

Playing the course as a group or family activity

The layout naturally supports a mother-daughter or family-style scoring competition, since most holes are short enough to move through quickly without long waits, even with a full group playing together. Several holes reward a light touch over raw power, which levels the playing field between younger and more experienced players. A number of holes, including 2, 3, and 15, are built with a divot or channel near the cup that pulls a close shot the rest of the way in, reducing the number of frustrating near-misses that can slow down a round with kids.

At the same time, holes such as 5, 10, and 11 introduce enough slope and precision requirements that more experienced players will still find the course engaging, rather than feeling like every hole is guaranteed. The scoring swing built into hole 18, where a made shot can subtract up to three strokes from a final total, also means that a round is rarely decided until the very last putt, which adds a layer of suspense uncommon on a standard 18-hole mini golf course.

Visiting during peak season and local events

Downtown Gatlinburg experiences heavy pedestrian traffic during the summer months and around major events such as the Independence Day parade, when chairs and viewing spots line the main parkway well ahead of the event itself. On days like this, both the mini golf course and nearby attractions can see longer lines, and parking availability along the parkway drops quickly. Visitors arriving for a parade or a similarly large downtown event should expect to walk further from parking than they would on a quieter day, and should build extra time into their schedule if they intend to play a round of mini golf before or after the event.

Because the course is fully indoor and air-conditioned, it also functions as a practical stop for cooling off in the middle of a hot day spent walking the parkway, without needing to end the day’s sightseeing early.

Is Parrot Mountain Mini Golf worth adding to a Gatlinburg itinerary

For travelers comparing mini golf options in the Smoky Mountains, the combination of an indoor, climate-controlled setting with live parrots on the course is not something replicated elsewhere in Gatlinburg. The course rewards families and casual players with a forgiving layout in the early holes, while still offering enough challenge in the second half to keep the round interesting for more experienced golfers. Add in the connected photo experience with parrots and the adjoining gift shop, and the stop can easily fill an hour or more without needing to leave the building.

Its central location on the main parkway, directly across from The Village and next to Tennessee Jed’s, also makes it easy to fold into a day already built around downtown shopping, dining, and other parkway attractions, without requiring a separate trip or significant detour.

Frequently asked questions

Is Parrot Mountain Mini Golf indoor or outdoor?

The course is fully indoor and located underground, beneath the streets of downtown Gatlinburg. This makes it playable in any weather condition, including extreme heat, cold, or rain.

How many holes does Parrot Mountain Mini Golf have?

The course has 18 holes with a par of 42.

Are there real parrots on the course?

Yes. Live parrots are present at several points along the course, including near holes 6, 11, 12, and 13. The specific birds on view can vary by day. Guests are not permitted to touch or feed the parrots stationed directly along the course.

Can you hold or take photos with the parrots?

Yes, though the photo and hands-on experience takes place in a separate area next to the mini golf course rather than on the course itself. This area includes younger birds, some of which are available for adoption, along with a small gift shop.

Where exactly is Parrot Mountain Mini Golf located in Gatlinburg?

The course is on the main parkway in downtown Gatlinburg, positioned across from The Village shops and next to Tennessee Jed’s.

Is Parrot Mountain Mini Golf kid friendly?

Yes. Many of the holes use built-in divots near the cups that help guide the ball in once it gets close, making the course approachable for younger or less experienced players, while still offering more challenging holes later in the round for experienced golfers.

What is the most unique hole on the course?

Hole 18 stands out for its format. Instead of a standard cup, the ball is putted up a raised board beneath a large parrot figure and works its way back down, landing on a section worth a negative one, two, or three strokes, which can significantly change a player’s final score on the very last hole.

Is there parking available near Parrot Mountain Mini Golf?

Parking directly on the main parkway can be limited, especially during busy periods such as holiday weekends or downtown events. Nearby garages, including the one near the Gatlinburg aquarium, can reach capacity during peak times, so visitors should be prepared to park a short distance away and walk into the downtown area.

Does the course change over time?

Yes. Several features, including the volcano effect planned for hole 14, were still under construction at the time of opening. Staff have indicated that additional props and effects will be added in the months following the launch, meaning the course experience is likely to evolve for returning visitors.

What other attraction is connected to Parrot Mountain Mini Golf?

Parrot Mountain and Gardens in Pigeon Forge operates under the same general theme and is referenced along the hallway leading into the mini golf course, making it a natural pairing for visitors who enjoy the parrot experience in Gatlinburg and want to see a related attraction nearby in Pigeon Forge.

Read More

For more updates and insider tips, follow us on YouTube, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, X & Beehiiv!