Picnic Areas - Smoky Mountain National Park

Where to Picnic in the National Park

Picnic Areas In The Smoky Mountains

Picnic area in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park

When you visit the Great Smoky Mountains National Park, pack a picnic basket to enjoy at one of the many picnic areas! There’s nothing like sharing a meal with your loved ones in the park before continuing your exploration. Some picnic areas are open seasonally, while others are open year round. Here is more information about the Great Smoky Mountains picnic areas:

Picnic Area	Sites	Pavilion	When is it open?	Other Notes
Big Creek	10	No	3/29 – 10/27
Cades Cove	81	No	Year Round	Closes at 8 p.m. Apr. 26 – Sept. 2; at sunset all other dates.
Chimneys	68	No	3/29 – 12/2	Closes at 8 p.m. Apr. 26 – Sept. 2; at sunset all other dates.
Collins Creek	182	Seats 70	3/29 – 10/31	Closes at 8 p.m. Apr. 26 – Sept. 2; at sunset all other dates. Pavilion can be reserved up to a year in advance. Two ADA-accessible sites.
Cosby	35	Seats 55	3/29 – 10/28	Pavilion can be reserved up to a year in advance.
Deep Creek	58	Seats 70	Year Round	Pavilion can be reserved up to a year in advance from 3/29-10/31.
Greenbrier	12	Seats 70	Year Round	Pavilion can be reserved up to a year in advance from 3/29-10/31.
Heintooga	41	No	5/10 – 10/14
Look Rock	51	No	4/26 – 10/27
Metcalf Bottoms	122	Seats 70	Year Round	Pavilion can be reserved up to a year in advance from 3/29-10/31. North loop, pavilion, and south gated loop closed during winter. “Pack it out” picnicking only from Nov. 1 – Apr. 17; all dumpsters removed during the winter.
Twin Creeks	Pavilion only	Seats 150	3/29 – 10/31	By reservation only.

When you choose to use one of the Great Smoky Mountains picnic areas, be mindful that feeding bears and other wildlife is illegal. Be sure to clean your picnic area thoroughly, including the grill and the ground around the table. Bears have a remarkable sense of smell that easily leads them to human foods, so cleaning up after yourself is extremely important.