The best picnic spots in the Smoky Mountains are the designated picnic areas inside Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Metcalf Bottoms is best for groups and riverside tables, Cades Cove for wildlife and history, Greenbrier for quiet, and Chimneys for shade beside the river. Four areas stay open all year. The rest are seasonal, so check the park’s schedule before you drive in.
This guide goes through each area: what the setting is like, what you get (tables, grills, restrooms), when it is open, and what it costs to park. We also cover the rules that trip people up, including pets, bears and parking tags.
TL;DR
- The park has ten picnic areas: Big Creek, Chimneys, Cades Cove, Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Greenbrier, Heintooga, Look Rock and Metcalf Bottoms.
- Cades Cove, Deep Creek, Greenbrier and Metcalf Bottoms are open year-round. The others follow seasonal schedules that change, so check the park page before you go.
- Every vehicle parked more than 15 minutes needs a parking tag: $5 daily, $15 weekly or $40 annual.
- Dogs are welcome in picnic areas on a leash, but not on most trails. Never feed wildlife, and clean the table, grill and ground when you leave.
Table of Contents
- How to choose a picnic area
- The picnic areas, side by side
- Metcalf Bottoms: best for groups and riverside tables
- Cades Cove: picnic with wildlife and history
- Greenbrier: the quiet one
- Chimneys: shade by the river
- Deep Creek, Collins Creek and the North Carolina side
- Cosby, Big Creek and Look Rock: the quieter edges
- A picnic in town: Mynatt Park in Gatlinburg
- Rules, fees and safety
- What to pack
- Our perspective
- Staying close to your picnic spot
- FAQ
- Sources
How to choose a picnic area
The park’s picnic areas are not interchangeable. They differ in size, in how far they are from town, and in what they sit beside. Four questions narrow the list quickly.
How big is your group? A family of four can use almost anywhere. A reunion or church group needs a pavilion or a large area with many tables. Pavilions can be reserved at Collins Creek, Cosby, Deep Creek, Greenbrier, Metcalf Bottoms and Twin Creeks, up to a year in advance.
What month is it? Winter narrows your choices to the four year-round areas. Summer and fall open up the high and remote ones.
How much driving do you want? Some areas are a few minutes from Gatlinburg or Townsend. Others, like Big Creek and Heintooga, are on the park’s far edges and add a long drive to the day.
Do you want a view, a river or a crowd? Riverside tables are the first to fill. Quiet areas have fewer sites and fewer facilities.
The picnic areas, side by side
This table uses details from the National Park Service. Seasonal dates are given as a pattern because they are published each year.
| Area | Nearest base | Setting | Season | Notable facts |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Metcalf Bottoms | Gatlinburg, Townsend | Little River, waterside sites | Partly year-round | 122 sites, pavilion, seasonal loops |
| Cades Cove | Townsend | Valley with historic buildings | Year-round | 81 sites, 1,943 ft |
| Greenbrier | Gatlinburg | Secluded, creekside forest | Year-round | 12 sites, vault toilets, no water |
| Chimneys | Gatlinburg | Riverside, shaded | Seasonal, spring to late fall | Popular on weekends |
| Deep Creek | Bryson City, NC | North Carolina side | Year-round | Pavilion by reservation |
| Cosby | Cosby, east Tennessee | Quiet east end | Seasonal | Pavilion by reservation |
| Collins Creek | Cherokee, NC | Near Oconaluftee | Seasonal | Pavilion by reservation |
| Big Creek | Waterville, NC | Remote northeast corner | Seasonal | Far from towns |
| Look Rock | Walland, TN | Western edge | Seasonal, late spring to fall | Reached from Foothills Parkway side |
| Heintooga | Blue Ridge Parkway side | High elevation, NC | Seasonal | Reached by a long mountain road |
Metcalf Bottoms: best for groups and riverside tables
If you want one answer, this is it. Metcalf Bottoms sits at 1,680 feet on the Little River and has 122 sites. Some tables are right at the water. There are charcoal grills, parking, restrooms and accessible sites, and the area is close to trails and historic buildings.
A few details matter for planning:
- It is only partly year-round. The north loop, the pavilion and part of the south loop are seasonal.
- The Metcalf bridge has a 10-ton limit. Buses, motorhomes and trailers are not permitted, so a group arriving by motorcoach has to plan another way in.
- Anyone fishing in the river needs a Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license.
It is also the closest area to Gatlinburg that handles a large gathering, which makes it the default for reunions and birthdays. Arrive early on summer weekends and in October.
Cades Cove: picnic with wildlife and history
Cades Cove Picnic Area is the right pick if the picnic is part of a bigger day in the valley. It has 81 sites at 1,943 feet, between Abrams Creek and Green Branch Creek. Each site has a table and a raised charcoal grill. There are restrooms, parking, three ADA-accessible sites, trash receptacles and pet-waste disposal. It is open year-round.
Hours are worth knowing. The area opens at sunrise and closes at 8 p.m. from late April to early September, and at sunset the rest of the year. If you plan to eat after a long loop drive in November, you will lose daylight sooner than you expect.
The Cove draws traffic, and the loop road can slow to a crawl when deer or bears are near the road. Build in time, and keep your picnic food sealed and out of sight. We wrote a separate guide on staying in Townsend for Cades Cove’s 11-mile loop, which helps if you want to beat the crowds to the gate.
Greenbrier: the quiet one
Greenbrier Picnic Area is small and secluded, with only 12 sites at 1,635 feet. It is open year-round. Each site has a table and a charcoal grill. There is parking, trash service and pet-waste disposal, and dogs are welcome on a leash.
The trade-off is facilities. Vault or composting toilets are always available, but there is no water, so bring your own for drinking and for putting out coals. A separate reservable pavilion holds up to 70 guests, which makes Greenbrier an unexpected choice for a mid-size party that wants privacy.
Because there are so few tables, Greenbrier fills fast on warm weekends. A weekday visit is a different experience.
Chimneys: shade by the river
Chimneys is a favorite in the park for good reason: tables sit among trees along the river, and the shade makes it comfortable in July. It is also seasonal, running from spring into late fall, and the riverside sites go first. Plan to arrive early on summer weekends and in leaf season.
It pairs well with a hike. If you plan to walk before lunch, pack the cooler in the car and eat afterward rather than carrying food on the trail. Check the park’s picnic page for the current opening and closing dates before you go.
Deep Creek, Collins Creek and the North Carolina side
Most visitors based in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge never cross to North Carolina, which is why the NC picnic areas are calmer.
- Deep Creek is open year-round near Bryson City. Its restrooms open only during the reservation period for the pavilion, so plan accordingly in the off-season.
- Collins Creek has a reservable pavilion and sits on the Oconaluftee side, near Cherokee.
- Heintooga is high on the Blue Ridge Parkway side and is a long, winding drive, so it suits a full-day outing rather than a quick lunch.
The drive over Newfound Gap Road takes time, and you can pair it with some of the scenic drives and views we have covered.
Cosby, Big Creek and Look Rock: the quieter edges
Cosby and Big Creek are on the northeast side of the park, far from the Gatlinburg crowds. Cosby has a reservable pavilion. Big Creek is a good base for a hike and a lunch in one stop. Look Rock is on the western edge, near Walland, and is seasonal.
All three close in cold months. The park publishes dates each year, and they shift, so check before a long drive. Nothing is worse than arriving at a locked gate with a cooler in the back.
A picnic in town: Mynatt Park in Gatlinburg
If you do not want to deal with the park at all, Gatlinburg has its own option. Mynatt Park is a city park where the 2016 Wildfires Memorial and Tribute Plaza was dedicated in June 2023. Two plazas stand on opposite sides of LeConte Creek, honoring those who died in the November 28, 2016 wildfires and the agencies that responded. It is a quiet, reflective place to stop, and it is worth a walk after lunch.
Rules, fees and safety
Parking tags
A valid parking tag is required for any vehicle parked in the park for more than 15 minutes. The cost is $5 per day, $15 per week or $40 per year. Tags are vehicle-specific and must show the matching license plate. They do not guarantee a parking space, so a full lot is still a full lot. The park says every dollar stays in the Smokies to support visitor services.
Wildlife and food
Feeding wildlife is illegal. That includes leaving scraps, and the park asks you to clean the picnic site thoroughly, including the grill and the ground around the table. Bears learn quickly where food comes from. Do not leave a cooler on a table while you walk to the river, and keep food in the car when you are not eating. Our guide to bear safety in the Smokies covers the 50-yard distance and what to check at your rental before arrival.
Grills and charcoal
The tables come with raised charcoal grills. Bring your own charcoal, a lighter and water to drown the coals. Do not leave a fire unattended. Where there is no water, as at Greenbrier, bring extra.
Dogs
Pets are allowed in picnic areas but must stay on a leash at all times and cannot be left unattended. The same park page notes that dogs are generally prohibited on hiking trails, with limited exceptions such as the Gatlinburg and Oconaluftee trails. Plan the day around that: a picnic with the dog is easy, a long hike with the dog is not. See our guide to the two trails that allow dogs for details.
What to pack
You do not need much, but a few items make the day easier:
- A cooler with ice packs, kept shut and in the shade.
- Charcoal, a lighter and a jug of water for the grill, plus a bag for trash.
- A tablecloth, because the tables are rustic and weathered.
- Layers. Picnic areas range from about 1,600 to over 1,900 feet, and creekside shade is cooler than the parking lot.
- Your parking tag, printed or on your phone as the park allows, matched to your plate.
- A fishing license if you plan to cast a line from the riverbank.
Our perspective
We talk to owners and guests all year, and picnic questions come up more often than you would think. Guests rarely ask for a list. They ask, “Where can we eat lunch without a long drive?” The answer depends on where you sleep. A cabin in Townsend puts Cades Cove and Metcalf Bottoms within easy reach. A chalet near Gatlinburg puts Greenbrier and Chimneys within a short drive.
Our advice is simple. Pick the picnic area before you pick the cabin, or at least check the distance. Cook breakfast at the rental, pack lunch and keep dinner simple. Also, a cabin with its own grill and deck can be the best picnic spot of the trip, especially in the evening after the park has closed.
The park is busiest in summer and in October. If you can, go on a weekday morning, pick a year-round area and keep a backup in mind. Bring the dog, but plan around the trail rules.
— Joe
Staying close to your picnic spot
The easiest way to make a picnic day relaxed is to sleep near it. SmokyMountainsByOwners.com lists privately owned cabins, chalets and condos across the Smoky Mountains region, and you book directly with the owner. That means you can ask about the grill, the cooler space, the pet policy and the drive to the park gate before you commit.
Browse vacation homes by area to compare locations, or see the cabin, chalet and condo listings if you already know the type you want. Bringing a dog? Read our checklist of pet policies to ask about before booking. Visiting in October? Our guide to fall colors by elevation shows where to point the car.
Sources
- Picnicking in Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NPS)
- Fees and passes, Great Smoky Mountains National Park (NPS)
- Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area (NPS)
- Cades Cove Picnic Area (NPS)
- Greenbrier Picnic Area (NPS)
- 2016 Wildfires Memorial and Tribute Plaza (City of Gatlinburg)
Recommended
- Mid October: Top Spots for Smoky Mountains Fall Colors by Elevation
- See the 5,046 Foot View: Smoky Mountains Scenic Drives and Cabins
- Wildlife or Nightlife: Townsend vs Gatlinburg in the Smoky Mountains
- Match Your Trip to the Right Smoky Mountains Town, Then Book Direct
About the Author
Joe Godar of the Smoky Mountains By Owners (SMBYO) Editorial Team creates destination guides, vacation-planning resources, and local travel content focused on Smoky Mountains vacation rentals.
Our team researches Smoky Mountains communities, vacation rental trends, family travel planning, local attractions, outdoor activities, and direct-booking best practices. Every guide is written to help travelers make more informed booking decisions while avoiding unnecessary third-party guest service fees.
Smoky Mountains By Owners (SMBYO) helps travelers research the Smoky Mountains and connect directly with vacation rental owners and professional property managers.
This article was reviewed for accuracy and updated using local destination research and current vacation rental market insights.