Where to Go

In our family, as in many others, your birthday means you get to decide what’s for dinner—the midday and main meal of the day. 

Since my birthday is in August, my preferred menu typically consists of picnic stuff hauled into the woods, up a mountain trail, or next to a river. Let’s be honest, food tastes better outdoors.

Most years, the picnic spot is somewhere in the Smokies such as atop Mt. LeConte, on a huge boulder at Abrams Falls, and near the water’s edge at the Townsend “Y” where Little River meets the Middle Prong of Little River.

Whether you prefer sitting down at a table or pausing to eat on a hike, there’s an ideal spot in the Smokies for you to picnic on your birthday or any day. 

To help you start planning, we asked locals to share some of their favorite places to picnic in the park. The rest is up to you. Pick one of these spots or find your own, pack a picnic, and, go “home” for dinner this summer.

Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area 

What: With 122 shaded picnic sites all with large grills, there’s a good chance you’ll get a table. Arrive early in the day to claim one of the prime riverside spots.

Where: Off Little River Road, 10 miles west of the Sugarlands Visitor Center. 

When: Open year-round, however, half of the picnic area is closed in winter. 

Good to know: Metcalf Bottoms is ideally situated for a last-minute picnic. Buy provisions, such as drinks, ice, and sandwiches, outside the park in Wears Valley, and then take Lyon Springs Road off Wears Valley Road to the picnic area.

Cades Cove 

What: The designated picnic area has 81 sites and restrooms, but you’re also free to hike or bike the 11-mile loop and stop to eat on roadside grassy areas. Front porches at the Cove’s historic cabins, such as the Carter Shields place near milepost 9, or sitting on a bench at the Cades Cove Visitor Center, just past the midway point, are ideal for a quick sandwich or snack break in the shade.

Where: Off Laurel Creek Road, 16 miles southwest of Townsend, Tennessee, on the western end of GSMNP.

When: Open year-round. Closes at 8 p.m. May through August and at sunset the rest of the year.

Good to know: Add a waterfall backdrop to your picnic by hiking the five-mile roundtrip Abrams Falls trail from Cades Cove. The trailhead and parking lot are located past stop No. 10 on the Loop Road.

Deep Creek Picnic Area

What: There are 58 cool and shady picnic sites, but the bigger attraction is the easy access to the Deep Creek areas three waterfalls: Indian Creek Falls, Juney Whank Falls, and Tom Branch Falls. 

Where: Off Deep Creek Road, less than 3 miles north of Bryson City, North Carolina.

When: Open year-round.

Good to know: Bring your bike and fishing gear. Biking is allowed on portions of the Deep Creek and Indian Creek trails. Follow thee signs. Fishing is permitted with a license, which is available in Bryson City or online at www.ncwildlife.org.

Greenbrier Picnic Area

What: Arguably one of the prettiest picnic areas in the park, historic Greenbrier has 12 tables and plenty of grassy areas for blanket picnicking. 

Where: About six miles east of Gatlinburg and three miles off US 321 on Greenbrier Road. 

When: Open year-round.

Good to Know: From Greenbrier, you can hike to the park’s tallest falls —100-foot-high Ramsey Cascades. The eight-mile round-trip Ramsey Cascades Trail is strenuous and should not be attempted without sturdy hiking shoes. Pack food to eat along the trail, but don’t sit or climb on the slippery rocks near the falls.

Heintooga Picnic Area

What: The old-school rock slab picnic tables, built by Civilian Conservation Corps workers in the 1930s make this high-elevation (5,326-feet) low tourist-traffic area worth a visit. Even in the height of summer, there’s typically a table available at one of the 41 sites. 

Where: Heintooga Ridge Road off the Blue Ridge Parkway past Balsam Mountain Campground.

When: Open the end of May through early October.

Good to Know: The historic picnic area has not been adapted to meet Americans with Disabilities Act standards.

Oconaluftee Visitor Center

What: Sit on a bench or rocking chair on the covered porch to eat a bag lunch and, maybe, spot elk (from a safe distance) in the surrounding fields. Or, park at the Visitor Center and picnic alongside the Oconaluftee River. 

Where: Two miles north of Cherokee, North Carolina on US 441.

When: Open year-round.

Good to Know: The 1.5-mile one-way Oconaluftee River Trail from the Visitor Center to near Cherokee is one of only two park walking paths open to dogs on leashes and bicyclists. 

Cosby Picnic Area

What: Popular among locals, this off-the-beaten path picnic area rarely gets crowded. Though slightly hilly, the 35 sites, including one that is ADA-accessible, have level picnic table pads.

Where: In the northeastern corner of the park off TN 32 about 1.5 miles south of the junction with US 321. The picnic area is located just outside the Cosby Campground entrance.

When: Open mid-April to late October.

Good to Know: From the picnic area parking lot, follow the nature trail to the Sutton Ridge Overlook, which is about a 1.4-mile walk one way, for impressive mountain views.

Chimneys Picnic Area 

What: Arguably the park’s most-popular picnic area, Chimneys has 68 table-and-grill sites lining a shaded loop road. The boulder-filled stream (arrive early to snag a streamside table) running through the area is a welcome wading spot on a hot summer’s day.

Where: Off Newfound Gap Road, 5 miles south of the Sugarlands Visitor Center 

When: Open mid March to late November. 

Good to know: While the picnic area reopened after the devastating November. 2016 Chimney Tops 2 fire, the Chimney Tops trail (the trailhead is about two miles south of the picnic area) is closed indefinitely due to extensive wind and wildfire damage. For trail updates, visit www.nps.gov/grsm.