Picnic Areas

Who doesn't love to picnic! Eating outside, grilling burgers or hotdogs, roasting marsh mellows. There is something about sitting outside and eating food that is essential to being American. The term picnic started to be used during the 1700s but it was during the 19th century that people formed societies and clubs that went on outings called picnics. In America, the picnic, whether it be on picnic tables or using a blanket on the ground, has become a summer activity that everyone takes part in. There are a few things you need to consider when picnicking around the Smokies.

Picnicking in the Park
Inside the Great Smoky Mountain National Park picnic areas are easy to find. When you pick up one of the free park maps at either the Sugarlands or Oconaluftee Visitor's Center look for any of the picnic tables on the map and you will find that they are scattered all over the park. Almost all of the named areas in the park (Greenbrier, Cosby, Big Creek, Cades Cove, etc) have picnic areas with tables. Most of these picnic areas have some grills for your use as well. The grills are raised and they are on concrete so you can use charcoal nd lighter fluid, get the fire going and then leave it to burn out when you are done.

Some picnic areas are bigger than others. In areas like Metcalf Bottoms, there are enough tables so that a small family reunion would have enough room to eat together. But be sure to get there early if you want enough tables for a large group. If just your family is going then you should not have any trouble finding a picnic table to use.

Picnicking in the Surrounding Smokies Area
Because of the beautiful area that the surrounding towns enjoy, being close to the Smokies, almost all of them have parks and areas established to enjoy the great outdoors. From Knoxville to Asheville to Sevierville to Waynesville it is easy to find plenty of lush, green, verdant ground to plop down on and enjoy a meal with family, friends or that special someone. Townsend has picnic areas along the Little River to give you plenty of places to enjoy one of the best tubing rivers in the world. Knoxville has parks and greenways through out the city to give you the chance to escape the urban sprawl. Asheville, home to the Biltmore Estates, has one of the largest private homes in America with the opportunity to sit down on the manicured lawns and enjoy a picnic. So when your family is in the mood to enjoy a meal and each other out of doors, think about the Smokies but think about the beautiful towns that surround the Smokies as well.