Plan a Family Picnic in Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Kids seem to grow up faster than ever, don’t they? Which is why spending time with them as they grow is even more important, despite the demands (and rewards!) of dance lessons, baseball practice, homework, music classes, and other activities that require serious time commitments. Sometimes you just want to steal your kids away for an afternoon – but where to?
How About a Picnic in the Park?
America’s most visited national park, Great Smoky Mountains National Park, is so full of great picnic spots it could be called Great Picnic Mountain National Park. People picnic trailside, at peaks like Andrew’s Bald or the more challenging Gregory Bald, and in open fields throughout the park. Picnicking in the park is a great mini-vacation; you’re in a fun, different environment, breathing in tons of fresh air, eating your favorite foods, and relaxing without distractions. With any luck, you won’t have much cell phone reception!
Prefer Tables and Chairs?
In or closest to Blount County, there are four designated picnicking sites, including the Look Rock Picnic Area, the Cades Cove Picnic Shelter, Tremont Picnic Shelter, and Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Shelter. Picnicking sites generally come with picnic tables that include attached benches, a raised grill, and oftentimes a wooden overhang to protect from any sudden rainstorms. Cades Cove and Metcalf Bottoms are open year-round, too, so if an unseasonably warm day in late spring, fall (or even winter!) pops up, no need to worry about whether your picnic spot has been closed for the season.
Feed Your Wildlife, Not the Park’s
One of the great things about being in the wilderness with your kids is the sense of freedom they have to run, jump, and play, but there are still some necessary rules that everyone has to follow. Chief among them for picnickers is the rule that feeding bears and other wildlife is illegal – no matter how cute, charming, or experienced they are at making “hungry eyes”.
Animals that learn that humans are a source of food eventually leave their safe havens and find themselves getting hit by cars, injuring visitors, or even “panhandling” by the roadside in search of more of our favorite treats. Cleaning up all your trash, including biodegradable food trash, helps keeps all the park’s visitors and occupants safe.
Don’t Forget Your Camera
If anyone in your family can’t resist the possibility of getting something done while you’re all relaxing in park, there is something they can accomplish. A picnic in the mountains makes for a very scenic photo opportunity, whether you’re just looking for a shot for your fridge, or for this year’s holiday cards. So grab your picnic baskets, throw your camera strap over your shoulder, and head on out into Great Smoky Mountains National Park!