Blue Ridge Parkway | PICNIC AREAS

Picnic tables line the creek at Price Park Picnic Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Picnic tables line the creek at Price Park Picnic Area on the Blue Ridge Parkway

Picnic areas along the Blue Ridge Parkway range from full-fledged parks with dozens of tables, grills, and restroom facilities to scenic pullouts with a single picnic table and no other amenities. Of course nothing keeps you from using any pullout as a picnic area. You can grab a bite to eat in your car, on the curb, or throw a blanket down on the ground.

The following is a directory of picnic areas, large and small, along the Blue Ridge Parkway. Links take you to web pages where you can read more about the pullout and see photos of the scenic views. Pullouts with no links to a web page have nothing but a table—no views or trails.

Attraction and visitor facility locations are referenced by Mile Post (MP) numbers. Mileage is tracked from 0 at the northern entrance to 469 at the southern entrance. You will see the mile posts along the Parkway just as you see mile posts on Interstates and other highways.


Large Picnic Areas

12+ tables | Handicap access tables | Grills | Restrooms | Trails

Humpback Picnic Area (MP 8.5)

James River Picnic Area (MP 63.6)
Access down steep hill

Peaks of Otter Picnic Area (MP 85.9)

Roanoke Mountain Picnic Area (MP 120.5)

Smart View Recreation Area (MP 154.5)

Rocky Knob Picnic Area (MP 169)

Ground Hog Mountain Picnic Area (MP 189)

Cumberland Knob Picnic Area (MP 217.5)

Doughton Park Picnic Area (MP 241.1)

E. B. Jeffress Park (MP 271.9)
No grills

Julian Price Park Picnic Area (MP 296.4)

Linville Falls Picnic Area (MP 316.5)

Crabtree Falls Picnic Area (MP 339.6)

Craggy Gardens Picnic Area (MP 367.6)

Mount Pisgah Picnic Area (MP 407.8)


Small Picnic Areas

Picnic table located at a scenic overlook

Picnic table located at a scenic overlook

Less than 6 tables (nearly all have 1-2 tables) | No grills | No restrooms | No handicap access tables

Humpback Gap Overlook (MP 6)

Hickory Spring Parking Area (MP 11. 7)

3 Ridges Mountain (MP 13.1)

The Priest (MP 17.6)

The Slacks (MP 20)

Whetstone Ridge District Office (MP 29)
Restrooms

Stillhouse Hollow Parking Area (MP 31.4)

Yankee Horse Ridge Parking Area (MP 34.4)

Boston Knob (MP 38.8)

Indian Gap Parking Area (MP 47.5)

Rice Mountain Overlook (MP 53.6)

White Oak Flats Overlook (MP 55.2)

Dancing Creek Overlook (MP 55.9)

Otter Creek Flats Overlook (MP 58.2)

Terrapin Hill View (MP 61.4)

Lower Otter Creek Overlook (MP 62.5)

James River Valley Parking Area (MP 69.1)

Thunder Ridge Parking Area (MP 74.7)

Peaks of Otter Nature Center (MP 86)

Bobletts Gap Overlook (MP93.1)

Montvale View (MP 95.4)

Great Valley Overlook (MP 99.6)

Pine Spur Overlook (MP 144.8)

Little Glade Mill Pond (MP 230.1)

Stone Mountain Overlook (MP 232.5)

Mahogany Rock Overlook (MP 235)

Sheets Gap (MP 252.8)

Jumpinoff Rock Parking Area (MP 260.3)

The Lump Overlook (MP 264.4)

Betseys Rock Falls View (MP 267.8)

Boones Trace (MP 285.1)

Flat Rock Parking Area (MP 308.3)

Lost Cove Cliffs View (MP 310)

River Bend Overlook (MP 316.4)

Chestoa View Parking Area (MP 320.8)

North Cove View (MP 327.3)

Deer Lick Gap (MP 337.2)

Crabtree Falls Visitor Center (MP 339.5)
Visitor Center is closed, but there are picnic tables on the grounds

Bull Creek Valley View (MP 373.8)
One of the rare overlook picnic tables with a grill

Folk Art Center (MP 382)

Blue Ridge Parkway Visitor Center (MP 384)

Beaver Dam Gap Overlook (MP 401.7)

Wagon Gap Road Overlook (MP 412.2)

Log Hollow Overlook (MP 416.3)

John Rock View (MP 419.4)

Fetterbush Overlook (MP 421.7)

Devils Courthouse View (MP 422.4)

Mount Hardy View (MP 422.8)

Courthouse Valley Overlook (MP 423.5)

Beartrap Gap Overlook (MP 428.5)

Beartrail Ridge Overlook (MP 430.4)

Licklog Ridge Overlook (MP 435.7)

Grassy Ridge Mine Overlook (MP 436.8)

Waynesville View (MP 440.9)

Standing Rock Overlook (MP 441.4)

Rabb Knob Overlook (MP 441.9)

The Orchards (MP 444.6) T

Mount Lyn Lowry View (MP 445.2)

Waterrock Knob Overlook (MP 451.2)

Jonathan Creek Overlook (MP 456.2)

Heintooga Spur Road (MP 458.2)
Picnic area at end of 9-mile road

Big Witch Overlook (MP 461.9)

Thomas Divide View (MP 463.9)


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Last updated on December 1, 2023
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