Picnic table along Abrams Creek at the Cades Cove Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
See the Cades Cove Region web page for an interactive location map.
The Cades Cove Picnic Area at Great Smoky Mountains National Park is in the same complex as the Cades Cove Campground and Anthony Creek Horse Camp. Both are located on Laurel Creek Road right near the start of the Cades Cove Loop Road. The picnic area is open year-round from dawn until either 8 PM from May 1st through August 31st, or sunset the rest of the year.
Eighty picnic sites are located around a single loop road with Abrams Creek running along one side and Green Branch along the other. It is unique to have creeks on both sides of the loop road, and as a result, many of the tables on the outside of the loop are right along the water. There are also tables in the center of the loop, and even these have views of the creeks.
Picnic table in the center of the loop road at the Cades Cove Picnic Area still has a view of a creek, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Parking is done in common lots and you must carry your supplies to the tables, which aren’t very far away, maybe 25 yards on average. Some tables are even right next to the pavement. There are a few handicap designated tables as well, most located near one of the two restrooms that serve the picnic area. The terrain is flat, so people in wheelchairs will have no problem getting to just about any of the tables if they have to.
Typical parking arrangement at the Cades Cove Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There are eight distinct parking lots around the loop, each with its own cluster of picnic sites. A stand of trees separates the different sections. Tables in the same section are connected together by gravel walkways that are framed with wood. If it has been raining, the wood is as slippery as ice, so step over it, not on it. I fell, and a guy who saw me fall told me that his kid took a spill a little earlier.
Gravel paths link tables together at Cades Cove Picnic Area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Each picnic site has its own grill. Most sites have one table for individual families, but there are some with two tables for larger groups. Tables cannot be moved, so there is no way to string together multiple tables for a Pilgrim-style picnic, and there is no group picnicking pavilion at Cades Cove. If you are looking to host a family reunion, corporate party, or other large event, check out the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area, the closest picnic area to Cades Cove that can be reserved.
At the far end of the loop is a road that leads to the Anthony Creek Horse Camp, not another picnic area loop.
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Last updated on February 5, 2025
