Picnic table along the Little River at the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area

See the Elkmont Region web page for an interactive location map.

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The Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area is the second largest picnic area in Great Smoky Mountains National Park with 122 shaded picnic sites and one pavilion that can be rented for group events. Parking is done in common lots, and you must carry your supplies to the tables, some of which are as close as curbside, while most others average no more than 25 yards away.

Tables aren’t too far from the parking area

Even the farthest tables from the parking area are not too far

Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area is divided into a northern and southern section, with the road leading into the facility (Wear Cove Gap Road) separating the two. There is a parking area as soon as you turn off the main road (Little River Gorge Road), and just after that you have a choice to turn left (northern section) or right (southern section) or to continue straight. Straight leads out of the picnic area, crosses the Little River, and continues on to, among other things, the Little Greenbrier School and the Little Greenbrier Cemetery. If you like history or cemeteries, you might want to check them out after having a picnic.

As for the parking area that you come to as soon as you enter the picnic area, here you will find five standard tables and two handicap-designated tables along the Little River, and one more handicap table and a few standard tables on the other side of the road near the restroom.

Two handicap accessible tables along the Little River

Taking a right just past the first parking lot leads to the southern section of Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area, the smallest of the two. A short road that ends in a loop leads through the area. There are two parking lots along the road not far from the turn, and at the end of the road are two additional parking areas with tables situated inside the loop and along the perimeter, many of which are also on the river.

Picnic tables along the Little River at the southern section of Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area

Taking a left after passing the first parking area leads to the much larger northern section of the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area. The road is laid out as a long oval, half of which runs along the Little River. There are six parking lots, and tables and grills are located near each. A stretch of forest separates each section. There are multiple restroom facilities.

Picnic table along the Little River at the northern section of Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area

All picnic tables are on level pads, so despite any uneven terrain you don’t have to worry about your cucumbers rolling off the table. Each pad has its own grill. Most have only one table, but there are some with two or three tables for larger families or small groups. At the very end of the loop road in the northern section of the picnic area are four pads very close together, one with three tables and two grills, one with two tables and a grill, and two with a single table and grill, for a total of seven tables. That’s about the largest grouping of tables you’ll find without renting the pavilion. Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area is really set up for individual / family picnics. The tables cannot be moved—they are cemented into the ground—so there is no way to string together multiple tables for a Pilgrim-style picnic.

Large group of picnic tables in the northern section of Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area

The pavilion is located in the northern section and can be rented for a small fee if you want to host a group of up to 70 people. To make a reservation either call (877) 444-6777 or use the online service at recreation.gov. The pavilion is available on a first come, first served basis if it is not reserved, but realize that if a group with reservations shows up that you must leave immediately. All other tables in the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area are taken on a first come, first served basis.

Picnic pavilion at Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area

The Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area is open year-round, but only the southern loop is open during the winter (November-March). Also, there are no dumpsters during the winter, so you must take all of your trash with you. The pavilion has its own operating season, and this is usually from the beginning of April through the end of October. However, times can change, so before making picnicking plans be sure to get the latest schedule on the National Park Service’s Picnicking web page for Great Smoky Mountains National Park.

For those looking for an interesting way to burn off some calories after a hearty picnic, consider hiking the Metcalf Bottoms Trail. This runs to the Little Greenbrier school and cemetery. I did not hike it, so I cannot report on its difficulty, but the trail is about a half mile, one-way. The trailhead is located just after the Wear Cove Gap Road bridge over the Little River.

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