Hi there!
So the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area is a convenient stop to make if you’ll be driving along Little River Road in Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
It’s a riverside picnic spot, so you can eat your breakfast, lunch, or dinner while listening to the sounds of the water flowing! (Bring your own food!)
It’s located right along Little River.
I went to the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area in September. What the weather will be like from year to year can vary (which means the colors can vary!), but this is what it was like for me!
Planning a visit to the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area
Cades Cove is one of the most popular areas of the Smoky Mountains.
And if you’re coming from Gatlinburg and making a trip to Cades Cove, then a perfect time to stop at this picnic area can be on your drive there, or on your way back.
So you can make it a late morning or noon start in driving towards Cades Cove, and then make the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area your lunch stop along the way before your afternoon in Cades Cove!
The Metcalf Bottoms picnic area is about half way between Gatlinburg and Cades Cove.
Explore the map.
Or, if you’ll be staying in Gatlinburg, in Townsend, or at Elkmont Campground, then it can also make sense to make a separate activity out of driving Little River Road, with a lunch or dinner stop at Metcalf Bottoms.
From Gatlinburg to the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area is about a 30 minute drive.
Explore the map.
From Townsend to the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area is about a 20 minute drive.
If you want to make go the scenic route, then be sure to drive along Little River Road! Google maps may not route you that way. Explore the map.
From Elkmont Campground to Metcalf Bottoms picnic area is around a 15 minute drive.
Explore the map.
Keeping bears away
You will find “bearproof” trash cans all over the park.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is bear country!
There is a saying: “A fed bear is a dead bear.”
If bears start to recognize human food as bear food, they can become a serious threat to humans – to you!
So if a bear is found to be eating human food, it may be put to rest for good.
This is why it’s said to be important that everyone does their part to pick up after themselves. This is especially the case if you’ll be eating out in the open in the Smoky Mountains, like at the Metcalf Bottoms picnic area!
The people of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park request the following after you’re finished eating at Metcalf Bottoms, along with elsewhere in the park:
Clean up fire grates and rings when you are finished.
Never dispose of food scraps or grease in rings.
Pick up all food scraps, aluminum foil, and trash, and place them in a bearproof dumpster or trash can.
Never leave coolers or food unattended, and keep them out of sight in your vehicle when not in use.
If a bear approaches your area, frighten it by yelling, banging pans together, or throwing rocks.
Bathrooms at Metcalf Bottoms
There is a regular bathroom facility near the picnic area parking lot. If you’re driving along Little River Road and looking for a bathroom, this is a reason to stop here too.
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Finding the Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Area
First, it will be best to download offline google maps before you go.
There’s a good chance you won’t get data service as you’re driving around the vast majority of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
Then, when you’re driving, you can put in Metcalf Bottoms Picnic Pavilion as your destination.
Once you’re on Little River Road you’ll want to start paying attention to google maps.
You can then use the GPS (this will generally still work around the park) to know when you’re getting close to the picnic area.
You’ll turn down the road to find the parking area, and then you can find your perfect picnic spot!
And then if you want to make this more than just a picnic stop, you can also go and see the historic Little Greenbrier School that used to be used as a school and church. You can find the start of a hiking trail right near the bridge.
And that’s a bit about the Little River Road picnic area!
Be sure to also see more stops to make on the drive from Gatlinburg to Cades Cove!
This can include the popular Laurel Falls Trail.
And if you’re chasing waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains, then be sure to look into Abrams Falls Trail for when you go to Cades Cove.
Plus, here is a list of more of the best waterfalls in the Smoky Mountains!
HAPPY EATING AT METCALF BOTTOMS PICNIC AREA!
Here are more ideas for a few days in the Smoky Mountains!
More of the best things that the Smoky Mountains is known for is hiking!If you're looking for just one solid day hike in the Smoky Mountains, there's the Mount LeConte hike. Most often this is done as a day hike, but you can also stay overnight near the Mount LeConte summit! There is the LeConte Lodge, which claims to be the highest guest lodge in the eastern part of the United States! (It does book up!)
There are also lots more hikes that come with mountain views. See more about some of the best hikes in the Smoky Mountains.
There are also a lot of hikes to waterfalls. See more about the best waterfall hikes in the Smoky Mountains.
You can also go camping in the mountains. See more about the best campgrounds in Great Smoky Mountain National Park. (No showers in the national park, though!)
Cost to go to Great Smoky Mountains National Park
There is no national park entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park, but as of 2023, there is a parking fee.You'll need a parking pass when you go to the Smoky Mountains.
You can wait until you arrive to buy the parking pass, or you can buy it online before you go at recreation.gov.
Depending on how many days you will be in Great Smoky Mountains National Park, the cost of parking will be $5 or $15 per vehicle.
Plan out your time in the Smoky Mountains!
Some of the best known things in Great Smoky Mountains National Park include Clingmans Dome, Cades Cove, and Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail!For Clingmans Dome, you can get great views from the parking lot, or you can hike up to the highest point in the Smoky Mountains! (No matter what, you do need weather on your side, though! For me, 3rd time was the charm at Clingmans Dome!) See more about Clingmans Dome.
For Cades Cove, it's all about the slow-going Cades Cove Loop Road! You can drive it, bike it, or walk it! You can make stops to walk inside historic cabins, see a historic mill, and even do a waterfall hike! See more about Cades Cove.
The Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail is also a slow-going road that you drive and make stops along the way, including quiet stops along a creek or waterfalls hikes. See more about the Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail.
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