Picnic area · Great Smoky Mountains National Park
A shady 35-site picnic stop beside Cosby Creek
Overview
Map
Plan your stop
The highest, rockiest slopes around here are a summer buffet for grizzly bears.
Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide
Parkwolf is a GPS audio tour guide for Great Smoky Mountains National Park. As you drive, it chimes in with what’s ahead: hidden gems, upcoming stops, history, geology, and wildlife, right through your car’s speakers.
See the Great Smoky Mountains audio tourRecorded for this place
Cosby Picnic Area and Hen Wallow Falls“Up ahead is Cosby Picnic Area, a shady place for lunch beside Cosby Creek. Bring your own picnic; the tables have charcoal grills. The picnic area is seasonal, generally spring through fall.”
Plays as you drive up to Cosby Picnic Area in the Parkwolf Great Smoky Mountains Tour Guide.
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Guide
Cosby Picnic Area is a 35-site day-use picnic area with a pavilion beside Cosby Creek, on the park’s northeast edge. It’s a good place to stop for lunch if you’re already exploring the Cosby district; think of it as an easy outdoor break rather than a headline attraction. The area sits at 2,179 feet, with hiking, horseback riding, and fishing nearby.
Bring your picnic: the tables have charcoal grills, and wood fires aren’t permitted. You can use the pavilion when it hasn’t already been reserved. The picnic area usually operates from mid-April through late October; separate hiker parking stays open year-round. Seasonal restrooms are available, and dogs are allowed in the picnic area on leash, but can’t be left unattended.
Cosby Creek runs through a hardwood-shaded cove. The broader Cosby district is known for spring wildflowers, fall leaf color, old-growth forest, and historic cemeteries. Those are reasons to explore this less-traveled corner of the park, while the picnic area itself is best for a simple meal and a pause near the creek.
Wildlife
1,569 sightingsBlack BearMost seen around 7 PMSighting map
900 sightingsElkMost seen around 7 AMSighting map
13 sightingsBald EagleMost seen around 9 AMSighting map
142 sightingsTimber RattlesnakeMost seen around 6 PMSighting map
26 sightingsBobcatMost seen around 8 PMSighting map
42 sightingsRiver OtterMost seen around 7 AMSighting mapSighting maps show where each species has been reported across Great Smoky Mountains. Wildlife moves, so no sighting is guaranteed.
Keep exploring
ModerateGabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls4.3 mi · 3.5 hr · At the trailheadA rooty 4.3-mile out-and-back ends at a steep 90-foot waterfall.
ChallengingMount Cammerer Trail11.1 mi · 7 hr · 0.1 mi awayA steep climb to a historic tower above the Smokies.
ChallengingLow Gap Trail5.4 mi · 5 hr · 0.1 mi awayCreek crossings and a steep climb to the remote Walnut Bottom junction.
ChallengingLow Gap, Appalachian Trail and Snake Den Ridge Loop Trail13.1 mi · 9 hr · 0.1 mi awayA full-day loop links Low Gap, the AT, and Snake Den Ridge.
ModerateSutton Ridge Overlook Trail3.5 mi · 2 hr · 0.1 mi awayA short, steep spur reaches a north-facing view over Riding Fork.ChallengingSnake Den Ridge Trail10.6 mi · 8 hr · 0.3 mi awayA steep 10.6-mile out-and-back to the Appalachian Trail.
EasyCosby Nature Trail1.3 mi · 45 min · 0.4 mi awayA wooded creek loop with log bridges and rocky crossings.
ChallengingLower Mount Cammerer Trail14.8 mi · 8 hr · 0.4 mi awayA long day of creek crossings and ridge climbing to the AT.
Campground · 0.3 mi awayCosby CampgroundA shady, tent-heavy base with hiking routes nearby.Sight · 1.6 mi awayHen Wallow FallsA 90-foot cascade makes the rooted climb worthwhile.
Sight · 2.7 mi awayMount Cammerer Lookout TowerA rock summit and a 1930s fire tower reward a big climb.
Scenic pullout · 3.8 mi awayCosby OverlookA short pullout with a southwest view over Cosby Valley.
Scenic pullout · 3.9 mi awayGreen Mountain OverlookA southeast-facing view worth timing for sunrise.
Sight · 4.2 mi awayAlbright GroveA long hike through one of the Smokies’ finest old-growth forests.
Sight · 4.5 mi awayMouse Creek FallsA 41-foot waterfall with Midnight Hole along the way.
Scenic pullout · 4.7 mi awayAllen Grove OverlookA quick mountain-view break on Foothills Parkway East.Parkwolf’s Great Smoky Mountains ranking
The audio tour guide for the drive, plus offline maps, trails, and wildlife heatmaps for when the signal drops.
