The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions is now open for the 2021 season. The Laurels has been a popular area since the early days in East Tennessee. It was a common evening stopover for farmers from North Carolina taking produce to markets in Johnson City. The site is named for the native Rhododendron that thrives in the area, locally called "laurel." The Civilian Conservation Corps helped construct the current facilities in the early 1930's. Today, it is a popular day-use area, providing a nice shady place for family picnics and group gatherings.
The Laurels includes two picnic pavilions, numerous tables, grills, and trash cans, and connected by foot paths. There is a vault toilet on site. There is no potable water.
Honeycomb Creek flows through the picnic area and is enjoyed by kids of all ages on warm summer days.