Large covered pavilion with serving table

Tennessee › Cocke County › Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Cosby Picnic Pavilion

Open

This is a day-use picnic pavilion only; no overnight camping is permitted. The facility operates seasonally from mid-April through late October, sunrise to sunset. Reservable time blocks are available through Recreation.gov. A Great Smoky Mountains parking tag is required.

Notify on Availability Reserve

Flood Watch issued July 21 at 1:45PM EDT until July 22 at 8:00PM EDT by NWS Morristown TN

1:45 PM — July 22nd, 2:30 AM

* WHAT...Flash flooding caused by excessive rainfall is possible. * WHERE...Portions of east Tennessee, including the following areas, Anderson, Blount Smoky Mountains, Campbell, Claiborne, Cocke Smoky Mountains, Grainger, Hamblen, Hancock, Hawkins, Jefferson, Johnson, Knox, Loudon, Morgan, North Sevier, Northwest Blount, Northwest Carter, Northwest Cocke, Northwest Greene, Roane, Scott TN, Sevier Smoky Mountains, Southeast Carter, Southeast Greene, Sullivan, Unicoi, Union and Washington TN and southwest Virginia, including the following areas, Lee, Russell, Scott VA, Washington VA and Wise. * WHEN...From midnight EDT tonight through Wednesday evening. * IMPACTS...Excessive runoff may result in flooding of rivers, creeks, streams, and other low-lying and flood-prone locations. * ADDITIONAL DETAILS... - Periods of showers and thunderstorms are expected tonight into Wednesday. Locations that receive multiple rounds or extended periods of locally heavy rainfall could experience flash flooding. Locations that have recently seen flooding need less rainfall to have additional flooding, and should take additional rounds of heavy rain and storms seriously. - http://www.weather.gov/safety/flood

About

Cosby Picnic Pavilion is a day-use picnic shelter located at 2,460 feet elevation in the quieter northeastern corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The covered pavilion sits along Cosby Creek and provides a peaceful, shaded setting for group gatherings, family reunions, or parties. The facility accommodates up to 55 guests and features multiple picnic tables under the shelter and several charcoal grills for cooking. An accessible restroom with flush toilets is located directly across the parking area, and potable water is available at the restroom building. The facility has accessible parking and paved pathways. Wood fires are prohibited; only charcoal grills are permitted. Due to high bear activity in the area, all food and equipment must be stored in sealed vehicles when not actively in use. This is strictly a day-use facility with no overnight camping allowed. Reservations are available for morning or evening time blocks through Recreation.gov. Visitors seeking overnight accommodations should look to the nearby Cosby Campground. A valid Great Smoky Mountains parking tag is required for vehicles parked more than 15 minutes.

Directions

From Cosby, TN, proceed south on TN 32 about 1.5 miles from the junction with US 321. Turn right at the Cosby sign. The picnic area is another 2.2 miles.