
Where to picnic in our Blue Ridge and Great Smoky Mountains near Asheville? While possibilities in our many national and state parks and forests are endless, here are some of our favorite places and ideas. Remember to plan ahead to pick up picnic goodies before you head out to your adventure. Finding food and drinks in remote mountain areas can be a challenge! Photo above is High Falls.






















Picnic with Music
During the warmer months, there are many outdoor concerts in parks that make wonderful picnic venues. Downtown, our favorite is Shindig on the Green. Another favorite is the summer music festival at Brevard Music Center with lawn seating adjacent to their big outdoor auditorium.
Protect the Wildlife & Bears!
Black bears are dying unnecessarily due to improper disposal of garbage or illegal feeding by visitors, especially in the Great Smoky Mountains. A bear’s remarkable sense of smell may lead it to human foods, such as a picnicker’s cooler, garbage left in the open or food scraps thrown on the ground or left on the grill. A bear that has discovered human food or garbage will eventually become day-active and leave the safety of the backcountry. It may panhandle along roadsides and be killed by a car, or it may injure a visitor and have to be euthanized. Please do your part to help protect black bears and other wildlife in the North Carolina mountains. Clean your picnic area, including the grill and the ground around the table, thoroughly after your meal. Feeding bears and other wildlife is illegal in the National Parks and Forests (and not a good idea elsewhere).




