Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion

Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riverside, fishing, hiking

Location: Cherokee, NC, NC

Price: From $32 per night

Rating: 5 out of 5 (1 reviews)

Season: May through October

Collins Creek, tucked into picturesque mountain ranges and surrounded by pristine mountain streams, is the perfect backdrop for your party or family get-together. Whether blanketed in bright wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Collins Creek never disappoints.Collins Creek is the ideal location for a group day trip. A large pavilion with tables and multiple grills provides a convenient place for visitors to prepare meals while enjoying the stunning backdrop.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Restrooms, Fishing

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/collins-creek-picnic-pavilion to be notified when sites open up.

Collins Creek offers a scenic mountain setting surrounded by pristine streams and wildflowers, with easy access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park trails. Google reviewers consistently praise it as a clean, well-maintained, and quiet picnic area perfect for family gatherings.

Wildlife alert: American Black Bear, American Elk, Wild Turkey, and Black-throated Blue Warbler observed in the area

Insider tips for Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion: Book early as this is a federal campground with only 2 tent sites Located 8 miles north of Cherokee, NC on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) for easy access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park Nearby hiking includes 3.9-mile Smokemont Loop Trail, Bradley Fork Trail, and Newton Bald Trail

Skip Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You're planning a trip outside May-October seasonal window. You need more than 2 tent sites.

Best time to visit Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October; spring offers bright wildflowers and fall provides vivid foliage colors.

Nearby campgrounds: Smokemont Group Camp (Cherokee, NC), Tow String Horse Camp (Cherokee, NC), Round Bottom Horse Camp (Cherokee, NC), Balsam Mountain Campground (Cherokee, NC).

Cell Phone Coverage at Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion

Cell signal at Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion (Cherokee, NC): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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CamperWatch›NC›Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion
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Great Smoky Mountains National Park — riverside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion

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Cherokee, NC, NC★ 5 (1 reviews)From $32/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Collins Creek, tucked into picturesque mountain ranges and surrounded by pristine mountain streams, is the perfect backdrop for your party or family get-together. Whether blanketed in bright wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Collins Creek never disappoints.Collins Creek is the ideal location for a group day trip. A large pavilion with tables and multiple grills provides a convenient place for visitors to prepare meals while enjoying the stunning backdrop.

Best for:AnglersHikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsFishing
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Restrooms

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available✕ You're planning a trip outside May-October seasonal window✕ You need more than 2 tent sites

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early as this is a federal campground with only 2 tent sites

Located 8 miles north of Cherokee, NC on Newfound Gap Road (U.S. 441) for easy access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Nearby hiking includes 3.9-mile Smokemont Loop Trail, Bradley Fork Trail, and Newton Bald Trail

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October; spring offers bright wildflowers and fall provides vivid foliage colors

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: American Black Bear, American Elk, Wild Turkey, and Black-throated Blue Warbler observed in the area

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
828-497-9270· Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Getting there →

There is no street address. Collins Creek picnic area is 8 miles north of Cherokee, NC on Newfound Gap Road (aka U.S. 441)

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Great Smoky Mountains National Park fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Great Smoky Mountains National Park before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion cost per night?+
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion costs $32 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion open?+
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion?+
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion?+
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion open, and what are check-in times?+
Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

National Park Services Concessionaire
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$32 /night★ 5 (1)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion cost per night?+
What season is Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion open?+
Does Collins Creek Picnic Pavilion have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Smokemont Group Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $50/night

Tow String Horse Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

Round Bottom Horse Camp

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

Balsam Mountain Campground

Cherokee, NC

From $30/night

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