Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-121890
When The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions reopens
The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
1
Openings · last 90 days
47
Only 47 openings in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 12, 2026 · of 2 monitored sites
Of the 50 tracked reservation dates (Sep 18 – Oct 12, 2026): 41 open for online reservation · 5 reserved · 4 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Where the open windows are
18% of tracked reservation dates are not currently open for online reservation. 41 of 50 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 12, 2026Not open online18%
Open reservation dates41 / 50
Reserved (of online inventory)5 / 46
Weekday openings26
Weekend openings15
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 26 fall on weekdays and 15 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026October holds the most room. 22 of 24 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 2 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| The Laurels Picnic Area - Pavilion #1 | 21 |
| The Laurels Picnic Area - Pavilion #2 | 20 |
The 2 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateMon · Sep 21
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable date is Sep 21; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Reservation dates
41 available reservation dates across 2 day-use units at The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
All 2 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| The Laurels Picnic Area - Pavilion #1 | 21 | 13 dates | Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2 +9 more |
| The Laurels Picnic Area - Pavilion #2 | 20 | 8 dates | Sep 21, Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3 +8 more |
About The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions
Overview
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, TN. 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.
Recreation
The Laurels has two pavilions, each with picnic tables and grills. An old foot path meanders through the nearby woods.
Facilities
The Laurels includes two picnic pavilions, numerous tables, grills, a bear-proof dumpster, and connected by foot paths. There is a vault toilet on site. There is no potable water.
2 monitored unitsDay use2 shadedWaterfrontRiverfrontPets OK
Getting there
The Laurels is located on TN Hwy 361 near Sciota Road in Carter County. From Johnson City, take I-26 E to Okalona exit. Turn left, drive under I-26 to TN 359. Turn right onto TN 359. Travel 1.4 miles, then turn right onto TN 361 for 3.7 miles to The Laurels.
4400 Unicoi Drive, Unicoi, TENNESSEE 37692423-735-1500
HikingWater AccessWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-121890 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-121890 · The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions · Unicoi TENNESSEE10 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions?
Reservations for The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 41 of 50 tracked reservation dates are open (82%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 47 site openings here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick the unit on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 16:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
How often do new openings appear at The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions?
Campsite Sniper detected 47 site-date openings here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Which month has the most availability at The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions?
October 2026, with 22 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 24.
When is the next open date at The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Mon, Sep 21 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
Let the app watch this shelter
Pick dates
Choose the reservation dates you want at The Laurels Picnic Area Pavilions.
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Get the ping
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.