This is a day-use area — no overnight camping of any kind (tent, RV, or otherwise) is available here.
Overview Pink Beds Picnic Shelter is first-come, first-served during the winter season. Reservations will reopen in early April, weather permitting. The restrooms are currently closed for the winter season. No restrooms are available at Pink Beds Picnic Area. The Pink Beds Picnic Shelter is the larger of two available shelters. It is adjacent to the Cradle of Forestry in America, a 6,500 acre historic site commemorating the beginning of forest conservation in the United States. Recreation As part of the Pisgah National Forest, the Pink Beds area offers excellent hiking trails. An easy, five mile loop trail begins on the left side of the parking area. The surrounding area is ideal for other types of recreation including fishing, horseback riding, and swimming. Facilities The area has a flush toilet restroom, 21 picnic tables, grills, an old Civilian Conservation Corps gazebo, and this larger shelter. Natural Features Named for the rhododendron, mountain laurel and azalea that bloom in spring and summer, the Pink Beds Picnic Shelter is renowned for its scenic forest setting and small stream nearby. At an elevation of 3,280 feet, it is appealing to visitors for its relatively flat valley which sustains some very large pine trees and rare mountain bogs. Nearby Attractions The area is next door to the Cradle of Forestry in America Historic Site, and four miles from both the Blue Ridge Parkway and Sliding Rock Recreation Area.