Camping at Cosby Campground near Gatlinburg

Destinations Southeast Tennessee Gatlinburg

Camping at Cosby Campground near Gatlinburg

Camping at Cosby Campground in the Great Smoky Mountains offers a unique experience for outdoor enthusiasts. Its proximity to Gatlinburg combined with the beauty of the Smokies makes it a prime destination for those seeking serenity and adventure. Known for its rich biodiversity and stunning mountain views, Cosby Campground is an ideal spot for families, solo adventurers, and nature lovers alike. The campground's commitment to preserving the natural environment ensures a memorable experience that highlights the beauty of the area.

Adventure Guide to Camp at Cosby Campground:

Cosby Campground
- The campground features 88 campsites surrounded by lush forests, providing a perfect retreat for camping. Each site is equipped with picnic tables and fire rings, making it convenient for cooking and gathering around the campfire. The location allows easy access to scenic hiking trails, including the Gatlinburg Trail and Gabes Mountain Trail, which are known for their picturesque views and wildlife sightings.
Hiking Opportunities
- The Cosby Campground area is home to several hiking trails that vary in difficulty. One popular hike is the Low Gap Trail, which offers a challenging yet rewarding trek through diverse plant life and stunning panoramic views at the summit. The trails are well-maintained and clearly marked, making it easy for hikers of all experience levels to navigate.
Amenities and Features
- Cosby Campground provides essential facilities such as restrooms with running water, trash collection, and a visitor center where campers can get information about local flora and fauna. The campground also offers the chance to encounter various wildlife, including deer and numerous bird species, enhancing your camping adventure.

Visitor Tips:

Best Times to Visit
- Aim for late spring or early fall when temperatures are mild, and the foliage is at its most vibrant.
What to Bring
- Don't forget essentials like a tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, food, and plenty of drinking water. A camera is also recommended to capture the stunning landscapes.
Driving Directions
- From downtown Gatlinburg, take Highway 321 East for approximately 10 miles. The drive should take about 20-25 minutes, leading you directly to the campground entrance.

Adventure Map

Reviews

Eric Moore3 months ago

Had a great time here. Quieter than Cades Cove for sure (tradeoff: no camp store). The creek is great. Not deep enough for kids to swim in, but great rock hopping and good places to wade and cool off. Restrooms were clean and plentiful.

Arlene Adames8 months ago

This place is amazing- if you want to have a complete reset, this is the place to be. No phone service. Well taken care of campground. Quiet hrs are from 10pm-6am. No electricity. Availability for RV & Tents. Access to different trails. There is a Dollar general about 20mins from the campground in case of emergency things. Great Place ! Off the grid. We didn’t see any bears but they are very strict with their bear policies and safety measures.

Friday Ortiz3 months ago

Awesome campground with comfortable, spaced out and private, flat tent spots. Easy to get to but feels out of the way. Easy access to trailheads like Mt. Cammerer, but you'll have to drive at least 30 minutes for other trailheads. You don't need a parking pass if you reserve a camp site and keep your car here, but you'll need one to park anywhere else or after you check out.

Melissa Millera year ago

Beautiful and well maintained campground. It’s about 30 minutes from Gatlinburg so you don’t have to deal with nearly as many tourists. The trails were all well kept and had lots of signage to ensure you followed correctly. There were lots of clean bathrooms (though the ones actually in the camping area didn’t have soap from what I saw) as well as picnic areas for day visitors. The B loop is more uphill from the A loop. We had to split our stay between the loops and they were both beautiful. We brought a small camper and had a great time. We’re normally tent campers and would absolutely go tent camping here as well. The pads are large, level, and had a small layer of very fine gravel. The only negative is there isn’t a shower/bath house.

Rebekaha year ago

We stayed at site B19 for one night, Saturday - Sunday, May 20 - May 21. It felt very safe and quiet, but we did experience heavy, steady rain the entire time we were there. I didn't notice any tent pads/ areas that were flooded or held standing water. We were on the outer edge of the B loop and definitely had more space than the inner B loop sites. We were close to the bathrooms but still felt secluded enough (for being close to the bathrooms). The bathrooms were lit up but they didn't feel like an intrusion on our dark evening. Even though we were on the outer edge of loop B, we could easily see loop A campsites, so keep that in mind. The campsites are not next to running water although the campground is. Parking is on the side of the road, parallel to the road, and site B19 definitely did not fit a truck. Neither would many of the sites (too narrow and uneven) Site B20 and B21 did, however. Everyone parking on the road made the campground feel very crowded and claustrophobic. Bathrooms were clean enough and relatively bug free. Sinks were nice and large. No paper towels to dry your hands on. I highly, highly advise downloading a map of the trails you wish to hike. We could not find the trailhead to Hen Wallow Falls no matter how hard we looked, and that was very disappointing. We hiked to the overhead instead but it was overgrown.