Hi there!
Cosby Campground is a quiet location for camping in the Smoky Mountains on the Tennessee side.
If you’re looking for a quieter area of the park with access to some hiking trails, then you might consider staying at Cosby Campground!
I went camping in Great Smoky Mountains National Park in September. What the weather will be like from year to year can vary (which means the colors can vary!), but this is what it was like for me!
First, some quick things to know about the Cosby campground that’s located in the Smoky Mountains.
Then, a bit on how to make camping reservations.
Things to know about camping at Cosby Campground in Great Smoky Mountains National Park
1. The Cosby Campground is located in the northeast area of Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
2. The Cosby area is in a quieter part of the national park.
The Cosby area of the national park is less visited, and therefore it’s a quieter area of the park. If you’re looking for a less popular campground, then you may consider Cosby.
3. You’ll drive along a creek to get to the campground.
And there’s also a creek nearby the campground.
4. There’s the Cosby Nature Trail that’s near the campground for a leisurely quiet nature walk.
5. The hiking trail to see Hen Wallow Falls starts near the campground.
6. There are a few more hiking trails that pass in the area of the Cosby Campground.
Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls, 2.1 miles away.
Gabes Mountain Trail to backcountry campsite #34, 4.8 miles away.
Gabes Mountain Trail to Maddron Bald Trail, 6.6 miles away.
Low Gap Trail to Lower Mt Cammerer Trail, 0.4 miles away.
Low Gap Trail to Appalachian Trail, 2.9 miles away.
Snake Den Ridge Trail.
When you check in to your campsite, you’ll be given a map of the area.
7. The campground is for tent camping and RV camping.
There are some campsites that are tent-only, some campsites that are RV-only. and some campsites that will be fine for both. You’ll be able to check for this when you make your Cosby camping reservation.
8. The tent campsites come with a tent pad.
This will be flat gravel ground to set up your tent.
9. Some of the tent campsites have stairs that lead to the campsite.
10. Cosby Campground is a mostly “rustic” campground.
11. There is no electricity at the campground.
The campsites of Cosby Campground are “non-electric” and there is no electricity at these campsites.
12. There are no showers at the campground.
There are no showers at Cosby Campground, or at any other campgrounds in the national park.
13. There are regular bathrooms at the campground.
There are regular toilets at the campground, along with regular sinks, although there is no hot water. Cold water only.
14. There are faucets around the campground for drinking water.
15. There’s a dishwashing sink for campers.
16. There is an RV dump station.
17. There are bears in the Smoky Mountains.
It’s said that a fed bear is a dead bear. This means that once bears start to see humans as a source of food, they can become a threat to humans, and that means a potential threat to you!
Currently, bears in the Smoky Mountains are generally not seen as a threat to people. But it takes everyone, including all campers, to keep it like that and to keep everyone safe, while you’re camping, and to keep the campers that come after you safe!
When you check in, you’ll be given a copy of things to help keep bears away so be sure to read that.
Among the things that are noted are to be sure to take care to pick up after yourself after you eat. You want to avoid leaving food in your tent, and be sure to store all food in your car. This also means it would be better if you didn’t eat inside your tent at all.
Another thing is to also try not to keep scented items inside your tent. Scented items can even include things like shampoo, soap, toothpaste, and sunscreen.
If Cosby Campground is a stop along your backpacking route, there is a bear-proof storage box that you can place your food.
Before you go camping, you can read up on bears in the Smoky Mountains.
18. There’s a “bear-proof” garbage dumpster for campers.
You will see bear-proof dumpsters and trash cans in the Cosby area, and all over the park.
19. Local firewood near Cosby campground.
Because of invasive species that could come with wood brought from elsewhere, it’s always best to buy your firewood locally.
Read about the firewood specifications for camping in the Smoky Mountains.
You can search for Cosby TN firewood here to know where to go to buy firewood. Look for the stores with the note “certified heat-treated wood available.”
20. There’s the Cosby picnic area near the campground
There’s a picnic area located immediately near the start of some Cosby hikes. After your hike, you can eat your picnic lunch at the Cosby picnic area if you want a change in scenery from eating at your campsite!
And finally…
21. What to do as a day trip (or half day trip) from Cosby Campground
How far is the Cosby Campground from other Smoky Mountains activities?
- Trail to Hen Wallow Falls – walk from your campsite, or drive 1-2 minutes!
- Trail to Mouse Creek Falls (and Midnight Hole) – 30 minute drive
- Gatlinburg – 35 minute drive
- Roaring Fork Motor Nature Trail – 35 minute drive
- Driving to Cades Cove – 1.5 hour drive
- Trail to Alum Cave Bluffs – 1 to 1.5 hour drive
- Trail to Clingman’s Dome summit – 1.5+ hour drive
- Mingus Mill – 1.5 to 2 hours drive
For more activities, see the best of the Smoky Mountains.
Read the reviews of the Cosby campground.
⛰🐻
Now…
How to make camping reservations at Cosby Campground
The official website for making a Great Smoky Mountains National Park camping reservation through the National Park Service is recreation.gov.
You can type in Cosby Campground for the search, and then go from there.
You’ll be able to find an updated campground map too.
You can also see the individual campsites that are available. If you click on an individual campsite, it will also give you the basics of the campsite. If you have flexible dates, you can also search the availability by date. This can also help you determine if you should book soon or not, based on the availability of the campsites. You can also see how close a campsite is to the nearest bathroom.
There are also Cosby Campground reviews you can read on the camping reservation website. One lady complained (11/15/2020 review by Mary) of an “older woman” who had a “rude attitude” and didn’t seem to want to help, among other things. I had a similar experience to the one Mary is describing at another campground in the Smoky Mountains of an “older woman” and it turned out that she was a volunteer, not a park ranger. I suspect Mary’s experience was also with a volunteer. So if you do have a negative encounter with someone who looks like a worker, don’t automatically assume it’s a park ranger. (They make park rangers look bad!) And don’t let these types of people ruin your overall camping experience in the Smoky Mountains! If you do encounter someone rude, I recommend you report it to their supervisor (an actual park ranger). They seem to care. /end rant 😜
Cosby Campground map
Cost of camping at Cosby campground
The cost of camping at Cosby campground is around $18 per night. See here for updated camping fees.
There is NO entry fee for Great Smoky Mountains National Park! This is kind of unusual for a national park.
Checking in to your campsite
Then, once you arrive in the Cosby area, you’ll stop by the campground office to check in and get your camping permit!
Then off you go to find your campsite!
And that’s a bit about camping at Cosby campground!
See the great waterfall hikes near Cosby TN:
And for more camping in the Smoky Mountains, also see:
- Things to do near Elkmont Campground
- Things to do near Cades Cove Campground
- Things to do near Smokemont Campground
HAPPY CAMPING AT COSBY CAMPGROUND!
There are partner websites included in this post. I may earn a commission.