If you are looking to camp in Great Smoky Mountains National Park but want to get away from the crowds Cosby Campground is the perfect campground for you. The campground is super peaceful and surrounded by large trees.
Cosby Campground - Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Located approximately thirty minutes from Gatlinburg you are close enough to get to the main portions of the park but far enough away to not have to worry about crazy crowds.
We were really impressed with how quiet the campground was even in June. The sites are well spread out so you are not looking into your neighbor's dinner plate. There are flush toilets and cold running water available in the campground.
Being in the Smoky Mountains you will want to make sure that you properly secure your trash and food in your car. There are no bear boxes at the sites so you are responsible for making sure your food is not left out in the campground.
Check out our complete guide to Great Smoky Mountains Camping
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Season: April - October
Number of Sites: 157
Location in the park: 5 miles south of Cosby, Tennessee
Campsite Cost: $17.50
Payments accepted: Cash and Check on site for first come first serve sites, credit cards online for reservations
Reservations: Yes, 42 campsites are available for advanced reservations.
Campground Address:
127 Cosby Park Road, Cosby, TN 37722
Latitude/Longitude:
- Latitude:
- 35.7533333
- 35° 45' 11.9999" N
- Longitude:
- -83.2086111
- 83° 12' 31.0000" W
Elevation: 2,459'
Accessible Sites:
Pets Allowed: Pets are allowed in the campground but must be confined or on a leash (6' maximum). Pets are not allowed on trails.
Campground Reservations
Are campground Reservations Available? Yes
115 campsites are available at Cosby Campground on a first-come, first served basis and 42 campsites are available for advanced reservations
Phone Number? 423-487-2683
Online? Recreation.gov
How Far Ahead can you make a reservation? individual campsites are released on a 6-month rolling basis
First Come, First Served? Yes, Over 100 sites are available first come first serve
Campground Amenities
Flush Toilets: Yes
Payphone: There is an emergency phone in the campground.
Is wifi Available? No
Is cellular Phone Service Available? We did not have any cell service in the campground
Is camp host available on site? Yes
Is firewood available for purchase? Yes, You must use fire-treated wood in Great Smoky Mountain National Park.
Only heat-treated firewood bundled in its original packing and bearing a certification seal from the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) or a state department of agriculture may be brought into the park.
Campers may also collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires.
Visit www.nature.org/firewoodmap for a list of available vendors near the park.
Amenities at each campsite:
Fire pit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
Bear Box in site/area? No
Potable Water? Yes, available at the bathroom.
Don't forget to pack
Insect repellent is always a great idea outdoors, especially around any body of water.
We use Permethrin Spray on our clothes before our park trips. Please read my article on preventing biting insects while enjoying the outdoors.
Sunscreen - I buy environmentally friendly sunscreen whenever possible because you inevitably pull it out at the beach.
Bring your water bottle and plenty of water with you. Plastic water bottles are not sold in the park.
Sunglasses - I always bring sunglasses with me. I personally love Goodr sunglasses because they are lightweight, durable, and have awesome National Park Designs from several National Parks like Joshua Tree, Yellowstone, Hawaii Volcanoes, Acadia, Denali, and more!
Click here to get your National Parks Edition of Goodr Sunglasses!
Binoculars/Spotting Scope - These will help spot birds and wildlife and make them easier to identify. We tend to see waterfowl in the distance, and they are always just a bit too far to identify them without binoculars.
RV Camping at Campground
RV Length: Maximum length of 25'
Dump Station: Yes
Generators: Generator use is prohibited from 8 pm to 8 am. Generator use is restricted to 8 AM to 8 PM.
Hookups: There are no hookups in the campground.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
How to get to Campground
From Cosby, TN, proceed south on TN 32 about 1.5 miles south of the junction with US 321. Turn right at Cosby sign. The campground is another 2 miles.
Campground Regulations
The maximum number of people in a campsite: up to six people per campsite.
The number of cars per campsite: No more than two motor vehicles or one vehicle with trailer are allowed per campsite
Checkout time:
Quiet Hours: 10 pm to 6 am
Maximum Stay: limited to 14 consecutive days at a time
A Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish in the park.
Cosby Campground Map
Photos of Cosby Campground
Check out all of our articles Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Where to stay when visiting Great Smoky Mountain National Park
There are many options right outside of the park in Gatlinburg and Pigeon Forge, Tennessee.
There is one park lodge the LeConte Lodge which you visitors need to hike into.
LeConte Lodge
Sitting at 6,643 ft, just shy of the Mountain LeConte peak at 6,593 feet, is the LeConte Lodge. This beautiful property is the only Lodge within the National Park.
It boasts spectacular unobstructed views of the mountains and the valley; however, it is only accessible by foot (which you’ll have to follow with your supplies).
There are five trails that will lead you to this historic site - Alum Cave Trail, Boulevard Trail, Bullhead Trail, Rainbow Falls Trail, and Trillium Gap Trail, each varying in distance and elevation, so be sure to plan.
The Lodge is entirely old-school (has no water or electricity), so you’ll have plenty of time to just soak in the breathtaking scenery and picturesque mountains. The Lodge doesn’t offer much beyond the basic amenities and serves regular family-style Southern food for breakfast, lunch, and dinner.
If you’re looking to detox from any electronics and just become one with nature under the twilight sky, the LeConte Lodge situated high up in the mountains is the perfect place to spend the night.
You can make a reservation at the Lodge by calling: (865) 429-5704 or emailing reservations@lecontelodge.com.
Lodging near Great Smoky Mountains NP
Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gatlinburg - We have stayed in this hotel the past few times we visited the park and it has been great. Fairfield Inn & Suites by Marriott Gatlinburg Downtown provides free continental breakfast, a terrace, and dry cleaning/laundry services. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi, and guests can find other amenities such as a fireplace in the lobby and a gym.
Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg - Located close to Ripley's Aquarium of the Smokies, Margaritaville Resort Gatlinburg provides a firepit, a coffee shop/café, and a garden. Indulge in a massage, a body scrub, and a facial at St. Somewhere Spa, the onsite spa. Enjoy a meal at the two onsite restaurants. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with laundry facilities and a bar.
Hampton Inn Gatlinburg - Hampton Inn Gatlinburg Historic Nature Trail provides free self-serve breakfast, a firepit, and a garden. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with dry cleaning/laundry services and a gym.
Glenstone Lodge - Glenstone Lodge provides amenities like a terrace and a 24-hour business center. Stay connected with free in-room Wi-Fi.
The Park Vista - a DoubleTree by Hilton Hotel - provides a terrace, a garden, and a playground. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. Enjoy a meal at the two onsite restaurants. In addition to dry cleaning/laundry services and a fireplace in the lobby, guests can connect to free Wi-Fi in public areas.
Hilton Garden Inn Gatlinburg - provides golfing on site, dry cleaning/laundry services, and a fireplace in the lobby. For some rest and relaxation, visit the hot tub. The onsite restaurant, Garden Grille, features happy hour. Free in-room Wi-Fi is available to all guests, along with a bar and a gym.
Click on the map below to see additional hotels and vacation rentals near Great Smoky Mountains.
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
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