Cosby Group Camp
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Tucked in the mountains under a canopy of cool shade beside Cosby Creek. This group campground creates a peaceful and secluded environment for visitors, offering the best that the Great Smoky Mountains National Park has to offer.
Cosby Group Camp provides campers with a secluded environment for traditional tent camping. There are three group sites (one accessible site) that can accommodate up to 20 visitors each. Tent pads at each site, along with fire rings, grills and tables, perfect for family meals and late night s'mores.
The site offers modern amenities like flush toilets and drinking water. The nearby Cosby Campground offers reservable sites and first-come, first-serve sites for smaller groups or overflow.
Need to Know
Beginning March 1, valid parking tag is required for any vehicle parking for more than 15 minutes in Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Front country campers parked at their designated campsite will not be required to have a parking tag. If they park elsewhere in the park, a parking tag will be required. Please note that parking tags will be required for vehicles in excess of what is allowable for each campsite.
Over the last 10 years, an average of 339 negative human-bear encounters have been reported each year; many more go unreported. Visitors should be aware that high bear activity can occur in any area, and that your safety is not guaranteed. To increase your odds for a safe visit, please follow best practices for living and recreating in bear habitat. Stay alert and be prepared to react appropriately during possible encounters, and always report any unusual bear interactions as soon as possible.
- Caution: Bears and other wildlife frequent the area. All food and equipment used to prepare and store food must be kept in a sealed vehicle or camping unit of solid, non-pliable material AT ALL TIMES when not in use. All scented items, as well as all water containers MUST be stored. Dispose of garbage promptly in dumpsters provided. Unattended or improperly stored coolers, food and/or scented items may be impounded by campground staff. Violators are subject to fines.
- Firewood Restriction: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. This rule is strictly enforced. Campers may also collect dead and down wood in the park for campfires.
- Heat-treated wood is available from a growing list of private businesses in communities around the park. Please visit www.nature.org/firewoodmap for a list of available vendors near the park. Concessioners at Cades Cove, Elkmont, and Smokemont will provide heat-treated wood for sale during their operating season. Certified heat-treated firewood is packaged and clearly marked with a state or federal seal.
- For additional information about these firewood regulations, please visit the park website at http://www.nps.gov/grsm/planyourvisit/frontcountry-camping.
- A reservation is required to use a group camp.
- There are no showers or electric, water or sewer hook-ups in the park. Some group sites are accessible.
- Quiet hours are in effect from 10 PM to 6 AM. Generator use is prohibited in group camps.
- Fires are allowed in fire rings only!
- A minimum of 7 people is required for group site use. Maximum site capacity varies from 15 to 30 people. The park stay limit is 14 consecutive days.
- A Tennessee or North Carolina fishing license is required to fish in the park. Special regulations apply in the park.
- Pets are permitted but cannot be left unattended. All pets must be kept on a leash at all times. Pets are not allowed on trails.
- For additional park information call 865-436-1200 or visit www.nps.gov/grsm
Natural Features
World-renowned for its diversity of plant and animal life, the beauty of its ancient mountains and the quality of its remnants of Southern Appalachian culture, Great Smoky Mountains is America's most visited national park. Whether blanketed in bright wildflowers in the spring or vivid colors in the fall, the scenery at Cosby never disappoints.
At 2,460 feet, Cosby Campground provides a moderate climate, typified by mild winters and hot, humid summers.
Great Smoky Mountains National Park preserves a rich cultural history of Southern Appalachia. From the prehistoric Paleo Indians to the early 19th century European settlements, the park strives to protect the historic structures, landscapes and artifacts, which tell the stories of the people who once called these mountains home.
Nearby Attractions
Cosby, Tennessee, located about five miles from the campground, offers convenience stores and fuel.
Gatlinburg, a one of the Smokies' famous tourist towns, is located about 20 miles from the site, offering visitors tours, organized rafting trips, museums, restaurants, galleries, an aquarium, skiing and more.
Recreation
Great Smoky Mountains National Park is a hiker's paradise, with over 800 miles of maintained trails ranging from short, leg-stretchers to strenuous treks, with a number of those trails easily accessible from Cosby Campground, including the Appalachian Trail, just three miles away via the Lower Gap Trail.
Hiking is not the only reason for visiting the Smokies: Fishing, picnicking, wildlife viewing and auto touring are also popular activities. White water rafting on the nearby Pigeon River. Top tourist towns of gatlinburg, Sevierville and Pigeon Forge are just 20 miles away.
Campers can enjoy high-quality backcountry fishing in the cool waters of the countless streams and rivers that snake through the mountains, with trout available in abundance.
Wildlife viewing is a popular pastime, and with around 1,500 bears living in the park, it's not uncommon for visitors to spot one. The park is a sanctuary for a magnificent array of animal and plant life, all of which is protected for future generations to enjoy.
Changes & Cancellations
Customers who cancel a group overnight facility reservation less than 14 days before the arrival date will pay a $10.00 service fee AND forfeit the first night's use fee.
Contact Information
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127 Cosby Park Road Cosby TN 37722
Phone Number
For campground inquiries, please call: 423-487-2683
Rental Options
Learn more about gear rental options for your trip
Driving Directions
From Cosby, TN, proceed south on TN 32 about 1.5 miles from junction with US 321. Turn right at Cosby sign. Group camp is another 2.2 miles.
Available Campsites
- Site GP03, Loop Group Sites 1-3, Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
- Site GP02, Loop Group Sites 1-3, Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
- Site GP01, Loop Group Sites 1-3, Type Group Tent Only Area Nonelectric
