Great Smoky Mountains: Cosby/Big Creek Areas

After a great few days backcountry, we headed east within Great Smoky Mountains National Park, and Cosby Campground became our home base for the remainder of our stay. It was a great campground, as were all of the campgrounds within the park. Bathrooms are clean, there are dishwashing stations outside each bathroom building, and water spigots throughout. Each site has a picnic table and fire ring, as well. I will recommend not reserving a site at this particular campground, however, as the sites for reservation are right next to the entrance road. It worked fine, but it wouldn't have been our preference. Here are some of the things we did in this area:

1) Hike at Big Creek

Big Creek is down a VERY narrow and VERY windy (like wine-dy not win-dy) road from Cosby. It was a beautiful area, though! We hiked (more like walked, really, as it's quite flat), a little more than 2 miles before turning around. We ate lunch on the trail and enjoyed the views of Big Creek. This would be a great place to bring kids, or for people who may not want a more difficult hike. We were hiking right alongside a group of about 4 or 5 young families for awhile, and it was wonderful to see the kids out enjoying the park!

2) Cosby in the Park

Take a look at the NPS website for events that may be going on during your visit to the parks, or ask at the Visitor Center once you're there. Cosby in the Park happened to be during our stay, and right in our campground! There was live music, as well as different booths to check out. One of the stations was old-time toys and games, where we tried out a pair of stilts and learned to make a whistle out of a maple twig. They had crafts for kids, and food, and while we certainly didn't need to spend the whole day there, it was a great way to spend a couple hours!

3) Gabes Mountain Trail to Hen Wallow Falls

This is another easier day hike, and was a popular trail (we saw quite a few people while we were out). It leaves straight from the Cosby Campground, and is about 2.2 miles to the falls. We were taking easier trails due to my knees being a tad angry from our backcountry adventure, but even these shorter, easier trails took us to some amazing sights. Hen Wallow Falls was beautiful - definitely worthy of a stop and plenty of pictures. We ate lunch on a big rock below the falls before heading back to the campground.

4) Cosby Knob Shelter (Low Gap Trail and Appalachian Trail)

Brian hiked this route in the afternoon one day, while I sat and read in the sunshine! It's 7.4 miles round-trip, leaving from the campground, and it's not an easy walking path. He said it was a great hike, and would be recommended for a more difficult hike from the campground! It was kind of neat to be able to say he hiked all the way back up to the Appalachian Trail in a different area of the park.

5) Showers

Okay, showering is not typically a notable experience, but given the fact that there are no showers in the park, and this was our first real shower of the trip, it is worth mentioning! Online, I had read that most of the towns surrounding the park have showers available, and that if you asked a ranger, they would be able to tell you what might be available. When I asked a ranger, however, he basically said he didn't have a clue. SO, if you're staying in the Cosby area, we showered at Cosby Ranch, a campground right outside the park. Showers were $5, and while the bathrooms weren't those of a 5-star hotel (or even a 5-star campground), they were hot, and clean enough. Plus I had the whole bathroom to myself, which was kinda nice! My main recommendation is that campgrounds are a good bet for showers, but you will have to pay!

6) Gatlinburg

We did spend one evening in Gatlinburg. It was a lot of fun, but one evening was enough for us, as we would rather be in the park than in the touristy city. You can wander the main street and just walk in and out of shops, as well as trying Moonshine (a must-do, really), and lots of restaurant choices! I've heard great things about the aquarium, if you are spending a full day. Overall, it was a little strange to me that this touristy place was right outside a national park. I just hope that people are truly enjoying the park when they come to visit the area, and not just spending their time in Gatlinburg!

7) Cosby Nature Trail

This was our last stop before leaving the park. We tried to do a short walk on driving days, either before leaving or once we arrived. It helped a lot, and is definitely recommended! This short hike from the campground was a really neat trail, with information about the area and some historical features as well.

We didn't even get to the Western or Southern parts of the park in the time we had! We will definitely be back another time to enjoy other areas! What are your favorite hikes in the Smokies? Favorite campgrounds? Let me know in the comments!