Cosby - Greenbrier at Hiking In National Parks

Cosby and Greenbrier campgrounds are located about fifteen miles apart on the Tennessee side of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. The campgrounds share many similarities and even a few connecting hiking trails. Each are found east of the city of Gatlinburg and, while there still exists a town of Cosby, the old Greenbrier community largely came to an end with the establishment of the national park in the 1930s.

Lower Mount Cammerer Trail: The Lower Mount Cammerer Trail is just one of a few trails that can be taken to reach the landmark Mount Cammerer lookout tower. This, along with the Appalachian and Low Gap trails are often taken as a loop trail back down to the Cosby Campground. The trail itself is 7.4 miles (11.9 kilometers), but the firetower from which panoramic views of the area are available is reached by a spur trail 10.3 miles (16.6 kilometers) down the Appalachian Trail from the end of the Lower Mount Cammerer Trail.

Ramsey Cascades Trail: Located as deep as is accessible by motor vehicle in the Greenbrier Cove area, the beginning of the Ramsey Cascades Trail follows an old jeep road for about the first 1.5 miles (2.4 milometers). Not far past here the trail enters the largest old-growth forest remaining in the national park. One of the primary reasons that the park was created was in response to the damage that the logging industry had done to the ancient forest in the region. This forest was one of the few to remain mostly unscathed. Some of the trees along the trail are among the largest known remaining in the park. The waterfall itself is about ninety feet high and is four miles (6.4 kilometers) from the trailhead. Four people have died in recent years attempting to climb the waterfall; in response to this, the national park service advises spectators to refrain from climbing the rocks at the falls.

Old Settlers Trail: The Old Settlers Trail is a very long footpath that links Greenbrier Cove to Cosby, passing 17 miles (27.4 kilometers) of old homesteads from the days before the national park was created, moving out families that for generations lived and farmed the area. Most hikers arrange for this as a shuttle hike, whereby a friend or relative, or commercial service, is notified of about when the hiker is due to arrive at the trail’s end and is driven out, rather than walking back to the beginning of the trail.

Gabes Mountain Trail: This trail, 6.5 miles (10.5 kilometers) in length, is known more for its access to 45 foot Henwallow Falls than anything else, though it does extend over four miles further, past the Sugar Cove campsite at around 4.5 miles (7.2 kilometers) before running out at a junction with the Maddron Bald Trail. The trail begins just before the parking lot at the Cosby Campground.