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Posted by Jon Hoffman in Smoky Mountains
Love getting off the beaten path? Come to the scenic, secluded Cosby area, nestled in the northeastern corner of Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Here you can escape the hustle-bustle, even at the height of tourist season. And, if you visit on any Friday between June 21 and August 9, 2019, you can experience "Celebrating Cosby," a colorful, fun-filled festival of folklore, crafts, music, and more.
As always, this annual gala will take place (rain or shine) at the Cosby Picnic Area. In the event of rain, festivities will move to the nearby covered picnic pavilion. Seating will be available at the adjacent Cosby Amphitheater. Or, you can simply bring your own lawn chairs, picnic blankets, and beach towels.
Last year, "Celebrating Cosby" featured foot-stompin' banjo music performed by a talented picker, fascinating storytelling sessions hosted by local historians, sunset and lantern hikes through breathtaking old-growth forest, and much more.
This summer's festival will offer all this and then some. You'll get to sample old-timey cooking, enjoy authentic mountain clogging, shop for beautiful handmade baskets, learn about local pioneer history, explore native flora and fauna, and hear some of the liveliest downhome music in the Tennessee Smokies. Events and topics will vary from Friday to Friday, but it's all guaranteed to delight your entire family.
If you've never been to the Cosby section of the National Park, you're in for a special treat. This beautiful woodland area was once a Cherokee hunting ground. Later it was sparsely settled by tough, hardy mountaineers, some of whom eked out a living by setting up moonshine stills. In fact, during America's Prohibition Era, the Cosby region became widely known as the "moonshine capital of the world"!
Today it's one of the Park's prettiest – and least traveled – areas. Located just 23 miles from Gatlinburg – off Highway 32 via US 321 – it's a magical world apart, with a lush, leafy forest canopy and dozens of nearby trails.
"Celebrating Cosby" Fridays will introduce you to this legendary area. But the festival's just the beginning. Any day of the week, you can explore the region's rich natural and cultural heritage... beginning with those picturesque trails.
If you're traveling with small kids or seniors, try hiking the Cosby Nature Trail, an easy one-mile trek through shady woods and across several footbridges.
If you're up for something slightly more demanding, take moderate Gabes Mountain Trail to sparkling Hen Wallow Falls (about 4.4 miles round-trip). And if you're ready for an even tougher challenge, hike the rugged Low Gap Trail to Mount Cammerer Fire Tower (11 miles round-trip, with spectacular views at the peak).
Prefer a more relaxing experience? Enjoy a family picnic at the spacious Cosby Picnic Area. Most days it's not very crowded, so you can picnic in peace and privacy. All told, there are 35 picnic tables, along with charcoal grills, restroom facilities, plentiful parking, plus a covered pavilion available for group rentals.
Whether you're coming for "Celebrating Cosby" or for countless other local attractions, you'll find plenty to see and do in the Tennessee Smokies this summer. Contact Volunteer Cabin Rentals today to reserve your comfortable family cabin just minutes from Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge, and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park.
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