Cosby: Waterfalls, Hiking Trails and Viewpoints

Cosby in Tennessee combines a deciduous-forest landscape with waterfalls, hiking trails and a scenic mountain road. Cosby Creek flows through a large cove shaded by deciduous forest, giving the area its distinctive landscape character. Those planning a trip with nature experiences, short walks and longer hikes will find different ways here to make their days varied.

Cosby Creek and the Short Nature Trail

A good introduction to the landscape is the Cosby Nature Trail. The loop trail follows Cosby Creek through a gentle forest and is 1.3 miles long. Parking is available at the Cosby Picnic Area. This makes it possible to include the trail as a short excursion on its own in your itinerary, without committing the day to a longer hike from the outset.

The Cosby Picnic Area is open seasonally from mid-April through the end of October, from sunrise to sunset. There are opportunities for hiking, horseback riding and fishing nearby. A permit is required for fishing. This information is just as important for planning your day as the opening hours: if you would like to combine different activities, you should consider the length of your stay and the activity you want to undertake from the beginning.

Waterfall Hike Through the Deciduous Forest

A longer hiking option leads to Hen Wallow Falls. The 90-foot-high waterfall can be reached from the Gabes Mountain Trailhead at the Cosby Picnic Area via a 4.3-mile route that returns as a loop. The trail passes through deciduous forest with hemlock trees and rhododendrons. On this tour, the forest landscape along the way is therefore just as much a focus as the destination itself.

The two loop trails provide clear guidance for different day plans: at 1.3 miles, the Cosby Nature Trail is considerably shorter, while the hike to Hen Wallow Falls involves more distance. Those who want to accommodate different preferences for a day of hiking within a group can include these two options separately in their itinerary. A vacation rental or vacation home in Cosby can serve as a base for days with short and longer nature experiences, without every activity having to be the same length.

Foothills Parkway East and the Mountain Landscape

In addition to the hiking trails, Foothills Parkway East is worth exploring. The road runs from Cosby, Tennessee, over Green Mountain, ascending 1,000 feet and extending for 5.6 miles. The section starting in Cosby offers four viewpoints. This makes the route a complement to the hikes, providing another pace at which to experience the area's mountain setting.

The Low Gap Trail also provides access to longer mountain experiences. The hike to Mt. Cammerer begins at the Low Gap Trailhead near Cosby Campground. Hikers reach the Appalachian Trail after three miles on the Low Gap Trail.

Combining Nature and Local History

In addition to its landscapes, Cosby also has a cultural connection to its own history. The community events “Celebrating Cosby: Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow” at the Cosby Campground amphitheater honor the cultural and natural history of the Cosby area with storytelling, dance, music and presentations on history. Thus, the town's character includes not only forests, water and mountains, but also the stories of its development and surroundings.

The area around Cosby includes Cosby Creek, picnic facilities and a campground; it also provides access to several hiking trails. When searching for a vacation rental in Cosby, you can therefore first decide which of these landscapes and experiences should shape your trip. Those who like to vary their day between a short loop trail and a longer tour will find trails of different lengths among the area's natural attractions. Those who prefer to plan a route focused on mountains and viewpoints can include Foothills Parkway East and its four viewpoints. For cultural impressions, the events about the area's history add another perspective to the trip.

Discover More Destinations

If you would like to compare Cosby with other destinations, you can also include Newport, Parrottsville and Del Rio in your further travel planning.

To the higher-level travel overview: Cocke.