A Weekend in the Smoky Mountains for the Aspirationally Outdoorsy

George and I have always wanted to cross the Smoky Mountains National Park off of our bucket list, and now we can check that box with a sense of satisfaction. The Smoky Mountains is the closest National Park to Alabama and we’ve driven through the outskirts of the mountains when in route to Highlands, Asheville and Chattanooga. The Smokies were named for the clouds that weave their way in and out of the tree-laden mountains, especially in the mornings, to create that smoky look. We definitely experienced this effect! And, because of that precipitation, we’d recommend packing a rain jacket.

Additional lessons learned during our trip…

1) Pack snacks for your mountain weekend! Unless you’re staying in Gatlinburg or Pigeon Forge, you’re ~15-25 minute drive from different restaurants. We were so glad to have brought some chili with us to heat up and eat at the cabin on a slower night, so we didn’t have to drive into Gatlinburg.

2) Gatlinburg is an OUTING. You most likely have to pay for parking wherever you go (we paid $20 for a lot), and it also feels a lot like an adult theme park. George and I ventured into town for a night and that was enough for us!

3) Prepare to drive to different hiking spots! We were lucky to be only 10 minutes away from the Cosby Park entrance and the Foothills Parkway, which was an ideal proximity.

4) You’re in the mountains to experience nature. And part of being in nature is embracing the slowness and taking a breather from the hustle and bustle. Enjoy the great outdoors!

5) Always pack an extra bottle for your baby.

Our Trip

There are multiple entrances to the park and a few different options to stay, depending on what sort of travel style you’re aiming for. We stayed ~17 miles east of Gatlinburg in Cosby, Tennessee. George and I wanted the camping experience but with the ease of having WiFi, cozy couches and running water. So, we found a spot for the aspirationally outdoorsy: Roamstead.

Looking back on it, staying in a cabin on an amenity rich property was ideal for traveling with our 3-month old. Being able to enjoy a slow morning with coffee while overlooking the creek and feeding Addy was fantastic. We were able to be new parents while still being able to enjoy nature (vs staying at a hotel in Gatlinburg). They have a small menu with DELICIOUS pizzas, an espresso bar and a cocktail bar. We were able to sit by the campfire at the end of the day and watch a movie on the projector in the community pavilion. It felt a lot like camp to me!

We asked one of the Roamstead owners, Shannon, what easy/moderate hikes she’d recommend for parents with an infant. We ended up doing the Cosby Nature Trail and it was the perfect little ~1 mile hike for us! We brought our diaper bag just in case and toted her around in THIS carrier. I’ll share Shannon’s hiking recommendations, below.

Do-able Hikes with a Newborn

1) Maddron Bald trail is right behind the campground - you can walk there! It's a pretty hefty hike if you do the whole thing, but there is a cabin about a mile or so in that's a great turnaround point!

2) We are about 10 minutes from the Cosby entrance to the park, and there's a Nature Trail there that is beautiful.

3) I've also done Sutton Ridge Overlook trail - it's about 3 miles and wasn't too bad. With the leaves gone, there's some pretty views from the top.

4) Depending on what your day looks like, another cool little day trip is to Hot Springs, NC and Max Patch. Can do Max Patch and then lunch in Hot Springs or vice versa. It's less than an hour away, and generally pretty quiet (and a beautiful drive).

We also ended up driving along the Foothills Parkway after our Nature Walk hike. The vista at spot #2 was incredible! I’d recommend packing a snack (maybe some brewskies) and enjoying the view up there for a while.

Our Itinerary

Friday -

4pm - Check into Roamstead and settle in. head towards Gatlinburg (25 minute drive).

5:30/6ish - Wander Gatlinburg. Grab an early dinner at Smoky Mountain Brewing Co. Order their Red Ale and wings!

Post dinner - Find some moonshine tasters. We added some peppermint moonshine to our hot cocoa and watched a Christmas movie when back at the cabin!

Note: If Addy were a tad bit older and we could have timed it better, I would have loved to do the Gatlinburg Sky Park. The best timing would be just before sunset to catch the daytime views, a beautiful mountain sunset and then the suspension bridge lit up for the holidays. However, the only way to the top is via chair lift and we were afraid of Addy being so little up there.

Saturday -

8am - Coffee and slow morning at the cabin. Wander the property! If the creek had been low enough, we would have hiked the Maddron Bald Trail for ~1 mile.

12pm - Order pizza from the Roamstead kitchen. The hot honey pizza was finger-licking good.

1pm - Cosby Nature Trail. If you’re feeling up for a tiny bit longer hike, Hen Wallow Falls would be a good option!

3pm - Foothills Parkway vista drive.

4pm - Relax and refresh at the cabin. Order a mid-afternoon latte from the Roamstead Cafe and enjoy a movie under the pavilion.

6pm - Crack open a brewskie and sit by the campfire.

7:30pm - Dinner at the cabin (we brought our own food!)

8pm - Feed the baby, put her down for the night and watch a movie.

Sunday -

8am - Coffee and granola for breakfast! Enjoy the view outside of the cabin.

10am - Check out!

Saturday as a whole was our favorite day of the trip, mostly because we had a good mix of exploring nature and relaxing by the campfire.

Happy camping!