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Find Your Wilderness Oasis at Roamstead in the Great Smoky Mountains

Last Updated on July 25, 2024 by Amy Albers

You can like the Great Outdoors without wanting to sleep on the ground in a tent. Roamstead is a lodging option near Great Smoky Mountains National Park that totally gets that. Don’t listen to the people who tell you what “camping” is and is not. It can mean whatever you want it to mean. Roamstead offers six different accommodation options to suit your preferences and lifestyle.

As a mom of three boys, camping was an easy way to explore a new place. The kids could be active, loud, and dirty, and eating PB&J sandwiches and hot dogs for two or three days was completely acceptable. I occasionally take solo camping trips at our wonderful Georgia State Parks as an adult. As much as I love my tent, let me be clear—I am always up for staying in a more structured space. 

Roamstead Cabin

Roamstead Accommodations

Roamstead in Cosby, TN, offers a variety of accommodations. Of course, there are tent and RV sites, but there are also yurts with actual beds and a vintage Airstream trailer to book. What’s a yurt? It’s kind of like if a tent and a cabin had a baby. Choose one of their cabins if that’s still too rustic for your taste. There are several sizes; they sleep anywhere from two to seven people. Rooms inside the lodge offer the hotel experience while still getting the campsite atmosphere. The lodging choices are close together, so if you have a larger group, you could mix and match various sites to suit your needs.

Yurts, RV Sites, and Tent Sites

The tent, RV, and yurt sites circle a bathhouse that is hands down the cleanest bathroom I’ve seen at a campsite. Provided in the showers are bath products, just like in a hotel. The tent sites are streamside – can you think of a better way to fall asleep than listening to that water? There is a common area near the yurts for visiting outside and a playground near the middle of the grounds. Feeling nostalgic for family trips of your youth? Stay in the vintage Airstream trailer! It has one queen bed and room for a child on one of the bench cushions. Linens are provided in both the yurts and Airstream trailer. 

Group of Yurts in Roamstead campground

Lodge Rooms

For those who are decidedly pro-hotel, Roamstead has you covered. Lodge rooms include a queen bed, a pull-out sofa, and a full bathroom. This is the ultimate convenience because anything you need is available downstairs. For some, this is the best of both worlds—stay in a campsite but sleep in a hotel room. 

Cabins

There are five different cabin sizes and styles on site. Let’s talk about the biggest, the Hemlock. It sleeps 6-7 people and is a restored cabin from the late 1800s! That history alone would have me booking for my family. The Maple and Oak cabins can sleep up to 4 people. The Maple has an open design with a loft, while the Oak has two distinct bedrooms. The Pine and Spruce cabins are perfect for a couple. The Pine’s sleeping area is in a loft, while the Spruce is all on one floor. All the cabins have a living area, kitchen, and bathroom. Linens are provided, and the bathrooms are stocked with spa-like toiletries. 

Bed in Roamstead cabin

My son and I stayed in one of the Oak cabins. He’s a young adult, so it was great for us to have our own space with doors we could close for privacy. The couch in the living area was comfy, and I enjoyed my morning coffee on the front porch, facing the stream. Our cabin had a mini-fridge, a microwave, and a two-burner cooktop, along with cooking equipment. We could have cooked entire meals there, but we chose to take advantage of the Roamstead dining!

Food and Beverage Service on Site

When did you last go camping and have pizza and cocktails available on-site? Maybe never? The Roamstead menu is, admittedly, limited. For breakfast, there are a couple of sandwich choices available for purchase. Still, I was happy with the complimentary honey granola and milk combo. Regular coffee is also complimentary, but if you require fancy, they can do fancy.

For lunch and dinner, you can purchase varieties of pizza, chicken tenders, and mini corn dogs. I opted for their special that day, the BBQ Chicken pizza, and I was impressed. My son isn’t a pizza eater (I know – it’s unheard of), so I was happy to split this pizza over two meals. He ordered the chicken tenders and was pleasantly surprised at the portion size. I mentioned cocktails. They have a full menu of beer, wine, and cocktail choices in addition to non-alcoholic choices. The camp store has snacks and sodas for purchase if there is just something else you have to have. 

Fire pit outdoors with chairs

Other Roamstead Amenities

How do you like complimentary warm chocolate chip cookies in the afternoon? I’m a big fan. If you and your kids want to stay active, Roamstead can accommodate. There is a saltwater pool, a kid-sized climbing wall, and yard games like cornhole. Weather permitting, a movie plays in the covered pavilion at night. 

If all you want to do is relax, no problem. There are fire pits at each site, or you can utilize the fire pits in the common areas. Under a shady spot, you’ll find four chair hammocks perfect for reading. If you need to finish work, the Wi-Fi was strong enough for my laptop to connect. The only thing you won’t find at Roamstead is a television in the cabins or the lodge rooms. The site encourages the unplugged lifestyle, and I am here for it. 

Pets Love Roamstead, Too

I saw so many dogs during our two-night stay! Pets are welcome in yurts or cabins with a $10 per night per pet fee. There is a maximum of two pets per cabin, yurt, and tent site and a maximum of three pets for RV sites. Your furry friends should be on leash at all times, and, of course, you need to pick up after them. I know some hotels don’t allow larger dogs or charge higher pet fees. This is a great way to travel with them at a lower cost. 

View of Great Smoky Mountains
Great Smoky Mountains National Park

Things to do in the Area

You can enter Great Smoky Mountains National Park from Roamstead’s backyard. Literally. The Maddron Bald hiking trail is right behind Roamstead, and the park’s popular Sugarlands Visitor Center is about 30 minutes away. The staff can direct you to nearby hiking and fishing spots. Of course, Pigeon Forge, Sevierville, and Gatlinburg are close if you want to do some sightseeing at those classic mountain towns. 

Consider Roamstead For your Smoky Mountains Vacation

Call it camping, glamping, or whatever you want. Roamstead has the choices that will work for your family. The encouragement to unplug and be active in the Great Smoky Mountains is a gift! All the staff we encountered were friendly and accommodating, which is very important. Even though we picked a rainy couple of days to visit, we still had enough to do and plenty of comfort. Give Roamstead a try when visiting Great Smoky Mountains National Park in Tennessee!

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