This Modern Campground In The Great Smoky Mountains Is Unlike Any You’ve Seen Before

Part campground, part luxury resort—it's all about the experience at Roamstead.

If the suggestion of camping conjures memories of struggling to pitch a tent with your siblings or stumbling into a dirty outhouse in the middle of the night, it’s time to reframe your idea of what camping can be. Today’s campgrounds aren’t the barebones sites of our childhoods. Nowadays, camping can be downright luxurious depending on whose neck of the woods you find yourself in.

At Roamstead, a modern campground located on the outskirts of Great Smoky Mountains National Park, visitors have an option to get as near to nature as they’d like. Housing options range from cozy cabins and yurts to traditional tent and RV sites. All “campers” have access to the property’s generous amenities that include WiFi, spa-like bath houses, a pool, fire pits, a playground and greenspace, plus a communal lodge where guests can order everything from eggs and espresso in the morning to a craft beer and pizza at dinner.

The idea for Roamstead came about in 2021 when Shannon and Thomas Connolly, along with their two children, embarked on a big out west road trip in their camper. As they began plotting overnight stays, they quickly found that their options left a lot to be desired. “A lot of them were older, stuck in a previous decade,” Shannon says of the campgrounds. “There’s just a lower cleanliness expectation and service expectation when it comes to a campground. We love to camp and be outdoors, but at the same time, we love to stay in boutique hotels that offer a higher experience. We started to think, why doesn’t this exist in the marketplace?”

When the couple returned home to Chattanooga, they got to work building out a vision for a modern campground resort that combined all their favorite things about camping and all their favorite services and amenities from boutique hotels. The nearby Smoky Mountains, where Shannon grew up, was the perfect place to pilot the concept.

Roamstead is located in Cosby, Tennessee, about 25 minutes down the road from downtown Gatlinburg. The campground gives easy access to Great Smoky Mountains National Park with two entrances nearby, as well as a trailhead on the edge of the campus that leads directly into the park. The property, which opened in July 2023, includes 50 RV or camper sites, eight tent sites, 9 yurts, 18 cabins, and three lodge rooms.

Cabins surrounding a burbling creek sleep anywhere from two to seven and include kitchenettes outfitted with mini fridges and electric cooktops, queen sized beds, full bathrooms, and fully furnished and decorated living areas. Yurts offer the same luxurious beds and linens, plus easy access to a spa-like bathhouse. Tent and RV sites include water and electric hookups, fire rings, and picnic tables.

But what really takes Roamstead to the next level are its communal amenities and a commitment to offering a full-service experience. There are firepits and s’mores supplies sprinkled throughout the property. There’s also a heated saltwater pool, large pavilion and outdoor dining space, a greenspace with yard games, a playground, a dog park, and a lodge that includes a lounge, dining, workspace, and small general store.

Kids can join the Roamstead ranger program and fill out a nature-focused activity booklet to earn free ice cream. Adults can enjoy a draft beer or cocktail in a modernly designed lounge. “Our goal was to balance that experience both for kids and adults, so it’s something that everyone can enjoy together,” Shannon says.

For the Connollys, it’s all about making the outdoors accessible to anyone who wants to experience them. If comfort, cleanliness, or service create barriers for folks hoping to experience the great outdoors, they hope Roamstead will begin to knock them down. “Camping can be intimidating when someone might not consider themselves to be outdoorsy,” Shannon says. “I think making the outdoors accessible—making all these amazing national parks and other outdoor destinations accessible—is a huge priority of ours.”

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