National Parks & Outdoors / PROFILE

Cottonwood Campground

Open the filtered interactive map →

SELECTED RECORD

Cottonwood Campground

Open full profile →

Cottonwood Campground lies inside the park, about 5 miles from Medora, ND. It is the South Unit's only campground. Beginning May 1, 2026 all sites are by reservation at recreation.gov. Most sites are suitable for tents and RVs (no hookups). Cottonwood Campground fills to capacity each afternoon, mid-May through mid-September.

Beginning May 1, 2026 all sites are by reservation at recreation.gov Group site reservations begin each season on the first business day in March at 8:00 am MST. The park cannot take reservations - they must all be made through recreation.gov. Click RESERVATIONS below or call recreation.gov at 1 (877) 444-6777.

Published campsites

total Sites

76

group

1

horse

0

tent Only

12

electrical Hookups

0

rv Only

0

walk Boat To

12

other

0

Published camping fees

Standard Campsite - Summer Rate

$20 · One night in a standard campsite, limited to 1 family or 6 people. Summer rates are in effect May through September.

Standard Campsite - Summer Rate - Senior/Access Pass

$10 · One night in a standard campsite, limited to 1 family or 6 people. Summer rates are in effect May through September. This discounted rate applies to sites occupied by a person with a valid Senior or Access Pass. (Note: this does not include Interagency, TRNP, or Military Annual Pass holders.)

Standard Campsite - Winter Rate

$10 · One night in a standard campsite, limited to 1 family or 6 people. Winter rates are in effect October through April.

Standard Campsite - Winter Rate - Senior/Access Pass

$5 · One night in a standard campsite, limited to 1 family or 6 people. Winter rates are in effect October through April. This discounted rate applies to sites occupied by a person with a valid Senior or Access Pass. (Note: this does not include Interagency, TRNP, or Military Annual Pass holders.)

Group Site Rate

$60 · One night in the Cottonwood Campground Group Site by groups of 7 to 20 people. By reservation only - see the Reservations section. Passholder discounts do not apply.

Amenities

trash Recycling Collection

Yes - year round

toilets

Flush Toilets - seasonal; Vault Toilets - year round

internet Connectivity

No

showers

None

cell Phone Reception

No

laundry

No

amphitheater

Yes - seasonal

dump Station

No

camp Store

No

staff Or Volunteer Host Onsite

Yes - seasonal

potable Water

Yes - seasonal

ice Available For Sale

No

firewood For Sale

No

food Storage Lockers

No

Accessibility and facilities

wheelchair Access

There are two paved pathways to accessible restrooms located in the north loop of the campground and one paved pathway leading to the amphitheater located in the south loop. Paved pathway to wheelchair accessible bathrooms and amphitheater.

cell Phone Info

Depending on your cellular provider, you may have moderate to limited cell signal or none at all.

fire Stove Policy

All fires must be contained in the provided grills (one at each site), or in a fully contained fire pan. Campfires and use of camp stoves may be restricted during times of high fire danger. Save our trees! Never transport firewood to the park from outside North Dakota. You could introduce harmful pests to the park.

rv Allowed

1

rv Info

Maximum vehicle length among pull-through sites varies. Many sites are quite larger (over 50 feet). Back-in sites accommodate vehicles between 20 to 40 feet in length. Most of the RV and trailer sites are fairly level, which can be navigated by wheelchair users.

additional Info

Each camp site has a picnic table, raised grill for campfires and for cooking with wood or charcoal, and a cleared, flat area for a tent. Cottonwood Campground does not have a dump station. Commercial dump stations in Medora charge fees for use.

ada Info

There are two accessible campsites designated for wheelchair users, one is operated on a first-come first-served basis. Accessible routes along paved roadway, and paved pathways leading to amphitheater and accessible restrooms.

trailer Allowed

1

access Roads

Paved Roads - All vehicles OK

classifications

Developed Campground

Official NPS information and current conditions ↗