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Cottonwood Campground (Nd)

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

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Campground guide

What to know before booking

Located five miles (8 km) from the entrance to the South Unit of the park, the campground is open year-round. Toilets, drinking water and picnic tables are provided at this facility. The Little Missouri River is the central, unifying feature of this wild and broken land where, as a young man, Theodore Roosevelt ranched and hunted in the 1880s.

max Stay

14 days

Official campground details, summarized

Concise planning notes based on the public Recreation.gov campground information.

Facilities

Toilets, drinking water and picnic tables are provided at this facility. The site can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs. Sites can accommodate up to six people and two vehicles. There are no hookups or a dump station. A water fill station is available for campers (through October 1 each year). All wheeled vehicles and trailers must remain on roadways or pads. The Group Site (site #25) can accomodate 7-20 people and reservations are available the first business day of March for the upcoming summer season. Go to the Cottonwood Group Site (ND) to make reservations for the group site.

Natural Features

The Little Missouri River is the central, unifying feature of this wild and broken land where, as a young man, Theodore Roosevelt ranched and hunted in the 1880s. The park is part of both the Northern Great Plains and the West, blending a rich natural beauty with diverse human history. The rugged topography, with its flora and fauna, also provides an opportunity to discover the badlands environment as Roosevelt once did. It is a place to experience a land and way of life that helped shape Theodore Roosevelt's attitudes and philosophy regarding conservation. Cottonwood trees surrounding the campsite turn golden in the fall. Although the campground is moderately forested, most of the campsites are in partial to full sun but visitors can cool off in the cold river when temperatures peak during summer.

Recreation

Hikers can access the estimated 70 miles (21 km) of trails within a short distance of the campground. Visit the Hiking and Trail Information page on the park website or stop at a Visitor Center for more details. Located immediately adjacent to the Little Missouri River and filled with Cottonwood trees bird watching in the campground can be a rewarding experience. Watch for Bison that can be seen traveling through the campground on their way to a stop at the river. Just a few miles from the campground is the Peaceful Valley Ranch. A former ranch from Theodore Roosevelt's time, the location also serves as one of the best sites in the park for outstanding night sky viewing.

Nearby Attractions

The town of Medora has shopping, restaurants, amenities and the Medora Musical is located approximately five miles (8 km) to the south. The Little Missouri National Grassland is the largest National Grassland in the nation at 1.03 million acres (416,826 ha). It is located in western North Dakota and is managed by the Medora Ranger District in Dickinson, ND and the McKenzie Ranger District in Watford City, ND. The National Grassland provides additional recreation opportunities in the area.

Campsite map

Site markers come from Recreation.gov campsite coordinates.

73 mapped sites

Campsites

A sample of official campsite metadata for scanning equipment fit before booking.

Site 055

South Loop

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

—

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 033

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

30 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 009

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

60 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 025

North Loop

MANAGEMENT

45 ft

vehicle

20

people

Yes

shade

Site 050

South Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

25 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 063

South Loop

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

—

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 001

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

38 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 021

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

48 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 014

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

32 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 064

South Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

15 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 031

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

60 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 017

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

55 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 067

South Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

25 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 027

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

45 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 074

South Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

25 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 037

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

75 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 032

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

32 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 059

South Loop

TENT ONLY NONELECTRIC

—

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 026

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

37 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 036

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

38 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 039

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

40 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Site 076

South Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

25 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 004

North Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

18 ft

vehicle

6

people

Yes

shade

Site 060

South Loop

STANDARD NONELECTRIC

12 ft

vehicle

6

people

—

shade

Important notices

Entrance Fee. The park collects a separate park entrance fee of $30 per vehicle. Visitors may pay the fee upon arrival or purchase in advance. The fee is valid for seven days. The park also honors Federal interagency passes (e.g., annual, senior, access, 4th grade, Golden Age pass etc.). For more information visit the park's Fees & Passes web page.
Pass Discounts. If using an Interagency Senior or Access Pass for a camping fee discount, the pass must be present during stay at campground (Interagency Annual, Park Annual, Every Kid in a Park, and Interagency-Military do not receive a camping discount).
Group Site. Site 25 (the group site) goes on sale first business day of March for the Summer Season.
Check-in & Check-out Times. Check-in/out is 12:00 noon

More at Theodore Roosevelt National Park

Other tracked campgrounds from the same park or area.

Surrounding campgrounds

Other tracked campgrounds within driving distance, nearest first.

Roundup Group Horse Camp

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

4.1 mi

Buffalo Gap Campground (Nd)

Dakota Prairie National Grasslands

6.7 mi

Juniper Campground Group Site (Nd)

Theodore Roosevelt National Park

45.5 mi

Ccc Campground (Nd)

Dakota Prairie National Grasslands

45.6 mi

Common questions

How do I book Cottonwood Campground (Nd)?

Reservations are handled by Recreation.gov, not by Kestrel. Use the official reservation link on this page to book. Kestrel only watches availability and tells you when a site frees up.

How quickly will I hear about a cancellation?

Kestrel rescans every two minutes, and every 30 seconds during the provider's daily release window. Alerts go out by email as soon as a matching site appears.