Established Camping

Cottonwood Recreation Site

Cottonwood Recreation Site near Ellis, Idaho, is surrounded by rugged terrain with a mix of forested areas and open spaces. Temperatures can range from lows in the 30s Fahrenheit during spring and fall to highs in the 80s during summer. Nearby, visitors can explore the Salmon River for fishing and rafting or visit the nearby Salmon-Challis National Forest for hiking and wildlife viewing.

Description

Bureau of Land Management

The BLM Cottonwood Recreation Site sits among groves of cottonwoods along the scenic Salmon River and provides a beautiful setting for fishing and camping. It also has a boat ramp, allows RVs, provides accessible campsites and includes a day use area with barbecues, tent sites and group camp sites. 15 camp sites total. This is one of a number of sites on the Upper Salmon River. The headwaters of the Salmon River are in the Sawtooth National Recreation Area. BLM recreation sites along this stretch start at the East Fork confluence, followed downstream by Deadman Hole, Bayhorse Campground, Challis Bridge, and Cottonwood Campground.

Fee Info

Camping fee: $10/night; standard stay limits. Day use area with horse shoe pits and reservable covered group shelter: $25/day (Call Challis Field Office at 208-879-6200 for reservation)

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Location

Cottonwood Recreation Site is located in Idaho

Detail location of campground

Directions

north of Challis, Idaho. Travel north from Challis on Highway 93 for approximately 14 miles. The recreation site will be on your left between the highway and the Salmon River.

Coordinates

44.68277704 N
114.07882655 W

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Get reservations at sold-out campgrounds.

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Access

  • Drive-In
    Park next to your site
  • Walk-In
    Park in a lot, walk to your site.
  • Boat-In
    Sites accessible by watercraft.

Stay Connected

  • WiFi
    Fair
  • Verizon
    Good
  • AT&T
    Good
  • T-Mobile
    Fair

Site Types

  • Tent Sites
  • RV Sites
  • Standard (Tent/RV)
  • Group

Features

For Campers

  • ADA Access
  • Trash
  • Picnic Table
  • Phone Service
  • Drinking Water
  • Toilets
  • Alcohol
  • Pets
  • Fires

For Vehicles

  • Sanitary Dump
  • Pull-Through Sites

Reviews

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4.5

out of 5

2 Reviews

Reviewed Apr. 10, 2022

Very nice place!

Probably 15-20 camper spots all paved. 5 or so tent sites. Very nice. Water and dumpsters!

My recommendation: stay on the river side, the highway side can get a little loud.

Site10
Month of VisitApril
Reviewed Jul. 27, 2020

We only stopped

For water and to unhitch so we could get a flat repaired. But host very nice and looked pretty

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Are fires allowed at Cottonwood Recreation Site?

    Yes, according to campers on TheDyrt.com, fires are allowed at Cottonwood Recreation Site, although make sure to check current fire restrictions in the area.