Cottonwood Campground

Pulled in around 10 to find a couple 5th wheels in a circle and a few vans dispersed, only one sketchy motor home but quiet night. We stayed in the camper all night as the mosquitos were the worse I’ve ever seen at all hours.

Due to the piles of trash, etc., it appeared as if several people had moved in permanently to this camp site. And by the looks of their faces when I pulled up, they were not pleased to have someone else there.

No big deal, I just went to my lot and set up my tent and planned to keep to myself.

The mosquitos were unreal.

The noise never stopped. Not only from the highway and train tracks close by, but from the other “residents” of the campsite. And the constant sound of coyotees.

The guy in the tent across the lot from mine made me feel particularly uncomfortable. Like I was being watched the whole time. Thought I heard him coming out and walking in my direction several times in the late evening. And from the sound of his grunts at around 1:30am that told me he was still very much awake and active, I decided it might not be the safest place for me ti fall asleep.

So I threw my tent in the back of the my car and I drove 30 minutes to the nearest Walmart parking lot and slept there.

Arrived on a Tuesday, most spots were available. -dog friendly -basic toilets -free -kinda trashy.

It was a gorgeous place to spend an evening. The birds are rampant and very loud but entertaining to watch. The water is shallow at the moment but full of life and wonder. Highly suggested as an easy getaway.

Cottonwood Campground is a nice small 4 site campground. While the campground is near Canyon Ferry Lake it is not on the lake. Boat access to the lake is possible from a boat launch in a day use area past the campground, the launch is to a side channel of the Missouri River. While the campground is listed as a dispersed camping campground I would not call this a dispersed camping area. The site has four established campsites with picnic tables and metal fire rings. These four campsite take up the entire area and does not leave on a place to "disperse camp". The site has a ADA Vault toilet and one of the four campsite is an ADA site with a large concrete pad. One thing that is nice about this campground is that you need to know it's here, their is no signage along Highway US 12/287 to indicate that their is a campground here. The site has no water or trash service so come prepared. No fee is charged for the site.