Cottonwood Cove Park Campground, near Dakota City, Nebraska, is a cozy spot that offers a laid-back atmosphere right next to the Missouri River. With spacious sites featuring picnic tables and fire rings, it’s perfect for those evenings spent roasting marshmallows and sharing stories.

This campground is known for its concrete pads that require minimal leveling, making it accessible for rigs of all sizes. Visitors have mentioned the generous spacing between sites, which adds to the overall comfort and quietness of the area. As one camper noted, “It’s been amazingly quiet during our stay,” which is a big plus for anyone looking to escape the hustle and bustle.

For those who enjoy water activities, there’s a boat ramp nearby, and the scenic overlook offers stunning views of the river. The campground is also conveniently located just a few minutes off the interstate, making it easy to access while still feeling like a retreat. While some amenities like laundry aren’t available, the clean facilities and friendly camp host make up for it.

Whether you’re here for a quick weekend or a longer stay, Cottonwood Cove Park Campground provides a welcoming environment for relaxation and fun by the water.

Cottonwood Cove Park Campground

Join the fun near South Sioux City. With tons of outdoor activities and scenic camping, this is an excellent vacation spot for all kinds of travelers. South Sioux City is an adventure-filled destination for those who love the outdoorsy camper lifestyle. But it's also great for those who prefer to spend time near the city, exploring and sightseeing. Search nearby campsites and find top-rated spots from other campers.

South Sioux City

The Best Camping Near South Sioux City, Nebraska

Cottonwood Cove Park was the fifth campsite we rolled into in this tri-state area looking for a spot that we actually liked, and boy did we score! This is a little municipal park with only 12 sites, water/electric/cable TV for $22/night. Be aware that there is no dump station here. There's a small bath house that's presently closed for COVID-19 precautions.

Driveways and the road through the campground are crushed white gravel, but there are small concrete pads at each site for the rig and patio area. Large cottonwood trees tower throughout the campground. There are tiny campers and large fifth-wheels here, both. There's a campground host occupying one site, and you pay the host. Spacing between sites is very, very generous -- kudos to Dakota City for not cramming people into this place just to double the revenue.

The campground buts up right against a pretty natural stretch of the west bank of the Missouri River, with a boat launch and interpretive platform discussing Lewis &amp; Clark's expedition that passed through here. The campground itself is tucked right into the middle of a neat, tidy residential neighborhood, such that it almost feels like you're part of the neighborhood.

It's been amazingly quiet during our stay. We've barely seen our neighbors, much less heard them even though the campground is mostly occupied. There are several rigs here that are long-term, presumably they're working at the massive Tyson Foods plant just up the road.

Cell service on Verizon is an impressive 4 bars, 42ms ping/65.6 Mbps down/24.8 Mbps up/3ms jitter.

We'd stay here again in a heartbeat.

Tiny and QUIET!

You have the Missouri River, bands play on the weekends, swim up bar, a marina, good food and fun people.  This is becoming one of my favorites.

Fun times on the river!

This is a city run campground.  We had reserved a site and paid with the city. When  we arrived there was no host, no access to the bathhouse, and no running water.  No one answered at city hall; it was Sunday. I dont know why no one could have call us about the water turnoff on Friday. 

Very disappointing

Concrete pads, very little leveling needed. Plenty of space in between sites.  Dappled shade. Easily accessible for any size rig.  We didn’t use bath/shower facility; it required a code from the city. Portapotties were available in campground. Garbage dumpster, but no recycling. Dump station available, but area may be a bit tight for larger rigs to access. Camp host on site. No laundry. Some train noise.  Excellent Verizon signal.  Nice park with boat ramp and scenic overlook on the Missouri River. Campground is located about 5 minutes off the interstate. 

City campground in quiet neighborhood

Nice little city campground just a few miles off the interstate and right next to the Missouri River. Quiet large sites at a reasonable price.  Picnic tables and fire rings.  Water and electric only....there is a sewer dump near the bathrooms but not at the sites.

Nice

Level spots, water &amp; electric. There is a dump station on site. Great Verizon and T-Mobile speeds here.

You must register online, and it's not easy to find the link. Here it is: [https://properties.camping.com/dakota-city-cottonwood-cove-campground/Reservations](https://properties.camping.com/dakota-city-cottonwood-cove-campground/Reservations)

There is another review which says you pay the camp host, but they told me it must be done online now. The price in 2025 is $30/night for 30A (not sure if 50A is more), which I think is a little high considering you can camp in some beautiful spots for $30.

There is some kind of bathroom or shower house on site, but it requires a code and when I registered online it did not give me the code. There is quite a bit of traffic coming in and out of the small campground. Almost every camper has at least two cars parked with it, and people keep coming and going.

Photos of Cottonwood Cove Park Campground

Real photos from real campers