Best Glamping near Medora, ND

A perfect campground for equestrian campers or those visiting Theodore Roosevelt National Park. Just 3-4 miles from Medora ND and park entrance. Open views, good trails, great birding. The sites have electric, accessible water and dump site. Showers snd vault toilets kept very clean.

The BF and I stayed here last July (2015) and we absolutely loved it! The bathrooms were clean, there is potable water and the camp host was great! We had reserved in advance as we were driving in from Minnesota and wanted to know we had a spot. We got a great spot near the river and had amazing sunset views. I had read that a buffalo encounter is possible, which we saw near the road but thankfully not near our tent. The campground is nestled right in the middle of the park making it quite peaceful. It's not too far from Medora so it's reasonable that you could eat dinner there if cooking isn't you're thing. The park itself has a great scenic road and plenty of wildlife. We saw solitary male buffalo, a herd of buffalo from afar, two entertaining prairie dog villages, a lone coyote and lots of birds. The geology is also amazing - much like the badlands of S Dakota but with much more green life, wildflowers and wildlife. We only had one night and wish we could have stayed longer! Overall it was a great campground and a true gem of a national park!

Camped late April for 5 days, so it was offseason one pit toilet open one water spigot open in the campground.  There are two loops, the south look which is tenting and smaller sized trailer sites but it was not yet open while we were there,  The North Loop is mainly pull through sites and can handle larger sized RV's.  This is dry camping, there are no hookups.  You can experience some nice hiking and opportunities for wildlife viewing.  Buffalo were common visitors while having coffee in the morning.   Elk, deer, wild horses were common as well as hawks and prairie dogs.  Currently Western North Dakota is experiencing a drought, and being early in the season for the campground, it was dry and dusty but did not prevent us from hiking and exploring the park.  There is a convenience store in Medora ND right outside the park entrance that you can purchase basics but there was no grocery store.  Part of the scenic loop drive is closed due to road erosion but you can still travel most of it though its an out and back with turnarounds for larger vehicles. We would defiantly camp there again, but if you need the luxuries of an RV "park", you will not find that here.  The campground is well maintained and clean.

I visited this campground for 1 night while driving across North Dakota. It's super easy to access from I-94, but you feel like you're a million miles away from the interstate. Arriving at the Teddy Roosevelt NP main entrance late in the day, the booth was closed and the "Campground Full" sign was up. I decided to check for myself and I'm glad I did. They sometimes put the campground full site up when the ranger leaves for the night- always check for yourself.

The campsites were basic- picnic table, fire ring, and close proximity to some basic bathrooms. My site was grassy and easy for a tent. The campground didn't allow hammocks or anything attached to trees. The rangers were very friendly and actively patroling the campground. There were NP events at the campground each night.

The cost for a site was $16 (and 20$ to enter the park if you don't have a pass). You cannot get change from the ranger and you cannot use a credit card to register. The closest place to get change, firewood, gas, etc. is Medora which is about 7 miles away. The convenience store there has anything you might want.

There are lots of great hikes accessible in the park, but the park is not crowded like other National Parks, so be sure to get a trail map and directions for hiking as all trails are not well marked.

This campground in Theodore Roosevelt National Park near Medora ND has 76 sites. Half of the sites, the even-numbered ones, are not reservable. Sites 55-66 are walk in tent sites; parking spots and grills for these sites are numbered so you have a specific site.

We arrived before 10:30 am on a Sunday and sites were being claimed quickly. There were 7 of us choosing sites at that time. The hosts had a whiteboard that listed available sites; we took a photo of the list and chose quickly as we drove around because sites that were listed as available were already being claimed. We ended up on a reservable site that was open for the next several nights. The host couple was really on the ball and their attention helped keep the site selection process orderly.  After you put your tag up, they fold it over later in the day and mark your departure date. This is a practice that is used in many campgrounds.

Cottonwood has been full every day since Memorial Day so you can't show up in the evening or possibly even mid-afternoon and expect to find an open site.

This campground has no hookups but has flush toilets, sinks, potable water spigots, a sink for washing dishes/disposing of grey water, a place for filling water tanks, trash disposal and firewood for sale. There are charcoal grates for cooking that can also be use for campfires, but there are no fire rings; your campfire will be a few feet off the ground in something that I think of as a grill!

Showers? No, but there area couple campgrounds in Medora that have showers for $5.

If you stay here, you're obviously here to see Theodore Roosevelt NP. Both the campground and park are worth a visit. The scenery is incredible and gave us a new view of North Dakota. There is a hike near Pleasant Valley Ranch where you can use a few trails to make a 5+ mile loop that will show you everything the park has to offer - Little Missouri River (and you have to cross it at the beginning and end), prairie dog towns, bison herds and beautiful scenery. I highly recommend this as a way to see the park from a better vantage point than the highway.

One complaint - the position of our site (#19) had some people think it was acceptable to cut through our site on their way to the bathroom. Do you walk through someone's home to shorten your walk? Didn't think so but 3 people did within 30 minutes.

Tight fit but close to the National Park and downtown Medora. 

The town of Medora truly supports the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

This is a more affordable campsite that many people forget about when they go to Medora. This site is cost effective and beautiful!

Cottonwood Campground was a very welcome oasis in the prairies of North Dakota. Along our year-long trip, we slept in a lot of campgrounds, but Cottonwood stands out as just what we needed at the time: quiet, spacious, and beautiful sites, nestled right up along the Missouri river, perfect for taking a dip at the end of a long day of hiking.

We spent four days at Theodore Roosevelt National Park: two in the south unit and two in the north unit. (We also loved Juniper Campground in the north!)

Cottonwood Campground was a great place to crash for two nights. It was cheap, comfortable, and quiet. It allowed great access to the heart of Theodore Roosevelt National Park. We even ran into a Teddy impersonator at the Visitor Center!

In the south, near Cottonwood Campground, we loved the beautiful scenic drive, the views from Buck Hill, Wind Canyon Overlook, and the Petrified Forest (a bit of a drive around the park).

You can read much more about our four days in the park on our blog: Switchback Kids (Theodore Roosevelt)

We recently stayed at Medora Campground.  It was too early in the season to catch the Musical however we rode our bikes into town,  the local bike shop was great, and was able to fix my husband's bike!  The Campground itself is on the small side as far as sites go but they are pull-through which was convenient for our 2-night stay.  We were on a long trip and were happy to see laundry available on site, everything was in working order.   The bathroom was clean and the people we nice.   The location is right next to the entry into Theodore Roosevelt National Park and the visitor center.   If you like Mountain Biking  - Check out the Maah Daah Hey trail the is just outside the town of Medora.  I would recommend having someone drop you off at the trailhead.

Beautiful spot on Little Missouri River. Medora is cool little town and Maah Daah Hey trail is epic single track for bikes. Unfortunately no off-road biking in National Park so use Sully Creek State Park trailhead. Bison regularly pass through campground on way to river.

Pro's- Close to the town of Medora with so much to do for families. Wildlife is abundant in the park. Nice clean campground. Large spaces for tents and RV's. Deer, prarie dogs, bison, turkeys…and wild horses!

Con's- Road construction going into the park with around 10-20 minute wait.

This site was massive and would've had room for 5 or 6 tents (not sure on limits though).

It was right next to an equestrian area, so some horses being trained and whinnying just next door.

No cell service (AT&T at least) but quick proximity to Medora and Teddy Roosevely National Park!

This campground is located shortly after the Medora entrance to the park. Right by the Little Missouri River below the colorful hills that tower over the trees, this campground has beautiful views on its own and offers a good starting point to visit the rest of the park, with a couple trails nearby.

A tidy easy in and out campground right in town and next to the NP. Super easy to walk over to the np or into Thiel for coffee, breakfast, dinner. Feeling adventurous go check out the Medora musical and steak fondue dinner. Totally worth it. There’s a community pool right at the campground too. Bonus!

This is a great spot if you’re looking to stay in the park. It’s the only in-park campground. Convenient and just past the Medora entrance station.

There are no services however and this is almost borderline boondocking here. But it’s right off the river and pets are allowed. Bison walk through the campground often.

Very open area not much shade making the site not very private. Staff is nice and accommodating. Showers are 1$ for 8 minutes. Close to trails and close to Medora which is the closest city to Theodore Roosevelt national park. A good alternative for tent camping if you can get into cottonwood because it’s too full.

I stayed three nights and explored the south unit of the park and the small town of Medora. The campground is well maintained. I saw bison, prairie dogs, and wild horses. I would not recommend the site I was in only because the light from the bathroom shone right over it ! Site 48. Otherwise a good campground. There is water available.

What can I say, I went to Theodore Roosevelt National Park just to hangout with my brother and do some camping. I had very low expectations considering it is located in North Dakota. Let's just say that of the dozen National Parks and Monuments that I have visited and camped in, Theodore Roosevelt is my second favorite.

I saw more wildlife than I have in any other park. There were very few people so it felt like we had the park to ourselves. The scenery was fantastic with so many different things to see. There is a South and North unit and they are both amazing, although the North unit is my favorite.

The Cottonwood campground is in the South Unit. It was great. The toilet near are campsite was a pit toilet, but it was clean. I must admit, I prefer a flushing toilet, especially when I am paying money to camp. Having said that the rest of the campground was quiet with some great scenery. Aside from not having flushing toilets, the reason it gets 4 stars instead of 5 is the campground needed more shade trees. It did get hot during the day.

Wildlife walks through the campsite regularly. I woke up one morning with a buffalo walking 10 yards from my tent. I was sitting down and eating lunch at the picnic table and a beautiful snake with lots of colors just slithered through. If you want an experience with nature and have the opportunity to see bluffs, trees, badlands and a petrified forest, you need to stay at Cottonwood.

Along the Little Missouri River, this is a nice place to connect with nature. Set in the park, restroom is a bit of a walk, sites are tucked away from main park traffic-which was minimal when we visited in August. We saw: elk, deer in velvet, bison, prairie dogs,horses, spectacular stars. It’s very close to Medora and all the little wholesome town has to offer.

Only 6 miles from South Park entrance of Thoedore Roosevelt National Park. Drinking water and flushing toilets but no showers. Reasonable nightly rates. Remember that you are also responsible for the entry fee into the park if you plan to enter the park. Nearest town is Medora. For basic camping I'd recommend. For those that are looking for more amenities you may want to research further.