## Overview

 For people visiting the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Cottonwood Campground is a great place to stay. Located five miles (8 km) from the entrance to the South Unit of the park, the campground is open year-round. To make a reservation for the group site please visit this the [Cottonwood Group Site (ND][1] ) page. 
## 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][2] 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.\_\_\_\_\_\_ 
## 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.\_\_ 
## 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][3] 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.\_\_ 

[1]: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/10294670
[2]: https://www.nps.gov/thro/planyourvisit/hiking-and-trail-information.htm
[3]: https://www.fs.usda.gov/recarea/dpg/recarea/?recid=79469

Cottonwood Campground — Theodore Roosevelt National Park

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.

Peaceful camping in Theodore Roosevelt NP

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!

Beautiful Campground and Beautiful Park

All the sites were the same but I got to stay at site 15. The site is huge and is made for group camping not solo. There's a picnic table and fire ring. The park cost about 20 dollars to get into. There are restrooms that are pretty well maintained but had no showers. I went on a hot day so they prohibited fires for that day to prevent wildfires. There are a lot of animals and you may notice small animal droppings on the campground. The droppings are dried out so it doesn't have a strong odor. They don't let you collect firewood to prevent damaging the wildlife so I recommend bringing your own supply of wood. There are a lot of trails in this park. I took the Wind Canyon trail which offered the view of the Missouri river. There is also a lot of prairie dogs and buffalo. You are exposed to the sun and there are no trees for shade. This is also the same for the campsite. It is really hot. The visitor center is really friendly and they suggest places in the park you should visit. 

so much Buffalo 

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. 

Close proximity to TRNP

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. 



Nice NP Campground Convenient to I-94

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.

Theodore Roosevelt NP - Cottonwood

Stayed here and early April and had the campground to ourselves besides one other tent and bison! Beautiful area!

Quiet in April

My brother and I decided to take a trip to Theodore Roosevelt National Park. I had never been there before and didn't know what to expect when I entered the Cottonwood campground in the South Unit. 

When I pulled in there were several campsites for tents on the left and pull-through campsites for campers on the right. I opted to for one of the tent sites right in the middle of the camp near the water. The campsite I was at had trees in between it and the adjacent campsites. It had a flat space with mowed grass, a picnic table, and an outdoor grill. 

As far as bathrooms are concerned, there was a pit toilet where you enter for the pull-through sites and a flush toilet in the middle of the tent sites. I always prefer camping somewhere with a flush toilet and running water. You might be more adventurous than I am, but this definitely made me happy.

There were a lot of bugs in my campsite, which was probably because I was close to the water. It may have had fewer bugs if I chose a campsite further away from the river. I saw a snake while cooking dinner one night, and I also saw a buffalo hanging out next to the toilets when I woke up one morning (I wasn't groggy for long). So there is a good chance you see some wildlife you can enjoy in the campsite. 

The location of the campground is near the entrance of the South Unit, so it's a good place to stay if you plan to explore the park. I woke up and did a loop around the entire South Unit and then ended back at the campground. 

As far as the national park is concerned, I highly recommend checking out the Wind Canyon Trail, Buck Hill, Scoria Point Overlook, the Petrified Forest and the Painted Canyon. All of these locations are really different. There are also several prairie dog towns that are pretty cool.

A cool campsite in an awesome park!

If seeing bison up-close is your goal, this park should be on your list! No need to drive many hours to find the herd, they are right there and all around. Note: Bison are wild, potentially dangerous animals, so never approach them. This park abounds in wildlife from prairie dogs to bison to prong horn to wild horses; you’ll see them all in a short drive around the loop road.

Located near the South Unit Visitor’s Center, this campground offers the usual suspects: picnic table, campfire ring, and the ubiquitous NPS comfort stations (flush toilets and sinks, no showers). But these sites offer something more unusual -- many of them are pull-through which is great for campers and trailers, and the vegetation gives a sense of privacy and shade to the site. The river runs close to the campground, and though well forested, there are views of the amazing grassland plain for which the area is famous. Hiking, horseback riding, cycling, and wildlife viewing is all right there.

Reservations are available through [www.recreation.gov](http://www.recreation.gov/).

Where the Wild Things Are!

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)](http://switchbackkids.com/theodore-roosevelt/)

Quaint, quiet, scenic campground oasis in the prairies of North Dakota

The main campground in the Teddy roosevelt national park. Toilets, water and dosg welcome. There are walk-in tent camping spots as well as RV spots. A little shade is available here!

In the Badlands!

Cottonwood CAmpground in Theordore Roosevelt NP was a nice and welcome surprise. I visited in the beginning of October and the water had already been shutoff, which was a little bit of a hinderance, but it was nice that they reduced the price because of it. Only half of the site were available to use, but I would say they were the best sites anyway. The site were large and spread out. You are able to see the other sites, but they are not right next to you. It is also near the 

Quiet and Secluded

I stopped in a stayed here for two nights on my trip from Milwaukee to Seattle. I am a single tent/car camper. I loved this park so much. I could see why Theodore Roosevelt loved it so much and received to so much from his time there. Even if you can’t stay, I recommend doing the driving loop.

The campground was clean and provided all I needed. Since it’s still considered winter season the bathrooms were not available. I thought someone said something about pit toilets but I never located them. So I just used the woods.

Wildlife do walk right on through the campground sometimes you may come real close to the bison, horses or deer so just be alert. At night you could hear the coyotes, which I loved but others may not.

The south unit (where the campground is) part of the park features a driving loop, which I highly recommend taking several times. You will not be disappointed. I went twice, both around dusk and saw bison, deer, prairie dogs, porcupine, coyote, elk, pheasants, turkey, various birds.

For hiking there’s options from short and sweet, a good day long trip, or overnight trips. I did the 10.5 mi loop through the petrified forests. Very Beautiful!!! Also not to difficult but offers enough challenge. I went North to South. The latter half of the hike was flatter than the beginning that way.

If you forget anything, the town near by (Medora) has a C-store that covers most needs. Otherwise Dickinson is within an hour away and should have whatever you may need.

If you want wildlife, stay here. 

Came in the off season, just a few people around. loads of wildlife in and around the campground. Billons of stars at night!!! wonderful campsite.

Stars, and wildlife. 

The campsites are pretty spread out here with the exception of the tent area. There are beautiful sites right along the river. No dump station or showers.

nice location 

The campground was arranged very nicely. Though there are many sites, most are tucked away for some amount of privacy and quiet time. The bison roam the campground often. Being on the river is fun for recreation and wildlife viewing. 

Great NPS programming and comfortable family camp sites 

Cottonwood Campground forms a loop near the Little Missouri River. It's a short convenient drive from the visitor's center, and near the beginning of the larger loops that bring you to all parts of the south unit of the park. Bison wander in and around the campground, which offers 76 shady sites . Wild horses can also be found within the park, along the circular drives that take you around the colorful buttes. Sunrises and sunsets are quite beautiful.

Bison abound

We didn't make a reservation and were able to get a site. We were there by 8am and it seemed like we were the first ones looking for a site. The host was great and gave us great recommendations. We ended up picking a back in campsite. Our site had a picnic table and an elevated grill. There was a water station across the street but the water was yellow and tasted gross. The bathroom was a bit of a further walk but not too bad.

The temperatures were nice. It wasn't too cold in the morning. Be careful with wildlife, there was a bison that walked by a neighboring campsite but was pretty harmless. He was just grazing.

Great place to view the stars.

Secluded little campsite

great place for going on rides and over night visits. see lots of people hiking the trails and bringing their dogs.

Riding

We were one of a few campers in this campground. Amazingly vast and wild! Highly recommend!!! We woke up to find bison all around us. Truly a beautiful and unique experience I'll never forget.

Best camping experience to date!

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.

Lots to see an do

Family friendly, great for tent camping and R.V.’s. The River is your backyard, great for hiking and lots of wildlife to see! No showers.

Love this place!

This spot is unbelievable. Gorgeous views. Buffalo in the campground. Quiet, private enough, clean pot toilets, secure bear garbages. Just amazing!

Glorious 

Really enjoyed staying here. I had to stay elsewhere the first night I cake because the campsite was full so make sure to get there early for walk in or make reservations. Great views great staff. Lots of families and children if your ok with that. Spaces are not very private. 

Great place

I have mixed feelings on this campground. We were here mid- July and it was incredibly hot. There is limited shade and little relief from the heat. We had a nice site with the river running alongside it, but it was a dark muddy brown, so not at all enticing to go in it.
The host was very friendly and helpful. Bathrooms &amp; water access were nearby but there are no showers within the park. There was also no soap in the bathroom.
I was disappointed that there are no fire pits, just small grills at each site. I understand there is probably a moderately high fire danger in the park often, but disappointing nonetheless.
The campground has tent, RV and walk in sites available. Some are reservable- some not. The scenery is beautiful in a weird, other worldly way. Unfortunately it was challenging to enjoy it fully due to the 90+ degree temps. 

Rustic National Park camping

Camping inside National Parks is always a treat. Cottonwood Campground makes exploring Theodore Roosevelt NP very accessible. The site is close to the river and you can easily walk to it from the campground. Very peaceful and secluded, it makes you feel like you are really in the wild. We saw bison and wild horses across the river from the campground. Some sites don’t have a lot of shade so get there early if you want a site with trees. 

Great base camp for exploring TRNP

Two loops; the north loop is open year-round. The south loop is open mid-May through September. There are also walk-in sites and a group site, off the south loop. The campground fills up almost every day in the summer, even during the week. Odd-numbered sites are reservable while even number sites are first-come, first-served. We were not able to get into the site we had reserved (a nice pull-through with views of the bluffs and the river) because the people staying there the night before were having difficulty with their RV and not able to move it. We had been re-assigned to Site 38, a much larger site, but among the trees with no view. We were bummed but had no choice as the campground was full. We thought we might try to move the next day, but it turns out friends were able to join us, so our large site ended up being to our advantage. The pull-through in Site 38 was so large that it could have easily accommodated three large Class A motorhomes with room to spare! Large picnic table that was pushed up against the trees; we discovered the next afternoon that it was to take advantage of as much shade as possible. No fire ring; campfires are permitted in charcoal bbq grates or fully contained fire pans. Wood was not available to purchase at the campground; you must go to Medora(about five miles away) to purchase or you can collect dead and down firewood. Bathroom was clean enough with flush toilets but NO SOAP! No showers but we didn’t expect them in a National Park campground. Several very short trails in the park but the most popular Petrified Forest Trail is accessible from outside the park. Saw bison, prairie dogs, pronghorn antelope, wild horses.

Convenient base to explore Theodore Roosevelt National Park

As the only campground in TRNP South, it’s the place to be when visiting this section of the park. Most of the best sites are reservable so jump on those if you can, otherwise there are plenty of good non reservable sites as well (evens I believe). I was fortunate enough to stumble across a couple leaving a non reservable site by the river around 10am and snagged that spot (52?). Great spot with plenty of necessary shade and a great view of sunset falling behind the hills. 

There isn’t much to do right from the campsite but you’re a short drive from most of the parks highlights (scenic drive, hiking from the Valley Lodge). Be sure to take a drive at sunset one night. The view from the short Wind Canyon trail is stunning at this hour and you may run into some Bison leaving the river along the way. 

Will use this platform to also note that TRNP is one of my favorite hidden gem NP’s around. Didn’t know a thing about it ‘til I got there and absolutely loved it. The more prairie-like section of the “badlands.”

Great campground

We have stayed at the Cottonwood campground in the T.R. National Park a number of times &amp; have loved it each time!! We’ve tented &amp;, more recently, stayed in a RV - both types of stays were great!! Love the scenic drive loop because of the gorgeous views &amp; you are guaranteed to see some wildlife - buffalo, wild horses, elk, prairie dogs, deer!! Great scenic stops along the drive in the Park. Wind Canyon was a favorite stop. We also went horse back riding (in the Park) one year that we visited. We had buffalo walk through the campsite when we were in the tent! Although there’s no designated swim beach, we were able to walk down to the river to cool off (muddy though). Great views, wild life, history, &amp; scenery - definitely worth a trip!!

Love it here!

The campsites are perfectly fine. The park is stunning. 

  

Leave no trace.

It's all about the 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.

Where the buffalo roam

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.

Riverfront camping with Bison

Campground was nice for a “rustic” tent site.  They had flush toilets that were well maintained. We got to the park around  2pm on a Thursday in July and there were at least 20 FCFS sites left! 
We had a great view of the River and beautiful sunsets!

Beautiful sunset!

We stayed at Cottonwood for two nights and loved it. We were ultimately headed to MT, so two nights here tent camping for us was perfect. Overall, the grounds are pretty quiet and very clean with plenty of water and flush toilets.  There are no showers here which didn’t bother us one bit. Campfires were allowed in the grill pits but no big fires on the ground due to dry conditions. By far the best part of our site (17) was that we had bison walk behind our site once in the morning and then again at dinner time. They were no bother to us one bit, but it was such a cool experience to watch them walk right on by our tent. I highly recommend a campsite on the outer edge of the grounds for this reason. 

Bison Walked Right Behind Our Site

It is quiet, shady, the restrooms are clean. Bison and wild horses roam through the park.

Peacefull, shady and gorgeous

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. 

Exploring the NP and surrounding area

Site was clean and well maintained.   Campground offered  pull through, pull off  and back in Sites. 

Bathrooms were very clean and well maintained.  

Wildlife is everywhere.  We were fortune to witness Bison walking through  our site in the very early hours of the morning.  Wild horses also visited the campground  at some point.  

Rangers we not only friendly but very knowledgeable.   They were great with kids in ever setting taking time to educate them  with facts about the park and wildlife.  

We arrived  before 3pm and were able to secure a first come first serve campsite. 

Not only being in the heart of Theodore Roosevelt  National  Park, the town of Medora is a very family friendly place to explore.

Like dispersed camping but with bathrooms

Located just off the scenic drive and river. Spots are mostly shaded and first come first serve( except for some that can be reserved at recreation.gov). Bathrooms are spotless and sites are very nice. Ranger programs are held at the amphitheater and you can experience bison in the campground
Couple things to know:
No showers
Host is seasonal 
No hookups 
76 spots total 

Spaced spots located in the heart of the South Unit

Great place to camp in the park. It was close to several trails for us to explore. The even numbers are first come and the odd are reservable. Overall quiet except the running of a couple generators 

Nice campground 

This was our final stop on a trip where we visited 9 national parks and stayed at campgrounds in many of them. This was by far our favorite due to the wildlife and views. We were right along the river with a butte, where we saw multiple elk. We also heard elk bugling and coyotes yipping and howling throughout the night, which we thought was awesome! The only downfall was no showers but we were only there for a short stay so it didn’t ultimately matter for us. 


Beautiful Views

I camped in one of the walk in sites along the river. Excellent camping! Bison and wild horses were often seen across the river or near or even in the campground itself. Free concerts from the coyotes each night. Each site has a table and a fire ring. It was early in the season, so water was only available at the visitor center and the restrooms near the walk in sites were being rebuilt. 

Riverside Walk-Ins

This place is wild. We had a herd of wild horses run through our campground and a local bison slept next to someone’s tent. They do have a restroom and water, no other amenities. Great for tent or truck camping. 

Roughing it

If you visit Theodore Roosevelt, you likely want to see the bison the park is famous for, and if you stay at Cottonwood, you likely will. We did--up close. One passed within about 10 feet of our campervan (which we'd jumped into with our dog, as the bison started to approach). What a thrill. We wondered if it was the same bison we'd seen grazing about 50 yards away the day before and the same one who'd left muddy hoofprints all over the campground. 

We didn't love the campground itself as much as the other reviewers did. The sites are decently spaced, and many of them are at least partly shaded. The bathhouse near our site was newish with flush toilets (which my spouse always loves). 

So why not five stars? The camp host committed one of my pet peeves, which is not enforcing the generator quiet hours (8 pm to 8 am here). A camper near us was using his generator till at least 10:30 (when I finally managed to fall asleep; he might've been using it even later). Too, the campground was buggy--as buggy as I've experienced in the West (which I usually find to be much less buggy than my homelands in the muggy, wet East).

Herds of buffalo walking through the campground greeted us in the evening. Plenty of spots available, even though the sign said Campsite Full. 14 bucks a night for well hidden sites with water, a grill and picnic table at each. Coyotes howled throughout the night, so bring some earplugs. Very beautiful as the morning sign rose above the canyon walls

Sleeping with the Buffalo

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. 

Bare Bones

This was a last minute stop and I’m so glad I stopped here! The sites are well maintained. The bathrooms are so clean and seem new. The hikes in the area are great. The baby buffaloes are so darn cute! 


Perfect! 

Cottonwood is located inside the NP, so an extra admission fee of $30 is required. The sites are fairly wooded, but some are very small and oddly placed. The bathroom is a brand new building with flush toilets, it’s just too bad they did not add showers. Water spigots are plenty throughout the park, there is an RV fill-up, but there is no dump station. We didn’t see any wildlife in the campground, but it was plenty in the park. (Saw more in the 3 hour drive than our 3 days in Yellowstone!)  We would hope to come back and spend one more day touring the north unit of the park. No AT&amp;T service in the campground. 

Beautiful and rustic 

We had what we (and the camp host) considers the best site in the whole campground! The views are incredible! We saw the wild horses from camp every single day. No bison, but saw plenty in the park. 
.
This campground has very limited services. There is a water filling station across from the camp host and also several other water filling sites throughout the campground. There is no dump station for RV’s so we pod $5 to use the one at Medora Campground in town. There is a newer bathroom facility in the middle of the campground with several trails that lead to it, but I just can’t believe that they didn’t include a shower! So many people tent camping that I was extremely surprised by this. 
.
Tip: use Google maps to “drive thru” this campground to see what your site looks like ahead of time if it is important to you. 

No showers! 

What a great spot! We came on a cooler day. The camp host suggested spot 52 and we couldn't be happy...you can walk right to the river, it's private. We raced to get here this am as we were told it fills up fast, but at 9am we still had plenty of spots to pick from. Everyone favors the south side campground and park, but we really enjoyed both of them! We saw a ton of buffalo on the north side and we have already spotted buffalo, seen prairie dogs and wild horses from the road. Great overlooks!

We have cell service at our spot. Not a ton of bars but can text etc and again bathrooms are super clean, no showers.

Spot wasn't overly level so we used our blocks and we got perfectly level after that. Highly recommend this campground!

Beautiful campground 

Choose your tent only walk in site carefully.  Most (esp those next to river) have no shade. This means it’s hot in the sun and exposed in thunderstorms. Most sites are on top of each other with nothing to block sounds or sites. 

Bathrooms are a distance off from walk in sites. You must use (as of late July 2023) the bath near the amphitheater. The facilities next to walk-in camp are just a pad at the moment with no signs of construction happening anytime soon. 

Trail to sites is narrow and uneven and prone to flooding with rain. 

Someone noted this earlier that it is close to the road and if you are in a walk in site you can hear I-94 and the main park road. Yes, you can hear the main park road easily and when the breeze dies down you can here the interstate. Bring earplugs and your fine. 

No campfire pits.  

Choose carefully

Beautiful, quiet campground right on a river. First come first serve, grills, has water spickets and bathrooms. Located right off on the main park road, and an easy drive to other overlooks and hikes.