Fishing and paddling draw most visitors to Cottonwood Campground, which sits roughly 100 yards from Gavins Point Dam along the shore of Lake Yankton, within the campsites around Lewis And Clark Recreation Area. Lewis and Clark Lake, formed by the dam on the Missouri River, holds walleye, sauger, largemouth and smallmouth bass, crappie, catfish, and bluegill. Kayakers and boaters have direct lake access from the campground. Anglers report the early morning hours on Lewis and Clark Lake tend to produce the most activity.
The campground takes its name from the cottonwood trees throughout the grounds, and campers should expect cottony seed fluff during the right season. Shade is plentiful. Several sites have waterfront views of Lake Yankton, though one reviewer notes the waterfront spots run smaller than others in the campground. T-Mobile and AT&T users report good cell coverage on-site. Reviewers consistently describe the restrooms as clean and well-maintained, and William E. specifically notes the availability of hot showers. Even when the campground fills up in mid-October, campers have found the spacing between sites keeps noise levels manageable.
The Army Corps of Engineers manages the facility, which includes seven electrical sites, paved roads and pads, grills and fire rings, a playground, disc golf, and a dump station located just north of the campground off Toe Road. Firewood from outside the area is not permitted due to invasive insects including the Emerald Ash Borer. Several local businesses sell firewood nearby. Reservations are available online, and the season runs mid-April through mid-October.
From Yankton, the campground is four miles west on South Dakota Highway 52, then south on Dam Toe Road. Quiet hours run 10 p.m. to 6 a.m., fireworks are prohibited, and pets must stay on a leash of six feet or less. Campers passing through the region also have options among campgrounds around Yankton for different configurations. Nearby alternatives include COE Lewis and Clark Lake Nebraska Tailwaters Campground and Nebraska Tailwaters for campers who want to compare sites on the Nebraska side of the lake.
Max H. sums up the surroundings well: "gas stations, mini golf, rental facilities, and restaurants" are all close at hand, making this a practical base for those who want water access without going far for supplies.
Description
Overview
Cottonwood Recreation Area is located just downstream of Gavins Point Dam and Lewis & Clark Lake along the western shore of Lake Yankton. The numerous outdoor recreational opportunities attract more than 2 million visitors annually to the Lewis & Clark Lake area, making it one of the most popular recreation destinations in the Upper Great Plains.__Lewis & Clark Lake is 31,400-acres in size with more than 90 miles of shoreline is impounded by Gavins Point Dam, which was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944, commonly called the Pick-Sloan Plan. For more information about Lewis and Clark Lake, please visit the Gavins Point Project website .
Recreation
Cottonwood Recreation Area is conveniently located between Lewis and Clark Lake and Lake Yankton. Lewis and Clark Lake is known for great boating, sailing, swimming and other water-based recreation activities. Lake Yankton is popular with families as a popular fishing spot along with the excellent kayaking, canoeing and paddling opportunities. Numerous paved, multi-use trails connect the area with the additional numerous recreation areas located along Lewis and Clark Lake, Lake Yankton and the Missouri River.__Lewis and Clark Lake attracts more than 2 million visitors each year to its shores. Recreation opportunities around the lake include camping, fishing, hunting, hiking, boating, sailing, swimming, bird-watching, and photography. For the biking and hiking enthusiasts, three trails are available in the area. They include a paved trail that runs from Yankton to the Gavins Point area, a multi-use trail in the Gavins Point area and the Calumet Bluff hiking trail located near the visitor center. Wintertime activities include ice fishing, cross-country skiing, snowmobiling and sledding. Developed public parks and recreation areas surround the lake above and below Gavins Point Dam. Camping facilities provided by the Corps and the States of South Dakota and Nebraska include marinas, boat ramps, trails, campsites with electricity, modern restrooms, playground equipment and trailer dump stations.
Facilities
All 77 campsites have electric hookups, and all sites are reservable. Two modern shower houses with flush toilets are available for campers. A playground, horseshoe pits and picnic shelter are available within the campground and the adjacent Day-Use Area has a large reservable picnic shelter, picnic area, accessible fishing dock, disc golf course and a boat ramp for access to Lake Yankton. Nearby Training Dike Day-Use Area has a popular swimming beach on Lake Yankton along with access to the Missouri River downstream of Gavins Point Dam. A RV dump station is located just north of Cottonwood Campground off of Toe Road.
Natural Features
Cottonwood Recreation Area is located in the in the lush golden chalkstone-lined Missouri River Valley. Many visitors to the lake area prefer to stay at Cottonwood because of the calmer, quieter waters of Lake Yankton, a much smaller lake of approximately 250-acres in size - versus the much larger Lewis and Clark Lake upstream of the dam.__Lake Yankton provides excellent habitat for a variety of waterfowl and other bird species. The area abounds with wildlife including Whitetail Deer, turkeys, and other game species. Bald Eagles and other birds of prey are spotted by visitors regularly due to the great fishing opportunities available year-round.
Contact Info
For facility specific information, please call (402) 667-2546.
Nearby Attractions
The Lewis and Clark Visitor Center: Contains exhibits on the Missouri River and area history including the Lewis and Clark Expedition with stunning views of Lewis and Clark Lake along with the Missouri River. Please contact the Lewis and Clark Visitor Center at (402) 667-2546 for more information.The Gavins Point National Fish Hatchery and Aquarium__Visit nearby Yankton, South Dakota - the historic capitol of the Dakota Territory.Located both upstream and downstream of Lewis and Clark Lake, visit the Missouri National Recreational River .
Charges & Cancellations
Reservation changes and cancellations can be made on Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777. For more information on rules and policies regarding reservation cancellations and changes, please visit: https://www.recreation.gov/rules-reservation-policies.
Fee Info
Camping reservations can be made at Recreation.gov or by calling 1-877-444-6777.
Map & DirectionsCottonwood Campground is located in South Dakota near Yankton
Public CampgroundDirections
From U.S. Hwy 81 in Yankton, South Dakota, drive four miles west on South Dakota Highway 52, then south on Dam Toe Road and follow signs.
Address
U.S. ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS
COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND
198 TOE RD
Yankton, SD 57078
Coordinates
42.8586111 N
97.4825 W
Connectivity
T-Mobile5GExcellent Coverage
VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 9/18/26- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 9/18/26
Connectivity
- T-Mobile5GExcellent Coverage
- VerizonLTESome CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 9/18/26
- AT&T5GExcellent CoverageVerified by 6 usersLast on 9/18/26
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Walk-InPark in a lot, walk to your site.
- Hike-InBackcountry sites.
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Tent Cabin
- Yurts
- Equestrian
Features
For Campers
- Market
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Reservable
- WiFi
- Drinking Water
- Electric Hookups
- Toilets
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Sanitary Dump
- Sewer Hookups
- 50 Amp Hookups
- Big Rig Friendly
Drive Time
- 1 hr 6 min from Sioux City, IA
- 1 hr 20 min from Sioux Falls, SD
- 2 hrs 25 min from Omaha, NE
- 2 hrs 42 min from Grand Island, NE
