Cottonwood — Willard Bay State Park

We did not have reservations and with two long back to back travel days heading home, we needed an easy place to land close to the interstate.  $60 for one night electric and water which we did not need for our teardrop, but all sites were the same price which included park fees.  

Very nice staff and host found us a spot with which even had a limited view of the lake.  Site was brand new with pull through that would easily accommodate a larger rig.  Had a nice pavilion type cover over the picnic table, fire ring, and restrooms and showers were new in the section we were staying in.   

As sun went down the mosquitos started to swarm and chased us inside.  Haven't experienced that level of bugginess outside of several of the swamps we camped at in the southeast.  Middle of the night a skunk visited our campsite and hung around for quite a while.  Traffic noise from I-15 was excessive.   

Don't let the pictures fool you.  Views were ok in most directions but what I did not show was the large commercial storage yard used by the park service which was directly next door to our campsite.  Fee's should have been much lower given the location but we did not have reservations and were fortunate to get a site.  

If camping in a traditional RV this is an ok option, and it is cheaper than some of the commercial campgrounds nearby.  Would stay here again if we needed an easy overnight stopover as the location is terrific.

We’ve stayed here three times and each about the same. Full hook ups were nice. Clean bathrooms with free showers were a plus. The only downside was road noise from the nearby freeway and lots of bugs, probably due to the lake. But for a travel through stopover it was fine.

Two loops that we saw, the first has no hook ups and the second has power and water at each site. There’s a little paved slab with a picnic table and covering, each site has a fire pit and charcoal grill. $30 for no hook ups $40 for hookups, got in around 8pm and no $30 sites left. There are toilets and showers for each loop. Really close to the highway so be prepared for that noise, and there’s a train that goes by every so often.

Nice facilities, paved pull-thru and back in spots. I checked in around 8 pm and found no one at the entrance booths but there are provisions to leave a cash payment in an envelope and drop into a slot. The traffic noise from I-15 is quite present. It's very distracting and probably the loudest I've experienced. On the bright side, it is easy to access being right off the exit.

Great State Park. The sites are well spaced apart giving plenty of privacy. We didn’t have much shade in ours but they provide a ramada on a cement pad over the picnic table which was great. Very spacious pull ins, full hook ups, and a quick trip to the beach (Eagle and Pelican Beach) Be aware that they DO NOT allow early arrival and will turn you away before 3pm even if the site is empty. I checked out the bathrooms/showers…seen better but not terrible. Also there is lots of noise from the highway and railroad which we don’t mind but light sleepers may want another option. Would stay again if we were in the Salt Lake area.

Stayed for Memorial Day weekend in the cottonwood campground. With citronella candles, bug sprays and bug deterrent bracelets, the mosquitoes and other bugs were relentless. That’s the only bad thing I have to say about camping here. This campground is right next to the I-15, and a set of train tracks that seem to see daily use. We didn’t lose any sleep from noise, though, with our AC running at night, and during the day, the freeway was like white noise. I loved that the sites were spacious, the grounds were clean and there were some great amenities. There’s a nature trail through the grounds, a nice playground, and a 5 min walk to the beach. We got about a dozen channels with our little antenna and our T-Mobile service was 3 bars of 5G.
Recommendations from a Utahn: Maddox Fine Food (Dinner) Call’s Drive In (Delicious Burgers) Smith & Edwards (Attraction / Grocer / Shopping—Must See)

Stayed 2 nights in a no hookup trailer site. Really loved the grass and open area for dogs. The beach was really nice. Lots of bug bites so pack spray.

It's just off i15 so there is highway noise consistently but it didn't bother us, just provided white noise. Would recommend for families for easy camping.

This park is a great stopover on your way through Utah or weekend visit. The lake is clean and still very natural. The swans circling the water are something to see. Lots of shade rustic but serviceable showed. A bit pricy at 30 a night but right off the highway and no real traffic noise.

Came here in early September, post Labor Day, enroute to other places. It was over 100 so we took a FHU site in Cottonwood. Pros: big sites, mostly back ins, but some pull through with a covered picnic table. Hookups were in good shape, note the sewer is toward the back, not the middle so bring lots of sewer hose. Bathhouses with showers provided. Lots of birds, a nice nature trail, and this facility is on a fresh water lake and it was nice to take a swim. Walking around at dusk we saw deer and a large barn owl. Sounds of the crickets made for a very magical feel just after sunset. Nice sunset over the lake and to the east were some beautiful mountains- wonderful views.

Now for the bad: I-15 noise was horrible, no sleep even with a fan going and earplugs. Bath houses are small and cryptic. But clean. If it is hot, get a shady site many are in full sun. Worst for me was the trash. It was everywhere. Obviously the folks who are in charge don’t mind candy wrappers, bottle caps, zip ties, and other small trash, bottles and cans in the bushes along the nature trail. It needs some serious trash clean up. The views of the mountains were nice, but the sound of the freeway kind of ruined it.

For $40 a night and no ability to even take a look to pick a site as a walk up, I would look for another place to stay further off the freeway. Staff was helpful at the front gate, do not try to get in before 3:00 on your day of check in. They strictly enforce it. Too bad the sites were so full of trash....maybe it was the heat.

They assign spots when u arrive without u looking at the spots. Then if u don’t like the spot they give u a lot of trouble to change it. We had to speak to a ranger, who also gave us the run around about the spot— but eventually agreed to swap the spot. It was pretty but at around 2 am a group of raccoons scared the crap out of us when they started fighting outside our tent. Dealing with that whole ordeal and the drama from the spot change made us not want to stay longer than one night.

The campground is literally right off the NB/SB freeway. The sites are pretty nice and many are very close to the lake. We've taken our canoe on many occasions and are close enough to portage from the campsite to the lake, and back, several times a day with no problem! So that's pretty nice. Other than that, the campground is nothing special. It's pro's are being so close to major cities (SLC, Bountiful, Ogden, Logan). Travel to the campground is a quick pull off the freeway so any type of vehicle can make it, but keep in mind, your day and night will be filled with freeway noises.

Can be loud at night on the weekends. Lots of late arrivals due to proximity to the freeway (just my guess, but seems like the late arrivals only stayed a few hours). The state park offers boat, jetski, and other watercraft rentals, so this is a great spot to go if you like power sports on the water! It was peaceful in the early hours of the morning, but once the waterskiing starts up, the noise can be distracting. If you're looking for peace and solitude, look elsewhere! However, if you need the convenience of the location, it serves that purpose quite well!

I was impressed with the size of sites and the decent amount of privacy of the sites as well. Being the park is somewhat close to Salt Lake City I wasn't sure what to expect, but we were pleased with a couple nights at this park.