Photo: NPS

Cottonwood Campground

22 sites · $16 · Reservations · RVs OK

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Reservations$16 / night

Reserve a site ↗Booking and payment are handled by Recreation.gov.

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22Sites

22Reservable

$16Per night

YesRVs

1 group

Reservations

Plan Ahead: there are NO first come, first served campsites Reservations required. All campsites are reservation only, up to 14 days in advance. Campground is operated at a reduced capacity during the heat of summer (May 1- October 31) Reservations for Cottonwood Campground are made at: https://www.recreation.gov/camping/campgrounds/234078

Fees

Campsite Fee Per night. Reservations required through www.recreation.gov Pit toilets, picnic tables, grills, and water are available. No dump station, no generators allowed. Campsite capacity is maximum of 8 people and two vehicles. Park entrance fees are separate from campground fees. An entrance pass is required in the park and while staying in the campground.	$16.00

Season & hours

-Cottonwood Campground is open November 1 through April 30. -Plan ahead. Reservations are required for all sites and can be made up to 14 days in advance. -No first-come, first-served camping. -During the extreme heat of the summer months (May 1 - October 31), the campground is closed.

⛔ Closed for Summer: May 1, 2027 – Oct 31, 2027

Amenities

Toilets · Vault Toilets - year round
Showers · none
Drinking water · year round
Trash / recycling · year round
Laundry · none
Camp store · year round
Firewood for sale · none
Ice for sale · year round
Food storage lockers · year round
Dump station · none
Amphitheater · year round
Camp host · seasonal
Cell reception · none
Internet · none

RVs, trailers & access

RVs	Allowed
Trailers	Allowed
RV notes	Sites can accommodate all but the largest RVs and trailers. No generators allowed.
Roads	Unpaved Roads - All vehicles OK in good weather
Type	Limited Development Campground
Campfires	No wood or ground fires. Charcoal grills provided.
Wheelchair	Two campsites are fully accessible with a flat paved surfaces, and paved pathway to the nearby accessible vault toilet. Most other campsites are very level and useable by people in wheelchairs.
ADA	Cottonwood Campground is a semi-developed camping option. Road and campsite surfaces are gravel and level. Two campsites are fully accessible with flat paved surfaces, and paved pathway to the nearby accessible vault toilet.
Also	No generators allowed at Cottonwood Campground.

Getting there

Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend National Park, TX 79834

Big Bend National Park is located in Southwest Texas, a considerable distance from cities and transportation hubs. Several highways lead to Big Bend National Park: TX 118 from Alpine to Study Butte or FM 170 from Presidio to Study Butte (then 26 miles east to park headquarters), or US 90 or US 385 to Marathon (then 70 miles south to park headquarters). From park headquarters, head west 13 miles, take a left at the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and drive 23 miles to Cottonwood Campground.

Contact

432-477-1121 · bibe_info@nps.gov

Other campgrounds in Big Bend

Chisos Basin56 sites · $16 · Reservations · RVs to 24 ft Rio Grande Village93 sites · $16 · Reservations · RVs OK Rio Grande Village RV25 sites · $36 · Reservations · RVs to 38 ft

About Cottonwood

Cottonwood Campground is a quiet oasis in the western corner of Big Bend National Park. Reservations are required. Conveniently located between the Castolon Historic District, the scenic Santa Elena Canyon and the tail end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, this small, 22-site campground is one of the least-known and quiet campgrounds in the park. There is one group campsite and 21 individual sites. This is a remote campground in a remote park. It is dry camping, no hook-ups, and no generators are permitted.

Photos

Campers enjoying Cottonwood Campground · NPS

Cottonwood Campground is located in the shade of a small grove of cottonwood trees. · NPS

Cottonwood campground view — Cottonwoods and acacia trees provide shelter and shade to campers. · NPS / C. Hoyt

Colorful foliage — Golden cottonwood leaves at cottonwood campground · NPS

Campsites

Site-by-site details (sizes, hookups, shade) for this campground are coming soon.

Conditions at camp

🌤️ Forecast

Wed, Nov 11

Tonight

56°F

Clear

Thu, Nov 12

Day

75°F

Sunny

Thu, Nov 12

Night

56°F

Mostly Clear

Fri, Nov 13

Day

78°F

Sunny

Fri, Nov 13

Night

59°F

Showers And Thunderstorms Likely

Sat, Nov 14

Day

78°F

Mostly Sunny

Sat, Nov 14

Night

60°F

Partly Cloudy

Sun, Nov 15

Day

77°F

Sunny

Source: National Weather Service (weather.gov)

🔥 Wildfires nearby

No active fire perimeters nearby. ✅

Source: National Interagency Fire Center (WFIGS)

🗓️ Typical weather

The campground is at an elevation of 2,100 ft. It is relatively cool in the peak seasons of fall and winter due to cold evening air sinking into the lower elevations along the Rio Grande. In the spring and summer, this campground is extremely hot, with temperatures normally exceeding 100 degrees F from mid-March through August.

Rules

Generators are not allowed in Cottonwood Campground. This is a remote campground in a remote park. It is dry camping, no hook-ups, and no generators are permitted. Visitors may stay in the park up to 14 consecutive nights, with a limit of 28 nights in a calendar year. During the busiest time of the year, January 1 through April 15, visitors are limited to 14 total nights in the park. Pets are permitted in the campground, but must be leashed at all times. Leashes must be six feet (1.8 m) or less in length. Pets may not be left unattended for their safety and for the safety of other visitors and wildlife. Pets are NOT allowed on trails. Wood and ground fires are prohibited. All food items must be stored inside a vehicle or animal-proof food storage locker.

Trails near camp

Campground information from the National Park Service. Confirm current status with the park before you go.