Cottonwood Campground is located in western North Dakota in the south unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
The park covers over 70,000 acres, 46,158 of which are in the South Unit. It also receives approximately 600,000 visitors each year, most of whom visit from June to August.
Cottonwood Campground - Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore National Park is named after the 26th president of the United States and is the only park to be named after a person!
The majority of the South Unit came from the acquisition of the Peaceful Valley Ranch, which is located approximately three miles from the town of Medora.
This area overlooks the Little Missouri River as well as the Little Missouri Badlands.
The campground's flora is moderately forested, consisting of Cottonwood Trees and grasses, but many of the campsites still have only partial to full sun exposure.
Many visitors are surprised to see all of the park's fauna, including bison and horses, meandering through the campground as they graze on the nubs of grass.
The importance of Theodore Roosevelt in North Dakota
As a young man, Roosevelt always dreamt of hunting out west for a bison.
Roosevelt visited this area for the first time in 1883 on a hunting trip from New York. By the end of the trip, he had bought the ChimneyButte Ranch and entered the cattle business.
On Valentine's Day, 1884, Roosevelt lost both his wife and mother on the same day. Emotionally crushed, he moved back to the Badlands of North Dakota to mourn.
He returned and stayed in the mid-1880s and established the Elkhorn Ranch, a place he often referred to as his home ranch.
Today, you can visit Elkhorn Ranch, as the campground is just over 50 miles from the campground.
Roosevelt eventually moved back to New York and sold the ranch and became the 26th President of the U.S.
His time here had a tremendous effect on the man from New York! He learned the importance of conservation and became known for his commitment to conserving America's Natural Resources.
As President, he created the National Forest Service, the Antiquities Act, and the first federal bird sanctuary, now known as The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service.
Just imagine if Theodore Roosevelt never took that hunting trip that today's park visitors come to recreate!
Theodore Roosevelt National Park Entrance Fee
Park entrance fees are separate from camping and lodging fees.
Park Entrance Pass - $30.00 Per private vehicle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Park Entrance Pass - Motorcycle - $25.00 Per motorcycle (valid for 1-7 days from the date of purchase)
Per-Person Entrance Pass - $15.00 Visitors 16 years or older who enter on foot, bicycle, or as part of an organized group not involved in a commercial tour.
Annual Park Entrance Pass - $55.00, Admits pass holder and all passengers in a non-commercial vehicle. Valid for one year from the month of purchase.
$50.00 for Commercial Van with 7-15 seats
$60.00 for Commercial Mini-Bus with 16-25 seats
$150.00 for Commercial Motor Coach with 26+ seats
Learn more about National Park Passes for parks that have an entrance fee.
$80.00 - For the America the Beautiful/National Park Pass. The pass covers entrance fees to all US National Park Sites and over 2,000 Federal Recreation Fee Sites for an entire year and covers everyone in the car for per-vehicle sites and up to 4 adults for per-person sites.
Buy your pass at this link, and REI will donate 10% of pass proceeds to the National Forest Foundation, National Park Foundation, and the U.S. Endowment for Forestry & Communities.
National Park Free Entrance Days -Mark your calendars with the five free entrance days the National Park Service offers annually.
Campground Information
Number of Sites: 76
Season: Open Year-Round
Location in the park: South Unit inside the park, about 5 miles from Medora, ND.
Latitude/Longitude: 46° 57' 0.0000" N 103° 31' 55.9999" W
Elevation: 2,230 feet
Accessible Sites: Site: 005, Loop: North Loop
Campground Amenities
Potable Water? Yes, seasonal
Dump Station: No
Bear Boxes: No
Flush Toilets: Yes - seasonal
Vault Toilets - Yes - year round
Payphone: Yes
Laundry and Showers: Laundry and showers can be found in Medora, North Dakota
Firewood: No, you can purchase Firewood in Medora, North Dakota
Is wifi available? No
Is Cellular Phone Service Available? Depending on your cellular provider, you may have moderate to limited cell signal or none at all.
Is a camp host available on-site? Yes, Seasonal
Amenities at each campsite:
Fire pit in the site? Yes
Picnic Table in the site? Yes
RV Camping at Cottonwood Campground
There are no electrical, water, or greywater hookups.
Max RV Length: 45 feet
Generators: Generator hours are from 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Generators must be equipped with an effective muffler.
The maximum vehicle length among pull-through sites varies. Many sites are quite large (over 50 feet). Back-in sites accommodate vehicles between 20 and 40 feet in length. Most of the RV and trailer sites are fairly level, which wheelchair users can navigate.
For a fun adventure check out Escape Campervans. These campervans have built in beds, kitchen area with refrigerators, and more. You can have them fully set up with kitchen supplies, bedding, and other fun extras. They are painted with epic designs you can't miss!
Escape Campervans has offices in Vancouver, Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Phoenix, Salt Lake City, Denver, New York, and Orlando
Cottonwood Group Site
Site: 025, Loop: North Loop
Reservations can be made on Recreation.gov
How to get to Cottonwood Campground
Enter the South Unit in Medora. Travel 5.5 miles on the scenic drive (East River Road). Cottonwood Campground is on the left. Stop at the campground’s self-registration kiosk for information on how to claim a campsite. If you have already made a reservation, you may go directly to your site.
Medora is 133 miles west of Bismarck, ND, and 27 miles east of the Montana state line.
Things to do when staying at the Cottonwood Campground
- Biking - Visitors are allowed to ride bikes on park roads only, as all-wheeled vehicles must remain on the paved roadways and parking pads.
- Visitors can ride their bikes on the 48-mile scenic loop road (drive) as you pass through the park's rich natural beauty. The road starts at the South Unit Entrance while passing by some of the park's best sites, including several overlooks and trailheads, several trailheads, wildlife, and incredible scenery in every direction you look.
- Note on the Maah Daah Hey Trail - Bicycles are not allowed on the trail in both the North Unit and South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, and they must go around.
- You can take the Buffalo Gap Trail west of the South Unit.
- Trail users at the North unit must use existing roads.
- Cross-country skiing and snowshoeing in the winter
- Horseback Riding - unfortunately, there are no longer guided trail rides available. If you have your own horse, the backcountry of Theodore Roosevelt National Park is open to horse use. This includes backcountry trails.
- Wildlife Viewing—Theodore Roosevelt National Park offers outstanding wildlife viewing! I saw lots of horses and groundhogs, as well as birds, pronghorn antelope, bison, deer, and elk.
- Fishing—Sport fishing is limited to channel catfish, goldeyes, and sauger. The quality and quantity of these fish are unpredictable.
- Hiking—There are a dozen hiking trails in the south unit of the park, ranging from easy to Strenuous.
- Stargazing - Cottonwood Campground has outstanding night sky viewing opportunities as there is very little light pollution as the closest major city is over 30 miles away!
- Canoeing and Kayaking—This is a great way to explore the Badlands environment! The Little Missouri River is a cold river, and the ice starts breaking up in early April, making May and June the best months to canoe/kayak.
- After that, the water starts getting shallow, to the point that we have to pick up our boat and move to the next body of water. It can even dry up late in the year.
- You can take a short float from the Medora Bridge to Cottonwood Campground (3.5 miles) or a slightly longer 6.5 miles, starting at Sully Creek State Park and ending at Cottonwood Campground.
- For the adventurous, you can put in at Cottonwood campground and travel approximately 107 miles to the North Unit, taking typically 5 days.
Campground Regulations
The maximum number of people in a campsite: Occupancy of any one site is limited to 1 family or 6 persons and 2 vehicles. Walk-in tent sites are limited to 1 vehicle.
The number of cars per campsite: 2
Check-In Time: Campers can check-in anytime
Check-Out time: 12:00 Noon
Quiet Hours: Quiet hours are from 10:00 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.
Picnic areas are closed to the public around this time as well (9:30 p.m. to 6:00 a.m.).
The use of radios or audio devices in a manner that would disturb others is prohibited.
Pets Allowed: Dogs, cats, and other pets must be caged, on a leash (no longer than 6 feet) or otherwise under physical restraint at all times.
Length of Stay: The maximum stay limit is 14 consecutive days. You can only stay a maximum of 14 days between May 1-September 30, and a total of 30 days in a calendar year.
Lodging Near Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Theodore Roosevelt National Park does not have any National Park Lodges.
The map below provides additional lodging options in the area.
The town of Medora, ND, is a small town just outside the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, approximately half an hour to the East is the town of Dickinson, ND.
Watford City, ND, is approximately 15 minutes from the North Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park.
Additional Recreation Opportunities and National Park Resources
Things to do in Theodore Roosevelt National Park - All the things you don't want to miss during your visit to the park.
Theodore Roosevelt NP Camping Guide - Complete camping guide for Theodore Roosevelt National Park
Juniper Campground - All about Theodore Roosevelt National Parks North Unit Campground
Knife River Indian Villages National Historic Site - Learn all about the earthlodge people.
Fort Union Trading Post National Historic Site - Learn all about this important fur trade post on the upper Missouri River.
Badlands National Park Travel Guide - Complete guide to exploring Badlands National Park
Things to do in Badlands National Park—This is a Complete guide to Things to do, such as visiting the park's visitor center, the fossil preparation lab, hiking, watching sunrises and sunsets, scenic drives, and wildlife viewing, including Bighorn Sheep and Bison!
Ultimate Badlands National Park Hiking Guide - Complete guide to hiking Badlands National Park
The EPIC Notch Trail in Badlands National Park - Guide to hiking one of my favorite trails in the National Park System
Check out all the great North Dakota National Parks, as well as neighboring South Dakota National Parks, Montana National Parks, and Minnesota National Parks.
National Park Bucket List - How many of these National Park bucket list items have you done.
Free National Park Checklist - Free printable National Park checklist so you can count how many parks you have visited.
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