Cottonwood Campground—North Dakota
Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Southern Unit—North Dakota
Overall Rating ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Campsite ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Facilities ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Staff ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
Location ★ ★ ★ ★ ★
If you are not interested in a campground with hookups and can spend a three or four days “off grid,” you can’t do much better than Cottonwood. The sites are all wooded with plenty of dispersion, but there was enough sunlight to fuel my solar panels and keep my battery charged. The views from the campsites, particularly the outer loop sites, are spectacular. My site had a dedicated trail that led down to the banks of the Little Missouri River. Some of the back-in and even pull-through sites are short, so pay close attention when booking your stay.
There are no showers. Toilets were a combination of flush and vault. The newest restroom facility has running water. They were all clean as were the facilities in general. I saw volunteers and paid staff working around the campground during my visit, which is a good sign.
The campground location is perfect for exploring the park and some of the wildlife will come to you. There were buffalo in the campground at least twice while I was there and I saw wild horses in the river.
The view from my campsite.
The town of Medora is right outside the park entrance, but it is largely a tourist trap. You will find some groceries and camp supplies, but there is no real grocery store. There are gas stations, but nowhere to do laundry. Just be forewarned and arrive with enough supplies to get you through your stay.
I really liked the campground and the park is fabulous. I booked three nights and regretted not reserving a longer stay. I took off a single star on location only because Medora is lacking, but I would definitely stay here again.
Additional Information:
Page link: https://bit.ly/32HpTz5
Reservation link: https://bit.ly/3GkpEHM
Fee: $7 to $14
Discounts: senior/interagency pass
Number of sites: 72
Max length: 45' (pull thru available)
Hookup: no
Dump station: no
Potable water: yes
Other amenities: flush toilets, camp host
Cell service: Verizon (2), AT&T (2), T-Mobile (2)