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Big Bend National ParkEverett Townsend on the rim of Santa Elena Canyon, 1930s
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Big Bend National Park
Cottonwood Campground
 
Horseback patrol through the Cottonwood campground
© Sterling Brooks
Camping at Cottonwood.
 
Cottonwood Campground, near the Castolon Historic District, is located near the Rio Grande. The campground has pit toilets and potable water, but no hookups or dump station. The use of generators is not allowed in Cottonwood Campground. Elevation-1,900 feet.

Open
Open All Year

Details
31 campsites. $14 per night ($7 per night for bearers of applicable passes). Pit toilets, picnic tables, grills, and water are available. No Hook-ups. No dump station. NO GENERATORS ALLOWED. A small picnic area is available across from campsite #23.

Group Camping
The Cottonwood Campground has one group camp site that is available only by advance reservation. Maximum occupancy for this group campsite is 25 persons. Minimum capacity is 9 persons. This group campground is walk-in tent camping only. Vehicle parking is restricted to an adjacent parking area.

To reserve the group campsite, contact recreation.gov or call 1-877-444-6777. Big Bend National Park cannot make reservations.


Cottonwood campground [97k PDF file]
This two-page brochure includes basic campground information as well as detailed rules and regulations. Legal-sized document.

Cottonwood Campground
Reserve the Cottonwood Campground Group Campsite
Reserve the Cottonwood Campground Group Campsite (through Recreation.gov)
more...
Hike into Santa Elena Canyon
Take a Dayhike on the West side
Take a hike on the west side of the park!
more...
Big Bend campers, 1950s
Campground rules and regulations
What you need to know to camp safely and properly.
more...
Santa Elena Canyon  

Did You Know?
Including two protected areas in Mexico, Big Bend is now part of one of the largest transboundary protected areas in North America. More than two million acres of Chihuahuan Desert resources, along with more than 200 miles of river, are now under the protection of the United States and Mexico.
more...

Last Updated: July 29, 2009 at 15:31 EST