ItOpened Guides · Theodore Roosevelt National Park
How to actually get a site at Cottonwood Campground (ND) — the verified facts, the release reality, and the cancellation route in.
Overview For people visiting the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Cottonwood Campground is a great place to stay. Located five miles (8 km) from the entrance to the South Unit of the park, the campground is open year-round. To make a reservation for the group site please visit this the Cottonwood Group Site (ND ) page. Recreation Hikers can access the estimated 70 miles (21 km) of trails within a short distance of the campground. Visit the Hiking and Trail Information page on the park website or stop at a Visitor Center for more details. Located immediately adjacent to the Little Missouri River and filled with Cottonwood trees bird watching in the campground can be a rewarding experience.
| Total sites | 72 |
|---|---|
| Site types | Standard, Walk-to / hike-to |
| Site mix (directory count) | Standard 58 · Walk-to / hike-to 12 |
| Area | Theodore Roosevelt National Park |
| Managed by | National Park Service |
| Nearest community | MEDORA, ND |
| Activities | Amphitheater, Auto Touring, Biking, Birding, Camping, Day Use Area, Hiking, Historic & Cultural Site, Wildlife Viewing |
| Directory phone | 701-623-4466 (NOTE PARK DOES NOT TAKE RESERVATIONS) |
| Official listing | Recreation.gov campground page |
| Book through | Recreation.gov |
Cottonwood Campground (ND) is reserved through Recreation.gov, on the release pattern stated in its official listing. In demand, reservable sites are claimed within minutes of each release — which is why the campground reads as sold out for most of the year, and why the realistic route in is rarely the release itself.
Sites booked months ahead get cancelled as trips fall through, and each cancellation returns its nights to the official calendar instantly — first-come, no waitlist, no announcement. ItOpened scans the Recreation.gov calendar for Cottonwood Campground (ND) around the clock; when a site matching your dates and vehicle opens, you get a text with a direct link, and you book it yourself, in your own account, at the normal price. We never book, hold, or resell. The mechanics are the same ones documented in how campsite cancellations actually work.
Watch more than one calendar. These nearby or same-area campgrounds take the same trip — and their cancellations are independent chances:
| Juniper Campground (ND) | 48 sites · same area |
|---|---|
| Juniper Campground Group Site (ND) | 1 sites · same area |
| Roundup Group Horse Camp | 1 sites · same area |
| Cottonwood Group Site (ND) | 1 sites · same area |
| Buffalo Gap Campground (ND) | 36 sites · nearby alternative |
| CCC Campground (ND) | 25 sites · nearby alternative |
Full directory facts and sibling campgrounds: Cottonwood Campground (ND) campground page · Theodore Roosevelt National Park park page.
Every figure in this article traces to one of the sources above. If a number isn't sourced, we don't print it.
Last updated 2026-10-30.