About Cottonwood (NE)
Number of accommodations: 74
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Playground
Water and Hygiene
- Potable Water
On Site Services
- Playground
Water Access
- Lake Access
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
74 Sites Available
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Site Details
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74 Sites Available
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Reviews (1013)
What Guests Are Saying
Cottonwood Campground offers spacious, level sites with water and electricity, along with clean restrooms and hot showers. Campers appreciate the beautiful lake views, friendly hosts, and a peaceful atmosphere enhanced by bike trails. While some maintenance issues were noted, overall experiences are highly positive, with many campers expressing a desire to return.
What Guests Are Saying
Cottonwood Campground offers spacious, level sites with water and electricity, along with clean restrooms and hot showers. Campers appreciate the beautiful lake views, friendly hosts, and a peaceful atmosphere enhanced by bike trails. While some maintenance issues were noted, overall experiences are highly positive, with many campers expressing a desire to return.
Review Summary
Steven G
VerifiedOctober 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 76, Loop: SLOO
Always have a good time to relax and on every visit getting to meet new people from all location. Also being able to leave your camp site without anyone or anything being disturbed, seems like everyone watches out for their neighbor.
Bruce H
VerifiedOctober 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 59P, Loop: SLOO
Beautiful park, well maintained, managed and clean restrooms. Always a joy to stay there.
Matthew B
VerifiedOctober 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 28, Loop: NLOO
Great campground. Very clean bathrooms.
Steven G
VerifiedOctober 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 76, Loop: SLOO
Always have a good time to relax and on every visit getting to meet new people from all location. Also being able to leave your camp site without anyone or anything being disturbed, seems like everyone watches out for their neighbor.
Bruce H
VerifiedOctober 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 59P, Loop: SLOO
Beautiful park, well maintained, managed and clean restrooms. Always a joy to stay there.
trish b
VerifiedOctober 19, 2025 • Stayed at: 58, Loop: SLOO
The experience was great, nice clean, fun park…but the management host is terrible. I received 4 phone calls from host stating I needed to pack up when I was paid to be at site due to them not knowing how to do their job. You have to knock on their door to check in, there’s no meet n greet, just a bitter old lady that drives golf cart around that’s extremely rude. Rules and regulations are only enforced to certain people. Seen trucks and pontoons parked halfway on park road or fully in the grass, lots of atv’s not licensed driving around the park. Several campers parked longer than 2 weeks. It’s ok for the host to leave their truck and trailer parked longer than 24 hrs in a flood zone (a week +), but I received a citation when left camper up in parking lot 24 hrs to get serviced due to wheel bearing going out.
trish b
VerifiedOctober 19, 2025 • Stayed at: 58, Loop: SLOO
The experience was great, nice clean, fun park…but the management host is terrible. I received 4 phone calls from host stating I needed to pack up when I was paid to be at site due to them not knowing how to do their job. You have to knock on their door to check in, there’s no meet n greet, just a bitter old lady that drives golf cart around that’s extremely rude. Rules and regulations are only enforced to certain people. Seen trucks and pontoons parked halfway on park road or fully in the grass, lots of atv’s not licensed driving around the park. Several campers parked longer than 2 weeks. It’s ok for the host to leave their truck and trailer parked longer than 24 hrs in a flood zone (a week +), but I received a citation when left camper up in parking lot 24 hrs to get serviced due to wheel bearing going out.
Tim S
VerifiedOctober 17, 2025 • Stayed at: 62P, Loop: SLOO
Great park with great views. The bathrooms are kept really clean. Will plan on biking on the trail next time.
Tim S
VerifiedOctober 17, 2025 • Stayed at: 62P, Loop: SLOO
Great park with great views. The bathrooms are kept really clean. Will plan on biking on the trail next time.
Bret C
VerifiedOctober 16, 2025 • Stayed at: 57P, Loop: SLOO
Loved the widespaced campsites, especially number 57, then all the other lakeside spots. It has just the right amount of trees for shade without crowding. All nice, and lots of safe bike riding on all the Gavin's Point trails and side roads to the many other campgrounds in the Lewis and Clark area, and to Yankton. We were there the first week of October and it was in the low 80s, much warmer than expected. The Paddlefish snagging by the dam outlet was fun to watch also. There was only power at the site, but a very nice and huge RV dump and fill site on the southeast corner of Crest Road and Highway 52. There are 3 dumps and 3 fill spots, all widely spaced with maneuvering room. Not a speck of dirt or mess in sight. Highly recommend this spot if you want a relaxing stay by a nice lake that doesn't have too much gunk in it. The campground hosts are very friendly and helpful also. Many campsites had a big fire but I don't know if there was wood available at the campground.
Location Cottonwood (NE)
Address:
U.S. Army Corps Of Engineers, Cottonwood Campground, 198 Toe Rd
Yankton, SD, 57078
United States
From U.S. Hwy 81 in Yankton, South Dakota, drive four miles west on South Dakota Highway 52, then south on Dam Toe Road and follow signs.
Latitude & Longitude: 42.8586 / -97.4825
Elevation: 361 feet
Policies & Rules
Arrival & departure
Check in time
4PM
Check out time
2PM
- Campers must check in, with limits on guests, campsite types, vehicle parking, and pet regulations.
- Contact information for park staff is provided for inquiries.
Cancellation policy
- Reservation fees are non-refundable. For campsites, cabins, lookouts, yurts, group sites, and similar stays, we charge a reservation service fee of $8.
- Standard cancellations usually have a $10 cancellation fee. Customers can generally cancel before the check-in date online.
- Late cancellation rules differ by stay type.
- Individual campsites: cancelling after 12:00am local time the day before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- Cabins, lookouts, and yurts: cancelling less than 14 days before arrival usually means a $10 cancellation fee plus forfeiting the first night's fee.
- One-night reservations: a late cancellation usually forfeits the full amount paid, up to the total original reservation cost.
- Modifications are allowed before the cut-off window, but fees depend on the change. Changing to dates completely outside the original reservation dates may trigger a $10 change fee. Extending or shortening a stay that still includes original dates usually has no change fee, though refunds may depend on timing and facility rules. Switching to the same type of campsite for the same dates usually has no change fee, but price differences are charged or refunded.
- Early departures may or may not be refunded. At certain facilities, partial refunds may be possible if staff can mark the site available for other visitors. No refund is given for a night if the early departure is requested after that day's check-out time.
- Security deposits are separate. Security deposits may be refunded to the original payment method if the facility is left in acceptable condition, as determined by the property.
Fires & fuel
- Bringing firewood from outside the area is prohibited to protect local forests.
Safety & rules
- Boaters and anglers must clean, drain, and dry equipment to prevent the spread of aquatic invasive species.
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: June 3, 2026
