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
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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
Richard S
VerifiedAugust 6, 2020 • Stayed at: 52, Loop: SLOO
Quiet & comfortable camping experience
Bryce D
VerifiedAugust 4, 2020 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: NLOO
Cottonwood Campground in Yankton, SD is by far my favorite campground to take my family. The camper pads are well maintained, and the rocked patio areas are excellent especially with little kids no tracking dirt and mud into the camper all weekend. The shower houses/bathrooms were clean and very accomodating. The campground hosts at Cottonwood are some of the best you will ever experience. They are always upbeat and very welcoming. Being right on Lake Yankton is also a major bonus as our family loves to fish and this lake is so fun. Right off the campground bank my three girls kept me busy taking off fish and re-bating their lines. Whenever camping at Cottonwood we also love using the public beach/swimming area that is a very short drive from the campground. Bike riding around and from this campground is also a major love or our families. The drives in the campground are smooth and the bike trails right at the entrance to the park can keep you riding for an entire day. All and all, this campground has it all.
Bryce D
VerifiedAugust 4, 2020 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: NLOO
Cottonwood Campground in Yankton, SD is by far my favorite campground to take my family. The camper pads are well maintained, and the rocked patio areas are excellent especially with little kids no tracking dirt and mud into the camper all weekend. The shower houses/bathrooms were clean and very accomodating. The campground hosts at Cottonwood are some of the best you will ever experience. They are always upbeat and very welcoming. Being right on Lake Yankton is also a major bonus as our family loves to fish and this lake is so fun. Right off the campground bank my three girls kept me busy taking off fish and re-bating their lines. Whenever camping at Cottonwood we also love using the public beach/swimming area that is a very short drive from the campground. Bike riding around and from this campground is also a major love or our families. The drives in the campground are smooth and the bike trails right at the entrance to the park can keep you riding for an entire day. All and all, this campground has it all.
David A
VerifiedAugust 2, 2020 • Stayed at: 56, Loop: SLOO
bath house and bathrooms are clean as they always are. grass is mowed and the grounds are always clean. will be back soon
David A
VerifiedAugust 2, 2020 • Stayed at: 56, Loop: SLOO
bath house and bathrooms are clean as they always are. grass is mowed and the grounds are always clean. will be back soon
Steve F
VerifiedJuly 31, 2020 • Stayed at: 42, Loop: SLOO
You do not have it posted if the spot is reserved or not. Can't pay at the booth. no camp host.
Steve F
VerifiedJuly 31, 2020 • Stayed at: 42, Loop: SLOO
You do not have it posted if the spot is reserved or not. Can't pay at the booth. no camp host.
Randy P
VerifiedJuly 29, 2020 • Stayed at: 67, Loop: SLOO
Cottonwood is a nice place to enjoy a few days of R&R. The restrooms were spotless and clean. Workers in the entrance booths are really confused about how to handle reservations and accommodations. The park manager (David) is a blook. He doesn't know his head from his tail. Personally, the reservation system and website recreation.gov is a confusing mess to navigate. Many mistakes are being made when it comes to reserving a weekend or trip to any federal park. Seems the park managers boss (Gary) is as confused as his park manager. I think the website needs a good manager as well. The Omaha office for the Corps of Engineers needs better management.
Randy P
VerifiedJuly 29, 2020 • Stayed at: 67, Loop: SLOO
Cottonwood is a nice place to enjoy a few days of R&R. The restrooms were spotless and clean. Workers in the entrance booths are really confused about how to handle reservations and accommodations. The park manager (David) is a blook. He doesn't know his head from his tail. Personally, the reservation system and website recreation.gov is a confusing mess to navigate. Many mistakes are being made when it comes to reserving a weekend or trip to any federal park. Seems the park managers boss (Gary) is as confused as his park manager. I think the website needs a good manager as well. The Omaha office for the Corps of Engineers needs better management.
Craig G
VerifiedJuly 25, 2020 • Stayed at: 51, Loop: SLOO
clean site and friendly, helpful staff
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
