Warning
GeneralA maximum of two motor vehicles, one vehicle with a trailer, one motorhome with tow vehicle or four motorcycles allowed per campsite. A maximum of four tents OR one wheeled camping unit and one tent allowed per campsite. Only 1 conversion van or other type of recreational vehicle allowed per site. Two (2) conversion vans or RVs require 2 campsites.
About Cottonwood (big Bend, Tx)
Number of accommodations: 29
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Sites & Availability
29 Sites Available
No sites found matching your criteria.
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Site Details
Select a site to view details
29 Sites Available
No available sites
All sites are booked for your selected dates. Try showing all sites to see booked options, create an alert to be notified when something opens up, or adjust your dates.
Reviews (194)
Review Summary
Nikia C
VerifiedFebruary 24, 2025 • Stayed at: 025, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Campsite is what it says, no frills, but the bathrooms were clean and the camp host was helpful and knowledgeable.
shannon b
VerifiedFebruary 20, 2025 • Stayed at: 017, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Extremely quiet camp ground. No showers. This camp site is great for van life or overlanders Extremely clean “restrooms”. The group camp ground looked extremely clean and would be perfect for groups. Camp host wasn’t friendly at all. She had a bit of an attitude.
Debra A
VerifiedFebruary 19, 2025 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Enjoyed my visit at Cottonwood Campground. Clean bathrooms. Great campground host. Quiet. Close to Santa Elena canyons, a must visit. Close to Terlingua / Study Butte.
Earl P
VerifiedFebruary 16, 2025 • Stayed at: 006, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Enjoyed our 1 night at Cottonwood. Very quiet and campground host very friendly and informative.
Pam P
VerifiedFebruary 12, 2025 • Stayed at: 016, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
We love staying here because of the beautiful and peaceful setting.
Joseph F
VerifiedFebruary 11, 2025 • Stayed at: 025, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Beautifully remote campground. Quite and clean. Perfect for boondocking with water and toilets available
Lisa E
VerifiedFebruary 8, 2025 • Stayed at: 005, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Nice small campground. Pit toilets only but they were clean. Very close to Santa Elena Canyon, which in my opinion is the best hike in the park.
Patrick W
VerifiedFebruary 7, 2025 • Stayed at: 013, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Breathtaking!
Margaret S
VerifiedFebruary 6, 2025 • Stayed at: 005, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Big Bend was awesome. The Cottonwood Campground was very comfortable. It was a fenced in area with nice open campsites spotted with trees for shady areas. The stars at night were awesome!
Kenverly P
VerifiedFebruary 6, 2025 • Stayed at: 029 ADA, Loop: Cottonwood (TX)
Amazing experience, campsite is well kept, very clean. Amazing view of the stars, close to Santa Elena trail. Restrooms are also kept in very good condition. Only downside is there is no water in camping site so make sure to bring your own water. There is also no cell service in the area, however a quick 5 minute drive to the nearest visitor center provides cell service.
Location Cottonwood (big Bend, Tx)
Address:
Po Box 129
Big Bend Nat. Park, TX, 79834
United States
From Interstate 10, take State Highway 385 south to Fort Stockton and into Marathon. From Marathon, drive 40 miles (64 km) south on State Highway 385 to the north entrance of Big Bend National Park. Drive straight for 26 miles (42 km) to Park Headquarters at Panther Junction. Turn right at the intersection and go 13 miles (21 km) west. Take a left at the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and drive 23 miles (37 km) to Cottonwood Campground.
GPS Warning: GPS units may send you down Old Maverick Road, an unpaved, very rough road. Do not take Old Maverick Road unless you have a four wheel drive and high clearance vehicle.
Latitude & Longitude: 29.1369 / -103.522
Elevation: 649 feet
Policies & Rules
| Category | About |
|---|---|
| General |
Do not reserve campsites that you are not planning to stay in. A camper arriving the day AFTER the reservation begins is considered a No Show. A No Show may result in a cancellation of your ENTIRE reservation. Contact the park at 432-477-2251 if you are late or will not be arriving until the day after your reservation starts. |
| General |
Check-in. You may occupy your campsite anytime after 1:00 p.m.. Your site will be marked. There is no official check-in. procedure. |
| General |
Generators are not allowed in Cottonwood campground. Idling a vehicle to provide power is also prohibited. |
| General |
No Hookups or Dump Station. There are no electricity, water or sewer hookups. There is no fill/dump station available at this campground. |
| General |
Group Campsite is Tent Only. The group site is for tents only. RVs and trailers are NOT allowed. |
| General |
Campfires. No wood or ground fires are permitted in Big Bend. Charcoal may be used in the raised grills provided at each site. |
| General |
Pets. Pets are allowed in each campsite, although they must be leashed and restrained at all times. Pets are not allowed on trails or in buildings. |
| General |
Food Lockers/Wildlife. Javelinas, bobcats and bears frequent the area. All food must be kept in the food storage lockers or approved containers or in a hard-sided vehicle. Dispose of trash n the animal-proof dumpsters provided. Do not leave coolers or food boxes unattended at any time. |
| General |
Are you still camping? If you leave your site during the day, please leave something at the site so we know you are not checking out early. A tent, camp chair, stove, book, etc. Something of little value but that indicates you plan to return. |
| General |
Hammocks. No hammocks or other devices may be attached/tied to trees or any other natural features or objects. |
| General |
Border Crossing. There is only one authorized border crossing within Big Bend National Park, located at Rio Grande Village. Crossing the border in an unauthorized location is illegal. |
Warnings & Advisories
Warning
GeneralA maximum of two motor vehicles, one vehicle with a trailer, one motorhome with tow vehicle or four motorcycles allowed per campsite. A maximum of four tents OR one wheeled camping unit and one tent allowed per campsite. Only 1 conversion van or other type of recreational vehicle allowed per site. Two (2) conversion vans or RVs require 2 campsites.
