By:
Submission
The Cottonwood Campground is located within the Dam Complex at the Coralville Lake Project. The Coralville Lake Project is a multiple use project providing primary benefits in flood control and low flow augmentation, and secondary benefits in recreation, fish and wildlife management and forest management. Coralville Lake provides many recreational opportunities, including boating, camping, hiking, mountain biking, lake and river fishing, swimming, water skiing, picnicking and hunting.
Visitors enjoy Coralville Lake for camping, boating, fishing, swimming and water activities. Anglers will find large and smallmouth bass, crappie, walleye and catfish. Several trails are within the Dam Complex, including Squire Point, Woodpecker Trail, Tailwater Riverwalk and barrier-free Veterans Trail. The Devonian Fossil Gorge is just below the dam, offering a unique opportunity to explore a 375-million-year old sea floor and discover fossil remains of sea life that once inhabited this tropical marine environment. Twenty discovery points can be found throughout the site along with a cell phone audio tour. The Turkey Creek Disc Golf Course is located in the Dam Complex and offers nine partially wooden and open holes.
The Cottonwood Campground offers 15 non-electric walk-to tent campsites. Amenities include a modern restroom and shower facility located at the main parking lot. The campground fee booth is located in the West Overlook Campground. The dump station, drinking water, trash and recycling receptacles are located just outside of the West Overlook Campground.
Coralville Lake is located in the Iowa River Valley, just north of Iowa City. The Cottonwood Campground lies among a heavily wooded forest of mixed hardwood species on the west side of the dam. Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. Whitetail deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, song birds and other species roam the lands around the lake.
Iowa City/Coralville offers the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, University of Iowa campus, hospital and clinics, numerous restaurants and shops as well as Coral Ridge Mall. Cedar Rapids has wonderful cultural, historic and ethnic attractions such as The National Czech and Slovak Museum and Library and is the home of the Kernels Professional Baseball Club. West Branch boasts the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site and Presidential Library/Museum. At Amana Colonies visit seven quaint villages with outstanding restaurants, wineries, historic sites and specialty shops. Kalona is known as the "Quilt Capital of Iowa" and is home to an Old Order Amish and Mennonite Community.
From Interstate 80 (Iowa City, Iowa), take Exit 244 towards Dubuque St./North Liberty. Travel north on Dubuque St. for 3 miles and turn right onto West Overlook Rd. NE. Travel on West Overlook Rd. NE for 1.1 miles. At the second stop sign, turn right onto Prairie Du Chien Rd. NE. Travel east on Prairie Du Chien Rd. NE for 0.1 miles. The entrance to the Cottonwood Campground will be located on the right side of the road. From Interstate 380 (North Liberty, Iowa), take Exit 4 towards North Liberty. Travel east on W. Penn St. for 2 miles and turn right onto N. Dubuque St. Travel south on N. Dubuque St. for 1.9 miles, at the traffic circle, continue straight onto Dubuque St. NE. Continue traveling south on Dubuque St. NE for 1.9 miles. Turn left onto West Overlook Rd. NE. Travel on West Overlook Rd. NE for 1.1 miles. At the second stop sign, turn right onto Prairie Du Chien Rd. NE. Travel east on Prairie Du Chien Rd. NE for 0.1 miles. The entrance to the Cottonwood Campground will be located on the right side of the road.
Nice little tent campground. Pretty quiet, easy access, CLEAN bathrooms. We will use this spot again for sure!
This place was SO. HARD. TO. FIND. They need to update the address or something. It took me to the wrong spot, and it was so dark with not enough signage. The rangers I eventually spoke with were helpful. And the bathrooms were nice.
Have visited more than 30 campgrounds in five different states and this was worst of all. Super loud and noisy past 2 am for two straight nights. Cops would come, people would be quiet for ten minutes, then start blasting loud music again. Will never stay here again. Rules not enforced.
Lot: C10. Beautiful site, nice stagf, family friendly, soft top soil for good staking and sleeping for tent campers, pretty nice restroom, good hours, picnic bench and fire pit for each site. My boy and i had a good, peaceful rest before continuing our cross-country journey.
Be advised: the parking is general, not per site. If you have a trailer of any kind, there is a parking lot just up the road that can accommodate long vehicles or you can detach a short trailer and park next to it.
My family and I had a great time camping here. The campsites and the bathrooms are very clean. The river nearby is great for fishing.
