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For people visiting the South Unit of Theodore Roosevelt National Park, Cottonwood Campground is a great place to stay. Located five miles from the entrance to the South Unit of the park, the campground is open year-round.
Hikers can access the estimated 70 miles of trails within a short distance of the campground; please stop at a Visitor Center for more details.
Toilets, drinking water and picnic tables are provided at this facility. The site can accommodate tents, trailers and RVs. Sites can accommodate up to six people and two vehicles (group site can accomodate 7-20 people). There are no hookups or a dump station. A water fill station is available for campers. All wheeled vehicles and trailers must remain on roadways or pads.
The Little Missouri River is the central, unifying feature of this wild and broken land where, as a young man, Theodore Roosevelt ranched and hunted in the 1880s. The park is part of both the Northern Great Plains and the West, blending a rich natural beauty with diverse human history. The rugged topography, with its flora and fauna, also provides an opportunity to discover the badlands environment as Roosevelt once did. It is a place to experience a land and way of life that helped shape Theodore Roosevelt's attitudes and philosophy regarding conservation. Cottonwood trees surrounding the campsite turn golden in the fall. Although the campground is moderately forested, most of the campsites are in partial to full sun but visitors can cool off in the cold river when temperatures peak during summer.
The town of Medora has shopping, restaurants, amenities and the Medora Musical is located approximately five miles to the south. The Little Missouri National Grasslands is the largest National Grassland in the nation at 1.03 million acres. It is located in western North Dakota and is managed by the Medora Ranger District in Dickinson, ND and the McKenzie Ranger District in Watford City, ND. The National Grassland provides additional recreation opportunities in the area.
The South Unit entrance is in Medora, ND. Medora is accessible via Interstate 94 Exits 24 and 27 in North Dakota. Please note exit 27 is a westbound exit only. Medora is 133 miles west of Bismarck, ND and 27 miles east of the Montana state line.
Odd-numbered sites are reservable May through September. All campsites are first come, first served the rest of the year. Reservations can be made up to 6 months in advance and no less than 5 days before your arrival. The group site is available by reservation only. Group site reservations begin each season on the first business day in March at 8:00 am MST. The park cannot take reservations - they must all be made through recreation.gov. Click RESERVATIONS below or call recreation.gov at 1 (877) 444-6777.
23/08 RV camping too. Great access to Theodore Roosevelt NP. Come fully stocked. Lots to also see in Medora ND. A great place to stay - even if you do not visit the national park.
Campsites we're well spaced. Only a few sites that could accommodate larger campers, our is 28' and with some creative positioning we fit pretty well. Flys are a real problem but what would you expect with wild horses and bison wondering freely through out the park.
Absolutely no cellphone service unless you went into Medora.
Quiet campground inside the National Park. Potable water is available, but had to go to the Medora Campground to dump our tanks. Enjoyed seeing the wild horses at the campground. People were arriving late into the night, looking for one of the first come first serve sites.
Quiet, simple campground. Perfect for National Park camping fans. We've camped here multiple times and appreciate how guests are always respectful of others, especially late arrivals and early risers. We've seen so much wildlife right from our campsite and on the drive in - wild horses, bison, etc.
Not for you if you're looking to stay up late and party or enjoy amenities. Like most NP campgrounds, it's got water and toilets, but that's about it.