Cottonwood Grove Campground
Situated among mature cottonwood trees along the Gunnison River, this campground has six campsites, including one ADA accessible site with an adjacent accessible fishing pier. Site amenities include a boat ramp (non-motorized watercraft only), shade structures, picnic tables, fire rings and a vault toilet. Camping is free with a 7 day/6 night maximum stay length.
More like this: first-come in Colorado · free in Colorado · dark sky in Colorado
Amenities & rules
| Fees | No Fee |
| Dark sky | 6 miles from Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, a certified International Dark Sky Park |
Individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
Weather by month
Getting there
From Austin, Colorado drive south on 2200 Rd. for 0.9 miles. Turn left on H75 Rd (there is a sign indicating access to Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area). H75 Rd is a well-maintained gravel road. It enters the National Conservation Area in about 2.8 miles.
| Coordinates | 38.7777° N, 107.8519° W · Directions ↗ |
Fire nearby
- PrescribedTransfer Rd Rx
27 mi from the campground · 139 acres
- PrescribedHigh Mesa Piles Rx
42 mi from the campground · 324 acres
Distance is to the reported incident point, not the fire edge. Call the managing office before you drive.
Supplies & services
| Outdoor gear | Sportsman's Warehouse ↗ | 22.9 mi |
| Dump station | Dump station ↗ | 30.4 mi |
| RV sales & service | Timberleaf Camping Trailers ↗ | 43.8 mi |
Locations © OpenStreetMap contributors. Call ahead; hours change seasonally.
Explore
Video
Cottonwood BLM Campground Tour -- Salmon River Camping in Idaho
Worth a stop
- 0.8 miWest River Trailhead ↗Trailhead
- 1 mi
- 2.8 miOrchard Boat Ramp ↗Boat launch
- 6.6 miUte Trailhead- Gunnison Gorge ↗Trailhead
- 7.5 mi
- 9.7 miNorth Delta Ohv Staging Areas ↗OHV / range
Show all 7Hide
- 12.8 miPeach Valley Ohv Staging Area ↗OHV / range
Public land it sits in
This campground sits inside Grand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests.
- inGrand Mesa, Uncompahgre and Gunnison National Forests ↗National Forest · Forest Service · 3,153,199 acres
- 1.6 miGunnison Gorge National Conservation Area ↗National Conservation Area · Bureau of Land Management · 65,053 acres
- 4.5 miGunnison Gorge Wilderness ↗Wilderness · Bureau of Land Management · 17,784 acres
Each unit is published as a centre point and an acreage rather than a boundary, so this section stands it in for a circle of the same area. Whether a campground is inside, and how far it is from one it is outside, are both approximate.
Other campgrounds nearby
Cabin and lookout rentals nearby
On the National Register nearby
- Hotchkiss HomesteadHistoric district · Hotchkiss · 6.7 mi
- First Presbyterian Church of EckertBuilding · Eckert · 7.3 mi
- Hotchkiss HotelBuilding · Hotchkiss · 7.3 mi
Guidebooks for Colorado
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Reference
Questions people ask
Do I need a reservation at Cottonwood Grove Campground?
No. Cottonwood Grove Campground is first-come, first-served. Sites are taken on arrival and paid at the fee station.
Source: How first-come camping works
How much does it cost to camp at Cottonwood Grove Campground?
Nothing. Cottonwood Grove Campground is listed as free. No Fee
Is Cottonwood Grove Campground good for stargazing?
Gunnison Gorge National Conservation Area, a certified International Dark Sky Park, is 6 miles away. Skies that dark carry for miles; a moonless night here should show the Milky Way.
Source: DarkSky International
What if Cottonwood Grove Campground is full?
The nearest public campgrounds are Black Canyon Of The Gunnison North Rim Campground (15.4 mi, partly first-come), Black Canyon Of The Gunnison South Rim Campground (18 mi), and Crag Crest (19.3 mi, first-come).
Source: Campgrounds nearby