Cottonwood Recreation Area Campground
The numbers that decide it
Recreation.gov publishes no site-level detail for this campground, so we cannot say what length of rig it takes. Call the managing office before committing to it in a large vehicle.
Site-level detail from Recreation.gov, checked 2026-08-05. Where a field says “not published”, the agency has not published it — it does not mean zero.
Cottonwood Recreation Area Campground
The Cottonwood Recreation Area, located 45 minutes northwest of Lakeview, Oregon, is one of the busiest campgrounds in the southeast zone of the Fremont-Winema National Forest. Western white pine, white fir offer shade and aspens turn sunny gold every autumn. Abundant deer and even black bear can be sighted strolling through the campground. It’s essential to pack all food away in vehicles or hang it high. This campground features 22 campsite, six vault toilets, potable water, and a seasonal camp host. Each campgrounds has a picnic table and campfire ring. Additionally, there are four walk-in, tent only sites and one horse camp site. The horse camp includes its own corral and water area as well as a trailer turn-around. This high-elevation camp is generally free of snow mid-June through mid-October. Cotton Meadows Lake, stocked with rainbow and Brook trout, offers excellent fishing. There are two day use areas and a boat launch on the lake. Only non-motorized and electric boat motors are allowed. Other recreation opportunities include hiking and exploring.
Before you go
Season
05/15 – 10/15; 10/16-05/14 Open with reduced services
Fees
$6/Night for single unit, $2/Night for extra vehicle
Restrictions
ONLY electric motors allowed for boating.
Scenic drives that pass close
Make it a night on a better road
Byway plans the drive in — real stops, real weather, nothing invented.