Cottonwood Campground (Ia)
Coralville Lake — lakeside, hiking
Location: Iowa City, IA, IA
Price: From $14 per night
Rating: 4.1 out of 5 (15 reviews)
Season: May through October
COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND IS CLOSED FOR THE 2025 RECREATION SEASON 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 fish
Cell coverage (FCC estimate): strong signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas. Best carrier: T-Mobile. Verizon 4G: 100%. AT&T 4G: 100%. T-Mobile 4G: 100%.
Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Restrooms, Drinking Water, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups
Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cottonwood-campground-ia to be notified when sites open up.
Cottonwood Campground offers affordable tent camping at $14/night within the Coralville Lake Project, featuring amenities like fire rings, picnic tables, showers, and drinking water. Campers praise the soft topsoil suitable for tent staking and family-friendly atmosphere with nice restroom facilities.
Wildlife alert: White-tailed Deer, Cliff Swallow, American Woodcock, Dark-eyed Junco, Limpkin, and Western Foxsnake have been documented in the area.
Insider tips for Cottonwood Campground (Ia): Book early — this is a federal campground with only 11 sites and high demand Tall tree grove provides natural shade but sites lack water views Soft topsoil makes tent staking easier than many campgrounds
Skip Cottonwood Campground (Ia) if: Seeking hookups — no hookups available at most sites. Planning a 2025 visit — campground is closed for the 2025 recreation season. Wanting water views or site separation — sites are in a tree grove without separation.
Best time to visit Cottonwood Campground (Ia): May through October — Official operating season as per verified data.
Nearby campgrounds: Tailwater West Day Use Area (Iowa City, IA), West Overlook Campground (IOWA CITY, IA), West Overlook Day Use Area (Iowa City, IA), Linder Point Campground (Iowa City, IA).
Cell Phone Coverage at Cottonwood Campground (Ia)
Cell signal at Cottonwood Campground (Ia) (Iowa City, IA): strong overall signal based on FCC broadband data. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
- Verizon 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- AT&T 4G LTE: 100% coverage
- T-Mobile 4G LTE: 100% coverage
Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.
COTTONWOOD CAMPGROUND IS CLOSED FOR THE 2025 RECREATION SEASON 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.Coralville Lake is located in the Iowa River Valley, just north of Iowa City.
Verified facts
RIDB / Recreation.gov official databaseAmenities
RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verifiedStraight talk
CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reportsKnown issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.
Insider tips & when to go
CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entryBook early
this is a federal campground with only 11 sites and high demand
Tall tree grove provides natural shade but sites lack water views
Soft topsoil makes tent staking easier than many campgrounds
Official operating season as per verified data
Things to do nearby
RIDB /activities /recareas + intelConditions today
LiveCell signal
FCC BDC · quarterly datasetFCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal. Best carrier: T-Mobile.
Wildlife nearby
iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 kmLocation
Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Getting there →
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
Campground entrance
Google Maps APICommunity
#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)Pro tips
- Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Coralville Lake fills fast in peak season.
- Check current road conditions at Coralville Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.
Frequently asked questions
RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakableHow much does Cottonwood Campground (Ia) cost per night?+
What season is Cottonwood Campground (Ia) open?+
Does Cottonwood Campground (Ia) have hookups?+
What is the maximum RV length at Cottonwood Campground (Ia)?+
How do I make reservations at Cottonwood Campground (Ia)?+
What is the cell service like at Cottonwood Campground (Ia)?+
What season is Cottonwood Campground (Ia) open, and what are check-in times?+
●Data sources on this page
CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.
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