Cottonwood Group Campsite

Bridger-Teton National Forest — lakeside, hiking

Location: AFTON, WY, WY

Price: From $45 per night

Rating: 2.5 out of 5 (4 reviews)

Season: May through October

Cottonwood Group Campsite is located near the scenic Cottonwood Lake below Salt River Pass in the forest of western Wyoming.This group campsite can accommodate up to 25 guests and is most appropriate for groups camping in tents. Two vehicles can be parked at the site (van-sized vehicles are the largest the site will accommodate) and six additional vehicles can be parked at the adjacent Cottonwood Lake Day Use Area. Single-family sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Vault Toilets, Drinking Water

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/cottonwood-group-campsite to be notified when sites open up.

Cottonwood Group Campsite offers scenic access to Cottonwood Lake below Salt River Pass with excellent recreation including canoeing, fishing for brook and cutthroat trout, and nearby hiking and mountain biking trails. Google reviews rate it 4.7/5 stars, with campers praising it as a beautiful, peaceful spot.

Wildlife alert: Moose, Snowshoe Hare, White-tailed Jackrabbit, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, American Pika, Western Tanager, American Barn Owl, Eared Grebe, Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, and Wandering Garter Snake present within 8km.

Insider tips for Cottonwood Group Campsite: Book early — this is a federal campground with high demand Water should be treated as non-potable despite drinking water availability on-site Group site accommodates up to 25 guests and is designed for tent camping

Skip Cottonwood Group Campsite if: You need RV hookups — no hookups available. You visit outside May-October — seasonal closure. You expect pristine facilities — recent reviews note poor bathroom conditions and overuse damage to trees.

Best time to visit Cottonwood Group Campsite: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Cottonwood Group Picnic Site (AFTON, WY), Cazier Cabin (AFTON, WY), La Barge Guard Station (KEMMERER, WY), Allred Flats Group Picnic Site (Kemmerer, WY).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cottonwood Group Campsite

Cell signal at Cottonwood Group Campsite (AFTON, WY): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

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.

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Bridger-Teton National Forest — lakeside, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cottonwood Group Campsite

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AFTON, WY, WY★ 2.5 (4 reviews)From $45/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cottonwood Group Campsite is located near the scenic Cottonwood Lake below Salt River Pass in the forest of western Wyoming.This group campsite can accommodate up to 25 guests and is most appropriate for groups camping in tents. Two vehicles can be parked at the site (van-sized vehicles are the largest the site will accommodate) and six additional vehicles can be parked at the adjacent Cottonwood Lake Day Use Area. Single-family sites are available on a first-come, first-served basis.

Best for:HikersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsDrinking Water
Recreation
Picnic Tables
Family & Pets
Vault Toilets

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need RV hookups — no hookups available✕ You visit outside May-October — seasonal closure✕ You expect pristine facilities — recent reviews note poor bathroom conditions and overuse damage to trees

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand

Water should be treated as non-potable despite drinking water availability on-site

Group site accommodates up to 25 guests and is designed for tent camping

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Moose, Snowshoe Hare, White-tailed Jackrabbit, Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel, American Pika, Western Tanager, American Barn Owl, Eared Grebe, Western Terrestrial Garter Snake, and Wandering Garter Snake present within 8km.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
307-886-5300· Bridger-Teton National Forest
Getting there →

From Afton, Wyoming, take Highway 89 south approximately 7 miles to Smoot. After a half-mile look for directional signs to Cottonwood Lake Campground. The Forest boundary is about one mile up the access road, and the campground is 6 miles beyond that. Continue past the first loop of the campground, then turn left at the 'Y' intersection onto the east loop. The group site is at the far northern edge of this loop, just past the water pump.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Bridger-Teton National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Bridger-Teton National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cottonwood Group Campsite cost per night?+
Cottonwood Group Campsite costs $45 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Cottonwood Group Campsite open?+
Cottonwood Group Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cottonwood Group Campsite have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Cottonwood Group Campsite?+
Cottonwood Group Campsite is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Cottonwood Group Campsite?+
Cottonwood Group Campsite is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Cottonwood Group Campsite?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cottonwood Group Campsite is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cottonwood Group Campsite open, and what are check-in times?+
Cottonwood Group Campsite is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility Map
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$45 /night★ 2.5 (4)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cottonwood Group Campsite cost per night?+
What season is Cottonwood Group Campsite open?+
Does Cottonwood Group Campsite have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cottonwood Group Picnic Site

AFTON, WY

From $20/night

Cazier Cabin

AFTON, WY

From $50/night

La Barge Guard Station

KEMMERER, WY

From $60/night

Allred Flats Group Picnic Site

Kemmerer, WY

From $25/night

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