Cottonwood (Ne)

Lewis and Clark Lake — lakeside, fishing, hiking

Location: YANKTON, NE, NE

Price: From $20 per night

Price range: $20–$22 per night

Rating: 4.6 out of 5 (507 reviews)

Season: Year-round

Cottonwood Recreation Area is located just downstream of Gavins Point Dam and Lewis & Clark Lake along the western shore of Lake Yankton. The numerous outdoor recreational opportunities attract more than 2 million visitors annually to the Lewis & Clark Lake area, making it one of the most popular recreation destinations in the Upper Great Plains. Lewis & Clark Lake is 31,400-acres in size with more than 90 miles of shoreline is impounded by Gavins Point Dam, which was authorized by the Flood Con

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

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables, Flush Toilets, Showers, Dump Station, Electric Hookups, Fishing, Boat Launch

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

Cottonwood Recreation Area is located on the 31,400-acre Lewis & Clark Lake with over 90 miles of shoreline and attracts more than 2 million visitors annually. Campers praise the clean bathrooms, large level paved sites, playground for kids, and quiet atmosphere.

Wildlife alert: Western Milksnake, Bullsnake, Common Snapping Turtle, American Avocet, Ross's Gull, Common Merganser, American Redstart, and Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel documented in the area.

Insider tips for Cottonwood (Ne): Book early—this is a federal campground with high demand due to 2 million annual visitors to the Lewis & Clark Lake area Electric hookups available on select sites only; most sites have no hookups Potable water and dump station available nearby

Skip Cottonwood (Ne) if: You need water or sewer hookups—only electric hookups on select sites. You prefer privacy—sites are spaced approximately 50 feet apart. You plan to visit during peak season without advance reservations.

Best time to visit Cottonwood (Ne): Year-round — Campground operates year-round, though known seasonal operations may affect availability..

Nearby campgrounds: Cottonwood (Ne) Day Use Shelter (Yankton, SD), Gavins Point Overlook Day Use Shelter (Yankton, NE), Nebraska Tailwaters (YANKTON, NE).

Cell Phone Coverage at Cottonwood (Ne)

Cell signal at Cottonwood (Ne) (YANKTON, NE): 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.

CamperWatch
CamperWatch›NE›Cottonwood (Ne)
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Lewis and Clark Lake — lakeside, fishing, hikingLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Cottonwood (Ne)

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YANKTON, NE, NE★ 4.6 (507 reviews)From $20/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

Cottonwood Recreation Area is located just downstream of Gavins Point Dam and Lewis & Clark Lake along the western shore of Lake Yankton. The numerous outdoor recreational opportunities attract more than 2 million visitors annually to the Lewis & Clark Lake area, making it one of the most popular recreation destinations in the Upper Great Plains. Lewis & Clark Lake is 31,400-acres in size with more than 90 miles of shoreline is impounded by Gavins Point Dam, which was authorized by the Flood Control Act of 1944, commonly called the Pick-Sloan Plan.

Best for:AnglersHikersBoatersWildlife watchersFamiliesSites:TentRV
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonYear-round
Stay limit14 days
Max RV125 ft
Hookups77 electric sites
ADA sites1 sites
Pull-throughsAvailable
PetsAllowed
CampfiresAllowed
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire RingsShowersFishing
Recreation
Picnic TablesDump StationBoat Launch
Family & Pets
Flush ToiletsElectric Hookups

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 water or sewer hookups—only electric hookups on select sites✕ You prefer privacy—sites are spaced approximately 50 feet apart✕ You plan to visit during peak season without advance reservations

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Book early

this is a federal campground with high demand due to 2 million annual visitors to the Lewis & Clark Lake area

Electric hookups available on select sites only; most sites have no hookups

Potable water and dump station available nearby

Best: Year-round

Campground operates year-round, though known seasonal operations may affect availability.

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: Western Milksnake, Bullsnake, Common Snapping Turtle, American Avocet, Ross's Gull, Common Merganser, American Redstart, and Thirteen-lined Ground Squirrel documented in the area.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
Getting there →

From U.S. Hwy 81 in Yankton, South Dakota, drive four miles west on South Dakota Highway 52, then south on Dam Toe Road and follow signs.

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 — Lewis and Clark Lake fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Lewis and Clark Lake before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Cottonwood (Ne) cost per night?+
Cottonwood (Ne) costs $20–$22 per night. Hookup options: Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What season is Cottonwood (Ne) open?+
Cottonwood (Ne) is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Cottonwood (Ne) have hookups?+
Electric hookups on select sites. No water/sewer.
What is the maximum RV length at Cottonwood (Ne)?+
Cottonwood (Ne) can accommodate RVs up to 125 feet.
How do I make reservations at Cottonwood (Ne)?+
Cottonwood (Ne) 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 (Ne)?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Cottonwood (Ne) is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Cottonwood (Ne) open, and what are check-in times?+
Cottonwood (Ne) is open Year-round. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Print Facility MapNebraska Game and Parks Commission NWS - Local Weather Conditions & ForecastRules and Regulations for US Army Corps of Engineers - Title 36 CFR
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.

$20 /night★ 4.6 (507)
SeasonYear-round
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Cottonwood (Ne) cost per night?+
What season is Cottonwood (Ne) open?+
Does Cottonwood (Ne) have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Cottonwood (Ne) Day Use Shelter

Yankton, SD

From $25/night

Gavins Point Overlook Day Use Shelter

Yankton, NE

From $25/night

Nebraska Tailwaters

YANKTON, NE

From $18/night

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