Big Bend National Park17
Campsite #17 at Cottonwood Campground, Big Bend National Park, TX
$16
Campsite #17
| Drive-In | 8 people |
| 28 ft | Back-In |
| 2 | good |
2/13
3/13
Campsite #17 Features: Drive-In access, Back-In parking, 28-foot driveway, Food Storage Locker, Picnic Table, RV Site, Tent Site, Trailer Site, Pets Allowed
Campsite Reviews (21)
5.0 out of 5
| 5 star | | 71% |
| 4 star | | 24% |
| 3 star | | 0% |
| 2 star | | 5% |
| 1 star | | 0% |
@nicp72FFA420C6 · Camped on Feb 15, 2026 at Campsite #17
Clean campsite, clean restrooms, quite location. Enjoyed the stay.
@SarahR6066410 · Camped on Jan 10, 2026 at Campsite #17
We stayed in both cottonwood and rio grande village and cottonwood was the better of the two. Quieter and closer to many more hikes. Vault toilets were supremely clean!
No Service
@RodD6776716 · Camped on Mar 1, 2025 at Campsite #17
The campground was very quiet, both day and night. The restrooms were very clean and smelled good, especially for pit toilets! The current severe drought is having an impact on the cottonwood trees and could make finding shade harder. I appreciate that each site has it's own food locker. Cell service is non-existent without satellite help, but just a ways up the road at the overlook I found good service.
No Service
@ShannonB230826 · Camped on Feb 12, 2025 at Campsite #17
Extremely quiet camp ground. No showers. This camp site is great for van life or overlanders Extremely clean restrooms. The group camp ground looked extremely clean and would be perfect for groups. Camp host wasnt friendly at all. She had a bit of an attitude.
No Service
@AllisonPFF558D · Camped on Jan 2, 2025 at Campsite #17
Great, quiet campground. The bathrooms do not have sinks or running water, but there are taps around you can gather water to wash yourself in further away from the campsite
@MaryUA9A83072D · Camped on Nov 25, 2024 at Campsite #17
Big, clean campground. Picnic tables are not located exactly where you would expect them so make sure you are not using your neighbors by accident! Water temps in shower was on the cool side.
Good
@MaryUA9A83072D · Camped on Nov 25, 2024 at Campsite #17
Small campground that gives great access to explore the east side of the park. I was in site 17. Large site, but next to group camping, so there may be large groups there. The noise and light was to be expected from my neighbors in the group site, but it was easy to walk around the campground and find a place to enjoy the stars. Like all NP campgrounds, they are sold out and 1/2 the campsites are empty.
Good
@TammyF9169126 · Camped on Mar 4, 2023 at Campsite #17
It was an upkept and super clean park. Well managed and beautiful. I will visit again!
Excellent
@SeanH9A049BDBA · Camped on Feb 26, 2023 at Campsite #17
There was a very friendly and helpful volunteer ranger who came around a few times a day and she was delightful. She had great information and suggestions, and was very easy to talk to.
Major Issues
@JudyZE25FF34C5 · Camped on Feb 2, 2023 at Campsite #17
Pleasant, shaded campground. Quiet.
No Service
@Christoph10011 · Camped on Dec 27, 2022 at Campsite #17
Very nice campground. Roomy sites for tents, with plenty of space between neighbors. Pit toilets were about as nice as pit toilets can be. The only negative thing to say about this campground is that there was only 1 source of drinking water, and that was at the far end of the campground from my site. That may change in the future, as it appeared that there was some ongoing work being done.
No Service
@JustinM3391219 · Camped on Dec 20, 2022 at Campsite #17
Cottonwood is definitely the best campground in Big Bend for those who are looking to get away from it all! It is the most quiet and least populated. We loved the No Generators policy! Like the other campgrounds in the park, the services are basic and there are no showers or flush toilets, but everything is clean and there is a camp store close by. Camping under mature trees down by the river is a fantastic experience. Amazing stars! Great place for accessing the Santa Elena Canyon nearby!
@JasonB8429005 · Camped on Oct 30, 2022 at Campsite #17
Awesome location to explore the western side of park. Nice, quiet and extremely clean campground with easy to find spots and well maintained restroom facilities. Dont miss Santa Elena Canyon and the other great hikes along Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive.
No Service
@chrisf4258649 · Camped on Oct 4, 2022 at Campsite #17
The pit toilets were very clean. Very quiet and dark at night. We brought a water cooler for drinking water though there is potable and non potable water. This is the farthest west campground and is 45-1hour away from the lodge. It was about 45 minutes to Far Flung where we went rafting. Would recommend the rafting trip.
@BenjaminP64293 · Camped on Aug 6, 2022 at Campsite #17
Place was empty, easily the cleanest campground I've visited.I awoke to birdsong...a group of strange rocks caught my eye I approached them and a family of javelinas stood up and sauntered into the woods 20 yards from my tent..
@KatyaR314365CB · Camped on Feb 26, 2022 at Campsite #17
Stayed four nights in site 17 late February 2022. Plenty of room for our 25' Airstream and truck (we parked the truck perpendicular to the trailer at the front). This site is tucked away in the corner by the group site. According to the camp hosts, the group site is mostly booked on weekends. The group camping during our stay were a great set of young adults--we had no problem with noise (and it was nice seeing people get together, be outdoors and have fun). Otherwise, this is our favorite place to camp in Big Bend: lots of birds, peaceful, shade, grass... can't ask for more.
No Service
@BrendanJ608 · Camped on Jan 8, 2022 at Campsite #17
Where to start,
We arrived late on a Saturday (around 8pm) and promptly began setting up our camp. We were then greeted by Lou (An absolute saint of a man) who proceeded to provide the most warm welcome that we have ever received. On his nightly foot patrol of the campground it was clear that Lou cared deeply for the fortunate souls that had the pleasure of inhabiting cottonwood campground. As for the campground itself, the sites are secluded yet offer the slightest slight glimpses of neighboring campers. The bathrooms were immaculately maintained and the water pressure was stunning to say the least. As the darkness lifted on our first morning songbirds began the tweet and flutter about and the truant campers emerged from their vessels like vampires waking from a 1000 years rest. We departed toward Santa Elena canyon for sunrise and were treated to scenes reminiscent of a Claude Monet painting. As we returned to camp the couples (undoubtably from Minnesota) were making laps out of the well trodden gravel road that encircled the campground with their coffees in hand. We departed with a wave to Lou and Ed the camphosts and had a wonderful day in the rest of the park.
We arrived late on a Saturday (around 8pm) and promptly began setting up our camp. We were then greeted by Lou (An absolute saint of a man) who proceeded to provide the most warm welcome that we have ever received. On his nightly foot patrol of the campground it was clear that Lou cared deeply for the fortunate souls that had the pleasure of inhabiting cottonwood campground. As for the campground itself, the sites are secluded yet offer the slightest slight glimpses of neighboring campers. The bathrooms were immaculately maintained and the water pressure was stunning to say the least. As the darkness lifted on our first morning songbirds began the tweet and flutter about and the truant campers emerged from their vessels like vampires waking from a 1000 years rest. We departed toward Santa Elena canyon for sunrise and were treated to scenes reminiscent of a Claude Monet painting. As we returned to camp the couples (undoubtably from Minnesota) were making laps out of the well trodden gravel road that encircled the campground with their coffees in hand. We departed with a wave to Lou and Ed the camphosts and had a wonderful day in the rest of the park.
No Service
@AndreaD596 · Camped on Jan 7, 2022 at Campsite #17
Beautiful, quiet .. just what I needed.
Major Issues
@TrejonW895 · Camped on Nov 19, 2021 at Campsite #17
Such a lovely time at Big Bend! Very quiet and beautiful for the entire stay. Plenty of trails and sights to see.
No Service
@JerryS767 · Camped on Jan 27, 2021 at Campsite #17
This is a very pretty campground, and nice for tent camping, which we do. A big plus is that generators aren't allowed, so though there are lots of trailers and RVs, they are all compact, and the sort of ones that are used by people with less stuff and noise. Most of the sites have at least some shade, which is pretty important in this location, especially when during the hotter months.
No Service
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