No detected openings were recorded in the last 90 days. Campsite Sniper monitors Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX) continuously and will alert you if that changes.
Of the 5,307 tracked site-nights (Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027): 99 open for online reservation · 40 reserved · 1,276 unavailable (cause unspecified) · 3,892 not yet released.
Where the open windows are
Load status
Sep 18, 2026 – Mar 19, 2027Of the open site-nights on mapped sites, 58 fall on weekdays and 41 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Mar 2027September shows no online availability. 0 of 377 tracked site-nights are open there — 377 unavailable.
Holiday windows
Sites open per night · of 29 sites| Window | Night | Sites open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open | |
| Thanksgiving | THU Nov 26 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Nov 27 | 0 | None open | |
| SAT Nov 28 | 1 | Open | |
| Christmas | THU Dec 24 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Dec 25 | 0 | None open | |
| New Year | THU Dec 31 | 0 | None open |
| FRI Jan 1 | 1 | Open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked night. Thanksgiving: no site is currently available for the complete three-night stay. Thursday and Friday have no online availability; individual Saturday night remains open. Christmas: no online availability on any tracked night. New Year: no site is currently available for the complete two-night stay. Thursday has no online availability; individual Friday night remains open.
Availability
Most open site-nights · tracked window| Site | Open site-nights |
|---|---|
| A | 99 |
This site currently has 99 site-nights available.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotThe next bookable night is Nov 1; the first open weekend starts Nov 13. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Stays and site detail
Multi-night stays. 5 2-night, 5 3-night, 4 7-night openings where a single site is free for every night, per Campsite Sniper's current snapshot — soonest Nov 1 at site A.
RV length. Longest recorded site here is 40 ft. 22 sites take 25 ft, 7 sites take 35 ft, 1 site takes 40 ft. 1 site of 29 has no recorded maximum and is not counted.
All 1 site with current availability
| Site | Max RV | Hookups | Open site-nights | Longest run | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| A | Not recorded | None | 99 | 64 nights | Nov 1, Nov 2, Nov 3, Nov 4, Nov 5, Nov 10, Nov 11, Nov 12, Nov 13, Nov 14, Nov 15, Nov 16 +87 more |
About Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX)
Overview
Cottonwood Campground is a quiet desert oasis in the southwestern corner of Big Bend National Park. Conveniently located between the Castolon Historic District, the scenic Santa Elena Canyon and the tail end of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive, this small, 30-site campground is one of the least-known and quiet campgrounds in the park. There is one group campsite and 30 individual sites. This is a remote campground in a remote park. It is dry camping, no hook-ups, and no generators are permitted. There is not a fill or dump station, please come prepared.
Cottonwood gets its name from the cottonwood trees that surround and provide shade for the facility nearby the Rio Grande. A general store and visitor center -- a converted former military outpost -- are also nearby.
The campground is at an elevation of 1,900 ft. (580 m). It is relatively cool in the peak seasons of fall and winter due to cold air sinking into the lower elevations. In the spring and summer, this campground is very hot, with temperatures normally exceeding 100° F (38° C) from mid-March through August.
Recreation
Particularly popular with bird watchers, Cottonwood Campground is a haven for those wishing to study the abundant bird life in Big Bend while also escaping the more crowded areas in the park. Because of its diverse ecosystems and plant life, the park provides habitats for many rare and unique birds , including the Mexican mallard, Lucifer hummingbird, Mexican jay, black-capped and gray vireos, and Varied Bunting.
Hiking trails are located around the campground.
Facilities
The campground has pit (vault) toilets, potable water, picnic tables, bear boxes, and grills. There are no hook-ups or fill and dump stations, and the use of generators is not allowed.
The group campsite is a walk-in, tent-only site; no RVs or trailers are allowed. Vehicle parking is restricted to an adjacent parking area, a short walk from the campsite itself.
The individual sites are all similar. Each site has a bear box, picnic table, and raised grill. All have dirt/gravel parking spaces and most are well-shaded with some afternoon/evening sun. The individual sites are on a 2-week reservation window, which means you can make the reservation no more than 2 weeks in advance of your arrival.
Natural Features
The national park is named for a curve in the Rio Grande called the "big bend." For 1,250 miles (2011 km), the river is an International Boundary between the United States and Mexico.
Due to its proximity to water, many species of birds are in the Cottonwood area, including nesting migratory birds. Santa Elena Canyon is a beautiful river canyon that can be seen from the campground area.
Getting there
From Interstate 10, take State Highway 385 south to Fort Stockton and into Marathon. From Marathon, drive 40 miles (64 km) south on State Highway 385 to the north entrance of Big Bend National Park. Drive straight for 26 miles (42 km) to Park Headquarters at Panther Junction. Turn right at the intersection and go 13 miles (21 km) west. Take a left at the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive and drive 23 miles (37 km) to Cottonwood Campground. GPS Warning: GPS units may send you down Old Maverick Road, an unpaved, very rough road. Do not take Old Maverick Road unless you have a four wheel drive and high clearance vehicle.
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
Photo gallery
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX)?
Reservations for Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX) are made through Recreation.gov. 98.1% of tracked site-nights are not currently open for online reservation; 99 of 5,307 remain open. Pick a site on the map to see its calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this campground for me?
No. Campsite Sniper sends alerts and direct Recreation.gov links. It never books, pays for, holds, hoards, or resells reservations.
How current is this availability data?
Campsite Sniper re-checks public Recreation.gov availability for this facility every hour and republishes whenever anything changes. This facility's data last changed at Sep 18, 2026 17:19 UTC; an older timestamp means nothing has changed since that time, not that checking stopped. Always confirm final availability on Recreation.gov when you book.
Can I get a multi-night stay at Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX)?
5 three-night openings are showing, counting only runs where the SAME site is free for all three nights. The soonest starts Nov 1 at site A. Confirm and book on Recreation.gov.
Which sites at Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX) fit a 35-foot RV?
7 of the 29 sites that support RV analysis have a recorded maximum of 35 ft or more; the longest recorded is 40 ft. 28 of those 29 sites have a recorded maximum length and 1 does not; it is not counted as fitting.
Which month has the most availability at Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX)?
January 2027, with 31 open site-nights in the current snapshot of 899.
When is the next open date at Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX)?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Sun, Nov 1 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Nov 13. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
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We run paced availability checks for Cottonwood (Big Bend, TX). One watch covers every matching site.
When a match opens, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.