Openings · last 7 days
0
01 · Detected Opening History · the openings record · file CS-234699
When Cottonwood Recreation Area reopens
Cottonwood Recreation Area's openings record: every site-date Campsite Sniper detected turning available, logged and time-stamped. Refreshed hourly.
Openings · last 30 days
1
Openings · last 90 days
1
Only 1 opening in the last 90 days: not enough recent activity for a reliable pattern. A free Campsite Sniper alert watches around the clock instead, and pings you the moment one opens.
02 · Availability Outlook · Sep 18 – Oct 11, 2026 · of 9 monitored sites
Of the 216 tracked reservation dates (Sep 18 – Oct 11, 2026): 152 open for online reservation · 38 reserved · 26 on sites not offered for online reservation (first-come, first-served or administrative).
Where the open windows are
29.6% of tracked reservation dates are not currently open for online reservation. 152 of 216 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Sep 18 – Oct 11, 2026Not open online29.6%
Open reservation dates152 / 216
Reserved (of online inventory)38 / 190
Weekday openings95
Weekend openings57
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 95 fall on weekdays and 57 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Sep 2026 – Oct 2026October holds the most room. 82 of 99 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 9 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Labor Day | SAT Sep 5 | 0 | None open |
| SUN Sep 6 | 0 | None open | |
| MON Sep 7 | 0 | None open |
Labor Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 003 | 20 |
| 001 | 19 |
| 009 | 19 |
| 002 | 16 |
| 004 | 16 |
The 5 day-use units with the most open reservation dates in the current snapshot. Pair a bookable date with a free alert to cover everything else.
Next windows
As of Sep 18, 2026 snapshotNext open dateTue · Sep 22
Next open weekendFri · Sep 25
The next bookable date is Sep 22; the first open weekend starts Sep 25. Campsite Sniper can watch later dates for you.
Reservation dates
152 available reservation dates across 9 day-use units at Cottonwood Recreation Area, from the same hourly snapshot as everything above.
All 9 day-use units with current availability
| Unit | Open reservation dates | Consecutive dates | Dates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 003 | 20 | 20 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 26, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3 +8 more |
| 001 | 19 | 15 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 4 +7 more |
| 009 | 19 | 15 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 4 +7 more |
| 002 | 16 | 6 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 3, Oct 5, Oct 6 +4 more |
| 004 | 16 | 6 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4, Oct 6, Oct 7 +4 more |
| 005 | 16 | 6 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4, Oct 6 +4 more |
| 006 | 16 | 6 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4, Oct 6 +4 more |
| 008 | 16 | 6 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 27, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 1, Oct 2, Oct 4, Oct 5 +4 more |
| 007 | 14 | 6 dates | Sep 22, Sep 23, Sep 24, Sep 25, Sep 28, Sep 29, Sep 30, Oct 2, Oct 4, Oct 5, Oct 6, Oct 7 +2 more |
About Cottonwood Recreation Area
Overview
Cottonwood Recreation Area is a day-use facility located in the tailwater area below Saylorville Dam. The 26,000-acre Saylorville Lake Project stretches over 50 miles up the Des Moines River Valley. The lake provides a wide variety of recreational activities, including boating, swimming, fishing, hiking and hunting.
Recreation
Visitors come to Saylorville Lake for its great boating, sailing, water skiing, windsurfing and swimming opportunities. Anglers fish for walleye, wiper, largemouth bass, catfish, crappie and northern pike.
The paved Neal Smith Trail winds 24 miles from Des Moines to Big Creek State Park and connects the campgrounds on the east side of the lake. It is designated as a National Recreation Trail and is used for biking, hiking, jogging, walking and in-line skating.
Facilities
The day-use area offers nine group picnic areas with water and electric hookups. Amenities include flush toilets, a volleyball court, playground and hiking trails.
Natural Features
Cottonwood covers a large open and flat lowland area bordering the east side of the Des Moines River.
Wildlife is abundant throughout the project. White-tailed deer, turkeys, pheasants, waterfowl, and other small game animals roam the lands around the lake.
9 monitored unitsDay use9 shadedWaterfrontRiverfrontPets OKMax party 250
Getting there
Utilize address 7400 NW 37th Street Ankeny IA 50023 (Not a valid mailing address). From I-35, take Exit 90 in Ankeny and head approxmately 3.5 miles west to NW 84th Ave. Turn Left on 84th Ave and head south apprximately 1.5 miles to Cottonwood Recreation Area on the right.
Saylorville Lake Administration Office, Johnston, IA 50131515-276-4656
BikingCampingFishingHikingWildlife Viewing
View on Recreation.gov ↗ Get directions ↗
03 · Field Photos · roll CS-234699 · facility + sites
Photo gallery
Roll CS-234699 · Cottonwood Recreation Area · Johnston IA12 frames · facility + sites
FAQ
How do I get a reservation at Cottonwood Recreation Area?
Reservations for Cottonwood Recreation Area are made through Recreation.gov. The current snapshot shows substantial availability: 152 of 216 tracked reservation dates are open (70.4%), though availability can change. Campsite Sniper has also detected 1 site opening here in the last 90 days, so further dates may appear. Pick the unit on the map to see its reservation calendar, or set a free Campsite Sniper alert. You complete the reservation yourself on Recreation.gov.
Does Campsite Sniper book this facility 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 13:18 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.
How often do new openings appear at Cottonwood Recreation Area?
Campsite Sniper detected 1 site-date opening here over the last 90 days, none in the last 7. A free alert watches around the clock and pings you the moment one appears.
Which month has the most availability at Cottonwood Recreation Area?
October 2026, with 82 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 99.
When is the next open date at Cottonwood Recreation Area?
As of the Sep 18, 2026 snapshot: the next open date is Tue, Sep 22 and the next open weekend starts Fri, Sep 25. Detected openings can add earlier dates at any time; a free Campsite Sniper alert catches those the moment they appear.
Let the app watch this shelter
Pick dates
Choose the reservation dates you want at Cottonwood Recreation Area.
Watch
Campsite Sniper can monitor this facility and notify you if a selected date becomes available.
Get the ping
When a selected date becomes available, you get a push with a Recreation.gov link so you can review and book it yourself.