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
0
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 · Apr 15 – May 3, 2027 · of 9 monitored sites
Of the 171 tracked reservation dates (Apr 15 – May 3, 2027): 171 open for online reservation.
Where the open windows are
0% of tracked reservation dates are not currently open for online reservation. 171 of 171 remain open; here is where they are.
Load status
Apr 15 – May 3, 2027Not open online0%
Open reservation dates171 / 171
Reserved (of online inventory)0 / 171
Weekday openings90
Weekend openings81
Of the open reservation dates on mapped day-use units, 90 fall on weekdays and 81 on weekends (Fri–Sun).
Open dates by month
Apr 2027 – May 2027April holds the most room. 144 of 144 reservation dates are still open there.
Holiday windows — day use
Units open per date · of 9 day-use units| Window | Date | Units open | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Memorial Day | FRI May 28 | 0 | None open |
| SAT May 29 | 0 | None open | |
| SUN May 30 | 0 | None open | |
| MON May 31 | 0 | None open |
Memorial Day: no online availability on any tracked date.
Availability by day-use unit
Most open reservation dates · tracked window| Unit | Open reservation dates |
|---|---|
| 001 | 19 |
| 002 | 19 |
| 003 | 19 |
| 004 | 19 |
| 005 | 19 |
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.
Tracked window
CoverageCampsite Sniper's data for this facility starts Apr 15, 2027. That is about 164 days after the current snapshot was taken, so dates before Apr 15, 2027 are not covered by what Campsite Sniper tracks here — they are not known to be unavailable. The reservation dates shown on this page describe Apr 15, 2027 onwards only. Check Recreation.gov for earlier dates.
Reservation dates
171 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 001 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 002 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 003 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 004 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 005 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 006 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 007 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 008 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 more |
| 009 | 19 | 19 dates | Apr 15, 2027, Apr 16, 2027, Apr 17, 2027, Apr 18, 2027, Apr 19, 2027, Apr 20, 2027, Apr 21, 2027, Apr 22, 2027, Apr 23, 2027, Apr 24, 2027, Apr 25, 2027, Apr 26, 2027 +7 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: 171 of 171 tracked reservation dates are open (100%), 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 Nov 2, 2026 18:20 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?
April 2027, with 144 open reservation dates in the current snapshot of 144.
When is the next open date at Cottonwood Recreation Area?
Campsite Sniper cannot answer that from the current snapshot. The availability data held for Cottonwood Recreation Area begins Apr 15, 2027 — about 164 days after this snapshot was taken, so any earlier dates are outside what Campsite Sniper is tracking here rather than known to be unavailable. Check Recreation.gov for dates before Apr 15, 2027.
Let the app watch this shelter
Pick dates
Choose the reservation dates you want at Cottonwood Recreation Area.
Watch
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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.