Cottonwood Canyon State Park Introduce
Escape to the natural beauty of Cottonwood Canyon State Park, a notable destination within the Campgrounds & RV Parks category, located in Wasco, OR 97065, USA. This state park provides a fantastic setting for camping and outdoor activities, appealing to both RV enthusiasts and tent campers seeking a tranquil experience.
The environment at Cottonwood Canyon State Park is characterized by newer, well-cared-for campsites that offer easy access to the river. While the park emphasizes a more natural camping experience with no fancy hookups, it does provide the essential convenience of on-site drinking water for visitors.
A significant feature of Cottonwood Canyon State Park is its designation as a registered dark place, making it an ideal location for stargazing. However, as one visitor noted, the brilliance of the moon can sometimes impact the visibility of stars. The park also offers excellent trails that are suitable for both hiking and bike riding, allowing visitors to explore the scenic landscapes.
For those looking to freshen up after outdoor activities, the park provides wonderful shower facilities. While river access is available, visitors should come prepared with any necessary water equipment to fully enjoy activities on the water.
It's important to be aware of the presence of ticks in the area, even in the early season when overnight frosts may occur. Visitors, especially those with pets and children, should take precautions such as checking thoroughly for ticks and carrying a tick key for easy removal.
For larger groups, the park offers a group camping area with ample space. Overall, Cottonwood Canyon State Park is praised for being a great spot that offers a quiet and immersive natural experience, prompting many visitors to plan a return trip.
For more information or to make inquiries, please contact Cottonwood Canyon State Park at (800) 551-6949 or mobile phone +1 800-551-6949.
Location
Customer Reviews
Well cared for newer sites with easy access to the river. There is drinking water available on-site which is very handy. The only down side are the ticks. Even in early season (it still frosted overnight) we found ticks on the dogs. It's not a huge deal since our animals are treated. Make sure you check your kids thoroughly at the end of each day and carry a tick key for easy removal. The group camp at the end has lots of space.
We went camping there for the first time this year and it was amazing! Just a great spot. No hookups or anything fancy but it was quiet and a registered dark place for star gazing. Unfortunately the moon was so bright that we couldn’t see any stars!! The showers are wonderful! The trails are great for hiking or bike riding. Unfortunately we didn’t bring any of our water stuff so we didn’t go in the river. But we had a great time anyway!! We will definitely be back!
Day Use Area... We thoroughly enjoy the day-use area and the hiking/biking trails within this state park. We have not camped here as of yet. I love exploring the homestead buildings that are in the day-use area and having access to the John Day River. An interpretive center is on-site. They have log chairs where you can sit and take in the beauty from a covered porch. There are snippets of information throughout the park that describe the challenges of homesteading in this canyon. Very well done. Make certain and wear good soled shoes when walking around the park. There are a variety of wicked hard thorns that become embedded in your shoes. They also puncture bike tires and go through a flip-flop. I've heard rumors of ticks and rattle snakes but have not encountered them. Nonetheless, use caution.
Our favorite to take out little one, a dog and chill and hit the trails. Never disappoints.
Very well maintained, clean restrooms, and a large off leash dog area. Great trails along the John Day for fishing and wildlife photography.
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