Campsite AtlasCottonwood Recreation Area
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. 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.
Campsites
| group picnic area | 9 |
| Total | 9 |
Amenities & rules
Compiled from site-level records; individual sites vary. Confirm on Recreation.gov or with the managing office.
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.
Campgrounds nearby
Reservable2.9 miles away
Data source: Recreation.gov RIDB, retrieved August 30, 2026. The Campsite Atlas is an independent publication and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the Recreation.gov or any federal agency. Always confirm critical details on the official Recreation.gov page before you travel.