Cottonwood Campground — Big Bend National Park Camping
in April
🏕️ 29 campsites📅 Book in November
Booking Cottonwood Campground — Big Bend National Park in April
Texas state parks open reservations exactly 5 months in advance at 8 a.m. Central — so for a April trip, the booking window opens in November. Popular weekends can disappear within minutes of the window opening. If your dates are already full, check the booking system directly for cancellations, or book a cabin or vacation rental nearby.
What to Expect in April
Peak spring: wildflowers, mild temperatures, and heavy demand. Reserve early.
Park Highlights
- ✓Shaded, quiet desert oasis near the Rio Grande
- ✓Minutes from Santa Elena Canyon and the Castolon Historic District
- ✓No generators allowed, so it stays especially quiet
- ✓One of the best birding campgrounds in the park
- ✓End of the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive
- ✓Dark skies away from any town
Tips
- →Come fully self-contained; there is no dump station or fill station and no generators are permitted
- →GPS may route you onto rough, unpaved Old Maverick Road, so follow the Ross Maxwell Scenic Drive instead unless you have four-wheel drive
- →Santa Elena Canyon is a short drive away and best hiked in the morning
- →Bring your binoculars, the cottonwoods draw a lot of birds
Booking Tip
Book Early or Go Cabin
Reservations for Cottonwood Campground — Big Bend National Park open exactly 5 months out at 8 a.m. Central. If April is already full, a cabin or vacation rental nearby is bookable today.
See Cabins Near Cottonwood Campground — Big Bend National Park →