Cottonwood Campground

Cottonwood Campground is aptly named for the cottonwood trees that provide shade in the summer and a brilliant yellow canopy in the fall.

It is located at the mouth of Canyon de Chelly near the visitor center and the junction of the North and South Rim drives.

The campground provides an ideal basecamp for visiting the North and South Rim drives and hiking to White House Ruin.

Two group sites that accommodate 14 – 30 people must be reserved no more than 30 days before arrival. Visitors are not allowed in the canyon without a guide. A list of guiding services is available at the campground entrance station.

The Sacred Canyon Lodge, located next to the campground on the site of a trading post built in 1896, has a gift shop, cafeteria, and phones. Additional lodging, service stations, and grocery stores are available in the town of Chinle, less than two miles from the campground.

Amenities

• Drinking water
• Flush toilets
• Bathroom sinks
• Picnic tables
• Trash collection

Directions to Cottonwood Campground

From the Visitor Center: Turn right on Navajo Route 64; within a few hundred feet, turn right on Navajo Route 7 (South Rim Drive) and drive 0.25 mile; turn right and drive 0.3 mile to the campground entrance on the right.