State Recreation Area

Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area

Cherry County, NebraskaAbout 237 acres
Status
Open (per official listing)
Entrance fee
Not posted
Day-use reservations
None mentioned
Dogs
Not stated — check with park
Camping
Yes
Official site
outdoornebraska.gov(308) 684-3428

Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current

Overview

Covering about 237 acres, Cottonwood Lake State Recreation Area lies in Cherry County, about 28 miles east of Gordon.

The park supports winter sports, boating, fishing, wildlife watching, and picnicking. On the water side, there is a boat ramp. Camping is available: campsites, including tent sites.

Camping

Campground or site typeSitesHookups / featuresPrice
Camping
Park-level flags from NGPC GIS; individual campgrounds and site counts not published in this source.
——
Camping details from the park

Camping: Yes. Site types: non-pad sites without electric, primitive camping only. Facilities in park: drinking water.

From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.

Things to do

CampingBoatingWinter sportsFishingPicnickingWildlife viewing and birding

Boating and paddling

Boating, Boat ramp, Boat dock, Water skiing

Fishing

Fishing

A state fishing license is usually required.

Amenities

Facilities

  • Restrooms
  • Vault or pit toilets
  • Drinking water
  • Picnic areas
  • Picnic shelters
  • Playground

Water

  • Boat ramp
  • Marina or boat slips

Camping

  • Tent camping

✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.

Getting there

Address
33850 US Highway 20
Merriman, NE 69218-0038
Nearest town
Gordon — about 28 mi east (straight line)
Coordinates
42.9144, -101.6757
Phone
(308) 684-3428
Email
Diane.Burress@nebraska.gov

Google Maps directionsApple Maps

Nearby state parks

Bowring Ranch State Historical Park
2.7 mi north (straight line)
Merritt Reservoir State Recreation Area
45.7 mi southeast (straight line)
Walgren Lake State Recreation Area
52 mi west (straight line)

Sources and freshness

“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology

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