Cottonwood Canyon State Park

Rustic Cabins

4 rustic cabins (2 pet-friendly) are open year-round by reservation only

• Nearest restroom: ADA restroom with flush toilets and showers

Do the cabins at have heat or air-conditioning?

Yes, the cabins have both heat in the winter, and air-conditioning in the summer. They are insullated for year-round stays.

What are the amenities in the cabins?

The cabins are "rustic-style." They feature 2 rooms: a bedroom and a sitting room. The bedroom contains 2 bunk beds (4 twins) and a full-sized bed. The sitting room has a futon for addional sleeping. Each bed has a mattress. You'll need to bring your own bedding. They do not have a kitchen or bathroom. Flush restrooms and hot showers are a short walking distance away. (Bring a flashlight for night walks as the park has minimally lit walkways to support our International Dark Sky Certification.) The sitting room has a table with 4 chairs, some storage shelving, and a mini-fridge. They have electricity and wall outlets. No cooking is allowed inside the cabins. Outside the cabin is a sitting porch and cement patio with a fire ring (Fires are banned June through October). Potable Water is available year-round from a nearby frost-free spigot. Parking is not directly at the cabin. These are walk-in cabins. We provide wagons for hauling in your camping gear from the parking area to the cabin.

Hiking

The Pinnacles Trail and the Lost Corral Trail, each 4.3 miles one way, follow either side of the John Day River downstream. The Lost Corral Trail, leaving from JS Burres, is open to both hikers, bikers and equestrians. The Pinnacles Trail, leaving from the end of the campground, is open to bikers and hikers.

Upstream, the Hard Stone Trail is open to foot traffic only. Or, you can strike out on your own along old, unmaintained ranching roads that lead into the back country. The J.S. Burres day-use area is a popular boat launch for rafts, kayaks, canoes and drift boats.

Where can I find John Day River Boating information?

John Day River maps and other boating resources are available through the Bureau of Land Management website.

The John Day River Recreation Guide is a web-based, printable PDF which includes maps and recreation information about the lower John Day River basin from the small community of Kimberly, located at the confluence of the John Day River and the North Fork John Day River, down to Tumwater Falls, an impassable waterfall located just upstream from the John Day arm of the Columbia River.

An online permit is required to boat between Service Creek and Tumwater Falls and is available on Recreation.gov.

I have a boat with a motor. Can I use it at Cottonwood?

The John Day River is closed to motorized watercraft year-round between Clarno and Cottonwood Bridge and is closed seasonally from May 1 to September 30 between Cottonwood Bridge and Tumwater Falls. The river is closed to personal watercraft (jet skis) year-round upstream of Tumwater Falls.

Is fishing allowed in the John Day River?

Yes, fishing is allowed per regulations set by the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife

Accessible amenities: Hot Shower, Vault Toilets, Restrooms Flush, Camping, Picnicking, Cabin

Know Before You Go

Campfires are typically prohibited during the summer months.

Cottonwood Canyon is remote, rugged and deliberately undeveloped. A few basic steps can help you stay safe.

• Have a plan for your day, and tell somebody about it. There is no cell phone coverage anywhere in the park.
• Carry plenty of water—20 ounces per person, per hour for hiking in hot sun is recommended. Potable water is available only at the developed day-use area and in the campground.
• Rattlesnakes and cougars live here. Leave the snakes alone; they will not bite unless threatened. To avoid cougars, always hike in groups and make noise to announce your presence. Report any cougar sightings to park staff.
• Ticks are most active in spring and early summer and live in long grass and brush. The best defenses are vigilance and avoidance.