Cottonwood Campground Oldman River

[monger]

Have any of you camped at Cottonwood? Do you have to have a reservation to camp there? Last minute change in plans has me searching for a new spot to take the family.

[dryfly]

Have any of you camped at Cottonwood? Do you have to have a reservation to camp there? Last minute change in plans has me searching for a new spot to take the family.

 

Monger: It is a great little spot. We camped there in 2003--during the fire. Shady and quiet. No power or water hookups. Clean concrete public toilets. 200 feet to the river. Bulls and rainbows. 20 minutes to the Crow. One+ hour to the Gap.

 

There are rarely more than one or two rigs in the c/g. Last Thursday there were about six rigs there. It will be a more crowded on the long weekend. (Duh! ) Not sure about reservations....here's a phone number...not sure if current.

http://www.canadianrooms.com/mem/44808.htm

 

This says no reservations....

http://gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca/sitefac.aspx?id=90#campground

 

Parks stuff...

http://gateway.cd.gov.ab.ca/searchparks.aspx

 

Clive

[monger]

Thanks Clive. We are heading out tomorrow night so I think we'll be OK to beat the masses. Looks like a good place to use as home base.

Cheers, Rob

[fisher26]

How does the OM tail water fish in terms of numbers, size, and consistency of fishing? I love fishing the crow for it's great scenery and nice rainbows, plus you have a good chance of catching lots of fish. Just curious if the OM tail water is any good.

[dryfly]

Rob:

 

What does your camping outfit look like?

 

We are headed to the trailer (N of Cowley) tomorrow and will be there till Sunday or so. I expect to fish at Cottonwood at least once--sort of depends on the Crow. It's a fun trip ... Fish Cottonwood...go to Pincher and get various: cigars, groceries, ice cream -- and do emails. The Shell has great ice cream. Get the small ice cream in a cup--huge portions if in a cup.

 

Fish are spotty at Cottonwood, but I found a cool pool of trout last week and landed several there. It's a half decent place to toss bull trout flies and SJW will tell you where to fish for those...upstream ...past the CW bridge. Oh oh. It's a secret ... I forgot.

 

Clive

[dryfly]

Fisher26..."consistency of fishing"

 

That's a great question. And the answer is: it is not consistent. It's fished quite well this past four weeks--especially when the water was very high--up to the banks. They were hugging the bank by the campground but have since moved elsewhere as the flows are (were) way down. I probably landed (what?) 15 fish in four, 2-hour tours...not great, but included 3 or 4 bows between 18 and 21 and one 22 bull.

 

It's at about 50cms today -- way down-- and so that could be good as you should be able to fish the N banks and work a lot of water with streamers or dries. It's not normally a spot where you will see consistent risers--but it happens. There's a ton of water way down past the day-use area too and all of the boulder run above the bridge.

 

 

Clive

[monger]

Clive, I have a white Safari and a 12ft Coleman tent trailer. Look for the German Shorthair Pointer straining to go find some pheasants/huns. It would be great to meet a wise old fly flinger like yourself.

Cheers, Rob

[lethfisher]

Is this the area below the dam? I am guessing Boulder Run is right below the dam and then is Cottonwood the park just down the river? I went there early season when it was still cold and it looked like a pretty decent campground.

[Pikebreath]

Is this the area below the dam? I am guessing Boulder Run is right below the dam and then is Cottonwood the park just down the river? I went there early season when it was still cold and it looked like a pretty decent campground.

 

 

Yes.... Yes..... And Yes, it is a nice campground!