Cottonwood Camp

Farm Description

Cottonwood Camp is a recreational commercial property cherished for decades by those who love to fly fish. Located 3 miles S.E. of Fort Smith, Montana and approximately 100 miles S.E. of Billings, Montana, it is the perfect haven for solitude while not far from the comforts of town. Cottonwood camp sits on over 17 lush acres of mature Cottonwood trees overlooking the beautiful Big Horn River valley below. This property features 14 rental cabins, 10 full service hookup RV sites, 10 partial service hookup RV sites, and several acres of traditional camping sites. In addition, there is a full retail fly shop, fly fishing guide service, drift boat rentals, and boat shuttle service. There is also a steel building with storage, workshop space, employee quarters, as well as commercial laundry equipment.

Fishing Opportunity

The Big Horn River is known as one of the premier trout fishing destinations as well as one of the finest tailwater fisheries in the Western U.S. Just below the Yellowtail Dam, trout number in the thousands of fish per mile. The Midge and Caddis fat Rainbows and Browns commonly exceed 20 and are considered nice fish for the Big Horn. Nymph fishing is generally excellent every month of the year. Mid spring to mid fall can produce mind boggling dry fly action on pods of hungry surface feeding trout that can number in the hundreds. Late fall through early spring can also be fantastic streamer fishing for the bigger cruising predator class Browns and Rainbows. The Bighorn River, from Yellowtail Dam to the confluence with the Yellowstone River, is roughly 80 miles long. Trout numbers are strongest in the upper stretch from the dam to the Two Leggins access some 40 miles below. From Two Leggins access downstream, trout numbers give way to Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Sauger, Cat fish, and monster class Brown trout over 10 lbs. The river below the Yellowtail Dam is only half of the story. Above the dam comprises Big Horn lake, around 72 miles of outdoor paradise where the principal gamefish are Northern Pike, Walleye, Smallmouth Bass, and Crappie. Casting a clouser minnow up against the sheer vertical cliffs can produce Smallmouth in the 2-3 lb class along side some of the most breathtaking scenery in all of North America. From boating, sight seeing, camping, and water sports, the recreation opportunities are truly endless.

Hunting Opportunity

The 80 miles of the Big Horn River flow through some of the most productive farm land in the region. Tens of thousands of irrigated and dry crop lands producing corn, barley, wheat, and sugar beets create incredible habitat and high calorie food sources for both upland birds and waterfowl. Pheasant, Sharptail Grouse, Hungarian Partridge, and Merriams Turkey abound in the river bottoms as well as the neighboring upland and prairie habitat. The Big Horn valley holds staggering numbers of waterfowl from October through the end of January as the free flowing, warm water river seldom ever freezes creating one of the largest wintering and staging areas for Mallards and Canada Geese in the entire Central Flyway.

The general region of South Eastern Montana also boasts some of the best big game hunting opportunity found anywhere in North America. Here Elk, Mule Deer, Whitetail Deer, and Antelope are found in copious numbers. The world record Elk was taken a few years ago in neighboring Powder River County on public land in the Custer National Forrest. Few areas in North America remain that provide the quality and diversity of big game, upland bird, waterfowl and world class fishing that are found within a mere 100 mile radius of Cottonwood Camp.