Cottonwood Road

Cottonwood Road is an off-pavement alternative to Highway 95, bypassing Council, Idaho. The road travels along good gravel roads and is accessed on the north from Highway 95 via Mill Creek Road and on the south directly from Highway 95. Cottonwood Road is a well-maintained, one-and-a-half to two-lane gravel road that is easy to drive with any vehicle. The major hazards are blind curves, moderate washboards, and dust when it’s dry. Most of the road is in deep forest with minimal views. Towards the southern part of the road, the trees open up some, and big views become possible. Much of this area was burned in past years, so the view sometimes includes dead, burned trees. Particularly in burned areas, it is possible for trees to fall across the road; you should be prepared to remove the down trees or turn around and go back the way you came in if the road is blocked. Dispersed camping is allowed along the public portions of the road, but care should be taken to avoid camping on private land along parts of the southern section of the road.