HomeSouth DakotaVermillion › Cotton Park

Cotton Park

4.4 ★★★★☆ 89 Google reviews · Running trail in Vermillion, South Dakota · Open 24 hours

Runner's snapshot

Surface
Not reported
Distance
Not reported
Shape
Not reported
Shade
Not reported
Access
Open 24 hours

Confirmed from Cotton Park's own listing, the park or land manager's website, and runner reviews. Blank cells mean we could not verify that fact — we would rather say "not reported" than invent one. There is no Easy / Moderate / Hard rating on this page on purpose: a one-word difficulty score tells you nothing about whether a trail suits your run. Surface, distance, shade and hours do.

Open 24hDog-friendlyRestroomsWaterQuiet

Public park with a playground, picnic areas, disc-golf course, dog park, and trails.

What runners say about Cotton Park

Pulled from public reviews of this trail (89 of them) — the things people bring up again and again, in their own words. Nothing here is written by us.

well-maintained 3 mentions

“Please use them and clean up your pets messes to greatly reduce the chance of diseases and parasites.”

🌾 quiet & peaceful 4 mentions

“Nice calm place to talk a walk and relax.”

Very good for evening walking with pets & there is a ground for pets. Very peaceful place for relax.

★★★★★ — Yohi , Jul 2022

Such a nice trail and pretty area to check out. Some fun graffiti spots.

★★★★★ — Sharon , Jun 2022

Lot's of fun! One swing, nature paths and a curvy slide I had fun on❤️

★★★★☆ — Barbara , May 2022

Awesome park with a paved trail system that is, sadly, getting smaller every time there's a flood. Sidewalk that used to span multiple miles of the Vermillion River is now partially *in* the Vermillion River.

★★★★☆ — Snails , May 2025

Excerpts from public Google reviews. Read all 89 reviews →

Trail conditions & character

What this trail is actually like underfoot and overhead, taken from its own listing and from reviews. Each one links to every other trail with the same character. Busy or quiet is reported as a plain fact, not a plus or a minus — a runner heading out alone at dawn often wants company on the path, and someone running intervals wants an empty one.

🐕 Dog-friendly 4 mentions

“Disc Golf, as well as dog park, watering fountain, and newly updated shelter and tables!”

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🚻 Restrooms 3 mentions

“The bathrooms never seem to be clean.”

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🤫 Quiet / uncrowded 3 mentions

“Very peaceful place for relax.”

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🚰 Water fountains

“It could use better lighting, and the drinking fountain does leak and make mud for messy pups.”

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Plan your run at Cotton Park

The practical stuff

  • AccessOpen 24 hours — no gate to beat, so a 5am or a 10pm run both work
  • DistanceNot reported. Trail systems often quote total path mileage rather than a single loop, so measure the route you actually want before you drive out.
  • ShadeNot reported. Assume some of it is exposed and carry water in summer.
  • At the trailheadrestrooms, water — reported by runners
  • DogsWelcome, per reviewers. Leash rules vary by park — the trailhead sign is the authority.
  • Websitevermillion.us
  • Phone+1 605-677-7064

Hours

Monday Open 24 hours
Tuesday Open 24 hours
Wednesday Open 24 hours
Thursday Open 24 hours
Friday Open 24 hours
Saturday Open 24 hours
Sunday Open 24 hours

Posted hours for the park or trailhead. Gates and parking lots often close earlier than the trail itself, and seasonal hours change — worth a check before a pre-dawn or after-dark run.

Where to find Cotton Park

S Dakota St, Vermillion, SD 57069

Get directions

Running trails near Vermillion

Other trails within easy driving distance — useful when this one is flooded, gated, or just not the run you had in mind today.

Barstow Park

4.5 ★★★★★ 79 reviews

Vermillion, SD

Lit

Recreational park featuring a playground, picnic tables, and facilities for baseball, disc golf, and camping.

under a mile away

North Alabama Bend Wildlife Area

4.3 ★★★★☆ 3 reviews

Vermillion, SD

1.6 miles away

Clay County Park

4.6 ★★★★★ 188 reviews

Vermillion, SD

ShadedScenicDog-friendly

Scenic 44-site campground near the Missouri River featuring tent and RV spots, plus a playground.

3.8 miles away

Spirit Mound State Historic Prairie

4.7 ★★★★★ 193 reviews

Vermillion, SD

10 miCrushed gravelLitScenic

State park noted for a short trail up a hill offering 360-degree views of the flat prairie.

6.6 miles away

23.8 miles away

Riverside Park

4.7 ★★★★★ 292 reviews

Yankton, SD

Scenic

Riverside park featuring a playground, a ball field, picnic shelters and grassy areas.

24.0 miles away

All running trails in Vermillion, SD →

Nearby towns

Listing verified July 2026 from public records, the trail's own website and runner reviews. Trail conditions change — paths flood, gates close at dusk, and shaded woods stay muddy for days after rain. Something out of date? Report a correction. Manage this trail? Send us the details — it is free.