Discover Cottonwood

Cottonwood offers several ways to plan a stay: Old Town is known for historic sites, art, and performances, while Riverfront Park highlights the Verde River and a riparian woodland habitat. Annual events are another option. When planning your trip, it helps to distinguish between a focus on cultural history, activities by the river, and a specific event date.

Historic Old Town and Culture

The Cottonwood Historic Property Tour is a walking tour of several historic buildings in the Old Town area. It usually takes place as part of Walkin’ on Main in November; the 2026 date is expected to be November 14. Since this date is only expected, check the details for the relevant event before your trip. Historic Main Street invites you to browse. The Clemenceau Heritage Museum also has a specific connection to a historic building: it is housed in the original Clemenceau School.

The Old Town Center for the Arts hosts performances spanning music, theater, comedy, and the performing arts. Programs change, so if a particular show is important to your trip, check the schedule in advance. Old Town Cottonwood’s arts scene also includes local galleries, public murals, and live music venues. Alongside historic sites, performing and visual arts therefore offer other interests to consider when planning your trip.

Verde River, Park, and Disc Golf

Riverfront Park is Cottonwood’s largest day-use park and is located on the Verde River. The park is home to the Cottonwood Disc Golf Course, with 18 holes along the river through a lush riparian woodland. Two types of tee pads offer different ways to play: the shorter recreational tees are intended for casual players and families, while the longer ones are for more advanced players. If you’re planning to play disc golf, these details provide a concrete guide to which tee option may suit your group.

Another way to experience the river landscape is an easy-access trail through dense riparian woodland. It connects Old Town Cottonwood with Riverfront Park and the Verde River. This offers several distinct options: a walk through the historic district, a trail through the riparian woodland, or the holes of the disc golf course. These features can help you choose activities based on your interests without combining them into a single outing.

Events and Regional Wines

The Verde Valley Birding and Nature Festival takes place annually in April along the banks of the Verde River at Dead Horse Ranch State Park. The program includes guided birding tours, hikes, and workshops. If you’re planning to travel for the festival, keep in mind that April is its usual time of year and check the dates for that year’s event before making plans. Its focus on birding is clearly distinct from the historic tour in November.

The Verde Valley Wine Festival is also an annual event. It is jointly hosted by the Verde Valley Wine Consortium and the City of Cottonwood; dates vary from year to year. The festival brings together wineries, craft breweries, distilleries, food businesses, live music, and arts and crafts vendors. The participating vendors also change annually. Separately, tasting rooms in Old Town Cottonwood offer locally made wines from the region. This gives you different reasons to plan a trip: a set seasonal period for the birding festival, a date that varies each year for the wine festival, or a stay focused on Old Town and its culture.

Discover more destinations: Camp Verde, Jerome, Ash Fork, Prescott Valley, Clarkdale, Prescott, Seligman, Lake Montezuma

For the broader travel overview: Yavapai.