Flandrau State Park Cottonwood Group Center

About

The Cottonwood Group Center at Flandrau State Park offers a unique group camping experience in a historic facility with fascinating origins. Built as a Works Progress Administration camp in the 1930s, the site later served as a German prisoner-of-war camp during World War II and remains one of the few such camps still maintained in the country. Today it provides comprehensive accommodations for groups seeking a rustic yet comfortable retreat. The facility features eight bunkhouses, each with electricity and sleeping capacity for 12-14 people in a combination of single and bunk beds. The spacious dining hall includes a commercial kitchen equipped with two ovens, six-burner stove, griddle, walk-in cooler, upright freezer, and commercial dishwasher, with seating for 96 guests. Two shower buildings provide flush toilets and showers. Outdoor amenities include a fire ring, picnic tables, volleyball court, and cornhole. Reservations must be made directly through the park office at 507-233-1260, as this facility cannot be booked through the standard Minnesota state park reservation system. Check-in is at 4 p.m. and checkout at 11 a.m., with a mandatory cleaning inspection required before departure.

Directions

Located at 14316 215 Street, New Ulm, MN 56073. The group center is situated in a secluded wooded valley within Flandrau State Park, just minutes from downtown New Ulm.