Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
About Carter Lake
Number of accommodations: 21
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
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Rates, Sites & Availability
21 Sites Available
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Site Details
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21 Sites Available
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Reviews (176)
What Guests Are Saying
Carter Lake is a pleasant and quiet campground with spacious sites, clean bathrooms, and friendly hosts. Visitors appreciate the beautiful lake access for activities like kayaking, as well as the hiking trails leading to nearby dunes. While some sites may have mobility challenges and the beach access could be improved, many guests express a desire to return due to the overall enjoyable experience.
What Guests Are Saying
Carter Lake is a pleasant and quiet campground with spacious sites, clean bathrooms, and friendly hosts. Visitors appreciate the beautiful lake access for activities like kayaking, as well as the hiking trails leading to nearby dunes. While some sites may have mobility challenges and the beach access could be improved, many guests express a desire to return due to the overall enjoyable experience.
Review Summary
Misty R
VerifiedJuly 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
I travel all over at the Pacific Northwest annually and this has been my favorite campsite by far. The host was super friendly and even though the campsites are not very far apart they are very private and everything is within a two second walk to the lake it was absolutely wonderful! I try to visit new places but I will definitely be back to Carter Lake. 🤍🤍🤍
Melissa O
VerifiedJuly 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 16, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Wonderful small campground right on little Carter Lake. We had spot 16 with a nice area for our tent, a lake view, and direct access to the lake, which was great for our kayaks. We also enjoyed the trail to the beach. There was some road noise, but overall very peaceful.
Misty R
VerifiedJuly 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
I travel all over at the Pacific Northwest annually and this has been my favorite campsite by far. The host was super friendly and even though the campsites are not very far apart they are very private and everything is within a two second walk to the lake it was absolutely wonderful! I try to visit new places but I will definitely be back to Carter Lake. 🤍🤍🤍
Melissa O
VerifiedJuly 5, 2022 • Stayed at: 16, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Wonderful small campground right on little Carter Lake. We had spot 16 with a nice area for our tent, a lake view, and direct access to the lake, which was great for our kayaks. We also enjoyed the trail to the beach. There was some road noise, but overall very peaceful.
Natalie N
VerifiedSeptember 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
We were in site 12. Super nice, lots of trees - so pretty much completely shaded and a great amount of privacy. Most spots here seem to be very small and good for a pup tent. Ours fit our large tent. Close to the lake which was beautiful. Very uncrowded. We were usually the only ones at the lake. A trail from the campsite leads through woods and dunes and woods and dunes and then opens up onto the ocean beach. Again, we were the only ones there! So many little rocks and shells and it was a long stretch of beach so we could walk for quite a ways. Very ideal. It was a really great camping trip.
I’d say spots 19 and 21 would be great for a couple of families traveling together. They both have lots of trees and privacy and have a path that connects both sites. Really great place for kids to run around and play. Highly recommend! :)
Shawn W
VerifiedSeptember 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 13, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Absolutely great we were in #13. Secluded, quiet and clean. The only problem is there are some steep steps and I am disabled. It hard to go up and as steps really need repair and not be so high. But my husband carried everything down and me and my little dog Bella just went slow.🤗
Natalie N
VerifiedSeptember 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 12, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
We were in site 12. Super nice, lots of trees - so pretty much completely shaded and a great amount of privacy. Most spots here seem to be very small and good for a pup tent. Ours fit our large tent. Close to the lake which was beautiful. Very uncrowded. We were usually the only ones at the lake. A trail from the campsite leads through woods and dunes and woods and dunes and then opens up onto the ocean beach. Again, we were the only ones there! So many little rocks and shells and it was a long stretch of beach so we could walk for quite a ways. Very ideal. It was a really great camping trip.
I’d say spots 19 and 21 would be great for a couple of families traveling together. They both have lots of trees and privacy and have a path that connects both sites. Really great place for kids to run around and play. Highly recommend! :)
Shawn W
VerifiedSeptember 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 13, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Absolutely great we were in #13. Secluded, quiet and clean. The only problem is there are some steep steps and I am disabled. It hard to go up and as steps really need repair and not be so high. But my husband carried everything down and me and my little dog Bella just went slow.🤗
Lillian O
VerifiedSeptember 8, 2021 • Stayed at: 04, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Excellent campground. The campsites are all well situated. The restroom was extremely clean as was the entire campground. The trail over the dunes to the beach was easily accessed at multiple points in the campground. The trail was lovely, good for adults and children and the beach was beautiful. The water level for Carter Lake was significantly lower than previous years so our plans for boating had to be changed. Kayaking would still be enjoyable but limited in distance. If the lake had been full this would be a five star campground.
laura w
VerifiedSeptember 8, 2021 • Stayed at: 21, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Great quiet place
Location Carter Lake
Address:
Oregon Dunes Visitor Center
Reedsport, OR, 97467
United States
From Florence, travel south on Highway 101 for about 10 miles. The entrance to Carter Lake Campground is on the west (right) side of Highway 101.
Carter Lake Campground is accessible from Highway 101, which runs approximately 10 miles north from Florence. The campground entrance is located on the west side of Highway 101.
Latitude & Longitude: 43.8567 / -124.146
Elevation: 16 feet
Policies & Rules
General
- Guidelines for a safe visit to the Siuslaw National Forest The Siuslaw’s campgrounds, day use areas, and trails continue to be open for public enjoyment. While you are visiting the Forest, please adhere to the following guidelines. These guidelines will help ensure a safe and healthy visit for you and your family, our employees and volunteers, and other visitors: Please keep in mind that restrooms are generally cleaned and disinfected at least once daily at the more popular campgrounds and day use sites, and once to three times a week at other sites. Be prepared to provide your own soap, sanitizer, or disinfectant. If no trash receptacle is provided, please protect your public lands by packing out your waste and trash. For more information on COVID-19 in Oregon, please visit: https://govstatus.egov.com/OR-OHA-COVID-19
- There is a 14-day in 30 rolling days camping limit on the Siuslaw National Forest. The 14 days does not have to be consecutive. The 14-day limit covers the entire Siuslaw National Forest and not just this campground as shown in the Rules Section. This means you cannot go to other campgrounds on the Siuslaw National Forest after reaching the 14-day limit.
- Forest Service-operated campsites on the Siuslaw National Forest are currently available by online reservation only.Visitors can make reservations online through this website (preferred), or via phone by calling the recreation.gov phone line at 877-444-6777. If you call this number, please be prepared for longer-than-usual wait times. Please note that the Siuslaw National Forest does not have any control over the recreation.gov phone line, so we ask you to please prepare by making reservations well in advance.
- Sites must occupied within first 24 hours of arrival time. Otherwise unoccupied sites will be considered a "no-show" and will be released.
- No off-road vehicle use allowed in campground
- For more information on Siuslaw National Forest, click here
- Don't Move Firewood: Please protect Pacific Northwest forests by preventing the spread of invasive species. Firewood can carry insects and diseases that can threaten the health of our western forests. You can make a difference by obtaining and burning your firewood near your camping destination. Visit Dontmovefirewood.org for further information.
- Two vehicle maximum per site.
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Last updated: June 4, 2026
