Featured amenities
Available sites
21 total sitesAbout Carter Lake
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
Rates, Sites & Availability
21 Sites Available
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Site Details
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21 Sites Available
No available sites
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Reviews (213)
What Guests Are Saying
Carter Lake campground offers a clean, quiet, and well-managed environment with helpful hosts, making it a popular choice for families and experienced campers. Many enjoy the beautiful, private sites near the lake, great fishing opportunities, and well-maintained facilities, including bathrooms. However, some guests have reported issues with noise from neighboring campers and the need for better litter management, but overall, visitors appreciate the serene atmosphere and natural beauty of the area.
What Guests Are Saying
Carter Lake campground offers a clean, quiet, and well-managed environment with helpful hosts, making it a popular choice for families and experienced campers. Many enjoy the beautiful, private sites near the lake, great fishing opportunities, and well-maintained facilities, including bathrooms. However, some guests have reported issues with noise from neighboring campers and the need for better litter management, but overall, visitors appreciate the serene atmosphere and natural beauty of the area.
Review Summary
Jolene E
VerifiedJuly 28, 2023 • Stayed at: 07, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Campground and bathrooms were clean. Larry, the volunteer host was awesome. Site 7 was very very small, barely fit my super small dome tent. Absolutely no privacy between site 7 and 8.
Marrianne B
VerifiedJuly 10, 2023 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Very little cell coverage from TMobile and Verizon. TMobile could get some texts sometimes.
Sites are well maintained, but a lot of them are VERY short, check your length! There was one trailer and truck literally in the road because the didn't fit. Some very pretty lakeside sites for tent campers.
Marrianne B
VerifiedJuly 10, 2023 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Very little cell coverage from TMobile and Verizon. TMobile could get some texts sometimes.
Sites are well maintained, but a lot of them are VERY short, check your length! There was one trailer and truck literally in the road because the didn't fit. Some very pretty lakeside sites for tent campers.
Aaron L
VerifiedJuly 9, 2023 • Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
I have been camping here for over 30 years the campground is usually nice and peaceful this time a guy with a gas powered boat came in and one guy had a generator I wish these two things were not allowed at this camp.
Aaron L
VerifiedJuly 9, 2023 • Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
I have been camping here for over 30 years the campground is usually nice and peaceful this time a guy with a gas powered boat came in and one guy had a generator I wish these two things were not allowed at this camp.
Jana S
VerifiedJuly 7, 2023 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
I like the campground.
Jana S
VerifiedJuly 7, 2023 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
I like the campground.
Allison M
VerifiedJune 27, 2023 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Lovely as always at Carter Lake CG! Sites on the East side are quite private amongst thick foliage. Rhododendron are beautiful in May. Lake was chilly, but the kids don’t mind. Fun to paddle but the wind picks up by early afternoon. Beach is gorgeous sand, but smaller early in the season when the lake is full. Fellow campers are always friendly and respectful, good groups of families for the kids to play with. Camp host Larry is friendly, helpful and runs a chill, but orderly campground - no dogs off leash, clean bathrooms, etc. Our favorite spot on the Oregon Coast!
Allison M
VerifiedJune 27, 2023 • Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Lovely as always at Carter Lake CG! Sites on the East side are quite private amongst thick foliage. Rhododendron are beautiful in May. Lake was chilly, but the kids don’t mind. Fun to paddle but the wind picks up by early afternoon. Beach is gorgeous sand, but smaller early in the season when the lake is full. Fellow campers are always friendly and respectful, good groups of families for the kids to play with. Camp host Larry is friendly, helpful and runs a chill, but orderly campground - no dogs off leash, clean bathrooms, etc. Our favorite spot on the Oregon Coast!
laurie w
VerifiedJune 22, 2023 • Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Greatest spot on the central oregon coast.
Location & Directions for Carter Lake
Oregon Dunes Visitor Center, Reedsport, OR 97467 United States
Elevation: 16 ft
Getting There
From Florence, travel south on Highway 101 for about 10 mi. The entrance to Carter Lake Campground is on the west (right) side of Highway 101.
Highway access
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.
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.
Nearby Campgrounds
Last updated: October 20, 2026