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
Michael N
VerifiedJune 17, 2021 • Stayed at: 05, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No amenities, far from the ocean, nothing to do.
Michael N
VerifiedJune 17, 2021 • Stayed at: 05, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No amenities, far from the ocean, nothing to do.
DOROTHY K
VerifiedJune 10, 2021 • Stayed at: 08, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Carter Lake campground is a perfect hub base camp for indulging in the many area activities . The small lake has a sandy beach perfect for sunning, and swimming for the family. The lake is stocked so great for early morning fishing. Located just a few miles north of Lake Takhenitch for a long paddle and south of Siltcoos recreation area. There is a dunes walk that goes to the ocean from the campground. It is about 11 miles south of Florence so you can go into town for a meal or all trpes of shopping. It is a smaller campground with no hookups and most sites are not suitable for larger RVs or those with trailers. At 22 feet my camper fits anywhere, but if you are significantly larger some campsites might be problematic.
DOROTHY K
VerifiedJune 10, 2021 • Stayed at: 08, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Carter Lake campground is a perfect hub base camp for indulging in the many area activities . The small lake has a sandy beach perfect for sunning, and swimming for the family. The lake is stocked so great for early morning fishing. Located just a few miles north of Lake Takhenitch for a long paddle and south of Siltcoos recreation area. There is a dunes walk that goes to the ocean from the campground. It is about 11 miles south of Florence so you can go into town for a meal or all trpes of shopping. It is a smaller campground with no hookups and most sites are not suitable for larger RVs or those with trailers. At 22 feet my camper fits anywhere, but if you are significantly larger some campsites might be problematic.
Kathi J
VerifiedJune 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 04, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Too isolated for me. No cell service at all. Road into campground full of potholes.
Kathi J
VerifiedJune 9, 2021 • Stayed at: 04, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Too isolated for me. No cell service at all. Road into campground full of potholes.
Amber H
VerifiedJune 7, 2021 • Stayed at: 08, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
The campground is perfect bc there’s not that many sites. We stayed in site 8 and bc it’s the last one before the lake I personally think it was the best. Quiet, hammock trees. Partial sun, partial shade, great time.
There’s bees around the lake. Be warned
Amber H
VerifiedJune 7, 2021 • Stayed at: 08, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
The campground is perfect bc there’s not that many sites. We stayed in site 8 and bc it’s the last one before the lake I personally think it was the best. Quiet, hammock trees. Partial sun, partial shade, great time.
There’s bees around the lake. Be warned
Daniel L
VerifiedSeptember 26, 2020 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
The campground was mostly empty when we got there everyone was headed home from Labor day weekend. The hike around the lake was very nice. I watched Osprey fishing out of their nest. Very peaceful and quiet even though the highway was nearby.
Daniel L
VerifiedSeptember 26, 2020 • Stayed at: 06, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
The campground was mostly empty when we got there everyone was headed home from Labor day weekend. The hike around the lake was very nice. I watched Osprey fishing out of their nest. Very peaceful and quiet even though the highway was nearby.
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
