Featured amenities
Pet Friendly
Available sites
21 total sites
RV Sites
About Carter Lake
Seasonal information
2026 Season availability
Campground Amenities
Most popular amenities
Pet friendly
Pets and Policies
- Pet friendly
Rates, Sites & Availability
21 Sites Available
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Site Details
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21 Sites Available
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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
Ted W
VerifiedAugust 27, 2021 • Stayed at: 18, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
It would be great to have better info about sites. Mine was down a hill away from my car and not level. Also way to close to the adjacent site.
Ted W
VerifiedAugust 27, 2021 • Stayed at: 18, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
It would be great to have better info about sites. Mine was down a hill away from my car and not level. Also way to close to the adjacent site.
Margaret F
VerifiedSeptember 2, 2021 • Stayed at: 23, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
This was a sweet, quiet place to camp in a great area along the coast. It's much closer to the ocean than many other campgrounds--just a short (1 mi) easy hike to a gorgeous stretch of sand and surf. The lake itself is small and we didn't go in it--we mostly used this as a place to eat breakfast and sleep while we enjoyed the nearby things to do (dune buggies, ATVs, lighthouses, kite flying, hiking, mini golf, etc.). We stayed an extra night at Honeyman Campground, and I MUCH preferred the smaller Carter Lake CG. The volunteer host was very nice (and so was his cat, Bella!).
Margaret F
VerifiedSeptember 2, 2021 • Stayed at: 23, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
This was a sweet, quiet place to camp in a great area along the coast. It's much closer to the ocean than many other campgrounds--just a short (1 mi) easy hike to a gorgeous stretch of sand and surf. The lake itself is small and we didn't go in it--we mostly used this as a place to eat breakfast and sleep while we enjoyed the nearby things to do (dune buggies, ATVs, lighthouses, kite flying, hiking, mini golf, etc.). We stayed an extra night at Honeyman Campground, and I MUCH preferred the smaller Carter Lake CG. The volunteer host was very nice (and so was his cat, Bella!).
laura w
VerifiedSeptember 8, 2021 • Stayed at: 21, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
Great quiet place
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
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.
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! :)
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
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Explore Reedsport, OR
Population: 4,317
Nearby city: Eugene, OR
Approx. 54 mi away (straight-line distance)
Elevation: 33 ft
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