OutReserve

Carter Lake

Blue lake with sand and grass covered shore in foreground and conifer forest in background.
CARTER LAKE southside
CARTER LAKE Restrooms
Carter Lake entrance sign
CARTER LAKE information board

Featured amenities

Pet Friendly

About Carter Lake

Carter Lake Campground is a family favorite in the Oregon Dunes National Recreation Area. This campground is located on Carter Lake, perfect for fishing, swimming, and boating. The Carter Dunes Trailhead is located within the campground, and the Pacific coast is just a short drive away.

Number of accommodations: 21

Seasonal information

2026 (Current year)

2026 Season availability

Current season
Upcoming seasons
Past seasons
Closed periods
Jan
Feb
Mar
Apr
May
Jun
Jul
Aug
Sep
Oct
Nov
Dec
Currently open - May 1 to Sep 30

Campground Amenities

Most popular amenities

Pet friendly
Pets and Policies

Pets and Policies

  • Pet friendly
Missing information?

Rates, Sites & Availability

Select check-in and check-out dates to see real-time availability for each site.

21 Sites Available

Site
Price
🚐 02, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 04, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 05, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 06, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 07, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 08, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 09, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 10, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 11, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 12, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 13, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 15, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 16, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 17, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 18, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 19, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 21, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 22, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available
🚐 23, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE
No Hookups
Price not available

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.

Review Summary

4.1
176 reviews
5
51.1%
90
4
25.0%
44
3
11.4%
20
2
9.1%
16
1
3.4%
6

Allison M

Verified

June 27, 2023 Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

5

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

Verified

June 27, 2023 Stayed at: 14, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

5

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

Verified

June 22, 2023 Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

5

Greatest spot on the central oregon coast.

laurie w

Verified

June 22, 2023 Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

5

Greatest spot on the central oregon coast.

Marilyn H

Verified

June 21, 2023 Stayed at: 13, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

1

Site wasn’t available until after check in time & there was no available host. The host once available did not help & was not helpful.

Marilyn H

Verified

June 21, 2023 Stayed at: 13, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

1

Site wasn’t available until after check in time & there was no available host. The host once available did not help & was not helpful.

Loretta M

Verified

May 19, 2023 Stayed at: 09, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

3

Very little access to the lake. Best to use a kayak to fish.

Loretta M

Verified

May 19, 2023 Stayed at: 09, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

3

Very little access to the lake. Best to use a kayak to fish.

Les P

Verified

October 5, 2022 Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

5

Been a family favorite for decades

Les P

Verified

October 5, 2022 Stayed at: 20, Loop: AREA CARTER LAKE

5

Been a family favorite for decades

Location Carter Lake

Address:
Oregon Dunes Visitor Center
Reedsport, OR, 97467
United States

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.

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.

Nearby Campgrounds

Nearby destinations


Last updated: June 4, 2026

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