3.5224 reviews
Price
$5/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
6 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
Price
$5/night
Booking
First-Come
Sites
6 campsites
Season
Year-round
Cell
Unknown
Pets
Very Pet Friendly
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Learn more about alerts →South Lake Dispersed Area
Northern edge of South Lake, Siuslaw National Forest, Oregon
Anglers with a small canoe or inflatable raft will get the most out of this place. The lake is regularly stocked with rainbow trout and reviewers report limiting out two days running. Grab a road-side drive-off site for more space and less noise than the lakefront spots.
No potable water on-site, cash or check only for the $5 fee, and the vault toilet turns foul during busy weekends. If you're arriving Friday of a holiday weekend without high-clearance and a printed map, the potholed access roads and unmarked trails will frustrate fast.
Reference information about South Lake Dispersed Area sourced from official USFS records and forestcamping.com. View official recreation.gov page →
<p>At an elevation of 2400 feet, this area offers dispersed camping along the northern edge of the lake. The lake is stocked periodically with rainbow trout. There is access for launching non-motorized boats. </p><p>A vault toilet is provided but no potable water. It is also the eastern <a href="https://fs.usda.gov/recarea/42711">trailhead of the Pioneer – Indian Trail</a>.</p>
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Summer brings the warmest and most reliable conditions, with daytime highs around 60–80°F and cool nights in the 40s–50s. Trails stay dry, the lake is fully accessible for fishing and boating, and long daylight hours make it easy to explore. Weekends see moderate use, but the dispersed setup keeps things quieter than developed campgrounds. Winter snow and ice can make access challenging. Spring and fall offer shoulder-season solitude, though expect mud on the access roads and cooler temperatures.
Warmest, most reliable season; lake fully accessible and fishing/boating peak in summer.
South Lake Dispersed Area provides limited amenities typical of a dispersed camping site. A vault toilet is available, but there is no potable water on-site. The area is described as a mix of dispersed camping with some basic structures like a bathroom, which some users appreciated for being clean and well-stocked with toilet paper ("a necessity up in the woods."). However, others found the bathrooms to be gross during high traffic periods. Picnic tables are available at this site, but there are no fire rings, potable water, or facilities for horses or pack animals. The campground operates as a pack-in, pack-out site.
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