Established Camping
South Shore Suttle Lake
Closed For the Season
This campground is closed for the season from September 18, 2023 through May 26, 2024.
Closed For the Season
This campground is closed for the season from September 18, 2023 through May 26, 2024.
About
National Forest
Deschutes National Forest
Overview
South Shore Campground is located along Suttle Lake, shaded by Douglas fir and Ponderosa pine. One section of the camp sits on the shoreline, while the other is nestled on a hillside. Most sites have lake views. The 3,400-foot elevation and the lake breezes make South Shore Campground a comfortable summertime destination.
Recreation
There is a boat launch available at this camp. Popular activities include power and non-motorized boating, sailing, water skiing and wind surfing. Anglers can fish for rainbow trout, kokanee salmon and brown trout, and there is a fish cleaning station on-site. Hikers and mountain bikers have access to the 3.2-mile Suttle Lake Shoreline Trail.
Facilities
Each site has a gravel parking spur, picnic table and campfire ring. Dump stations are dispersed through the campground. Drinking water and vault toilets are provided.
Natural Features
Nestled along the Cascade Mountains, the Deschutes National Forest is one of the most popular recreation forests in the Pacific Northwest. It offers a variety of landscapes, from fields of sagebrush and hay to old-growth forests and glacier-carved volcanic peaks. Suttle Lake is a natural lake formed by glaciers. It has a forested shoreline and offers views of nearby Mt. Washington.
Nearby Attractions
The town of Sisters is about 15 miles away, offering shopping and restaurants.
Charges & Cancellations
Once your reservation start date has begun, neither the Recreation.gov Contact Center nor the campground manager will be able to modify your reservation.
Fee Info
Day use fee of $5 charged at nearby Scout Lake by the USFS. Bring confirmation letter to the campground.
Location
South Shore Suttle Lake is located in Oregon
Directions
From Sisters, Oregon, take Highway 20/126 northwest for about 12 miles. Turn left onto Forest Service Road 2070 toward Suttle Lake Campgrounds. Travel just less than a half-mile to the South Shore entrance on the right.
Address
P.O. BOX 249
Sisters, OR 97759
Coordinates
44.4194444 N
121.7383333 W
Access
- Drive-InPark next to your site
- Boat-InSites accessible by watercraft.
Stay Connected
- WiFiUnknown
- VerizonGood
- AT&TUnknown
- T-MobileGood
Site Types
- Tent Sites
- RV Sites
- Standard (Tent/RV)
- Yurts
Features
For Campers
- Trash
- Picnic Table
- Phone Service
- Drinking Water
- Toilets
- Alcohol
- Pets
- Fires
For Vehicles
- Pull-Through Sites
- Big Rig Friendly
Dreamy
Loved this spot, it’s a little gem next to Sisters. There are some incredible sites available right on the water. Great for paddle boarding and kayaking. Super quiet/large site areas. Friendly hosts. Pit toilets/no showers.
Memorable
Camping at Suttle Lake was memorable. Some of the largest camping spots I’ve encountered, with ease to add additional nights due to first come availability. The 3 mile trail around the lake is flat and enjoyable. Rentable canoes and kayaks at the lodge!
Great Lake Access
This campground is a bit tough at the moment as it is all first-come first-served and sites fill up early in the week. There were also a number of sites that were being squatted on leading into the holiday (10 days after we were there). So empty sites with a few belongings and no people...while others were driving around hoping for an empty site. Easy trailer/RV parking, as it's just roadside above the site. A bit of a slope down, so don't forget your headlamp!
That aside, site 17 is fantastic. Right on the lake, huge, great access to the water as well as the trail to the lodge. Easy drive to the Tamolitch Falls/Blue Pool trailhead.
This lake allows motorized boats so it's not as peaceful as some others during the day. Road noise from highway 20 is very present 24 hours per day.
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Great Campground, Beautiful Lake
Very Large sites and plenty of room between individual sites. Vault bathrooms, docks and fish cleaning stations. Exactly what we needed to social distance. Highly recommended if you can find a spot. It pays to reserve well in advance.
Suttle Lake Serenity
This is a very pretty medium-sized lake. The sites are fairly large and well spaced, so you don't feel too cramped. There's an easy 4-mile trail around the lake, right at the water's edge most of the time.
We were attending the Sisters Folk Festival, so we were mostly at our site for sleeping and breakfast. It would be a good central point for exploring the Metolius River area and for hiking.
The campground was clean and generally well-maintained. A few drawbacks: There's no electricity for RVs, so several had generators coming on and off. There are also not clearly marked paths to the vault toilets, so you feel like you're walking through other people's sites. Our site was along the rim, so we had nobody walking through.
Overall, we had a nice experience.
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Fun and Quiet
This midsized Campground was awesome for everything we needed! It was quiet (except the highway slightly in the distance) and very dark. Stars were amazing!
Fun
Stayed here 20 years ago. Canoe around the lake and landed some fish.
Fun for kids!
Great spot for family camping! We had spot 13, right on the lake, but the sites are actually above the lake. There was a staircase down to the trail that goes around the whole lake. My kids and I biked around the lake on the trail (a little narrow in spots, would have been a better walk or run), which was beautiful. The sites are pretty close together, but still good sized. We could see and hear neighbors on both sides, and could hear some road noise from across the lake. All in all a nice place!
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Hot weather, cool lake
It's a great lake for fishing, skiing or just rolling around in a raft. Some spots are too close together with not enough brush between, so you're right on top of your neighbors. but the other ones are really good with lots of room for families. We normally get a spot right on the lake so we can tie the boat up there and just walk down and go. Make sure you take sunscreen and bug repellent.
Beautiful Place!
We have been going here for years, love it... it's great for family's and reunions as there is a big circle we call "the pit" where 7-8 trailers can group camp! There is water available, no electricity but hey, who needs it? With a view of the beautiful lake and an nice well kept trail which to walk around it, about 3miles and some change. First thing every morning after coffee!!
Suttle Lake
Great campground but you can hear the road no matter where you are camped.