D
Duane H.
Guide
GuideArmitage Park & Campground - a Lane County Park
Great stay
Second time here. Full hook ups, very good showers, laundry, all you need. Nice level paved sites that have plenty of space and a nice staff.
Camping near Mapleton, OR
179 campgrounds · Check availability for any dates.
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Camping near Mapleton, Oregon spans developed campgrounds and primitive sites throughout the Siuslaw River valley, with options ranging from tent camping and RV sites to cabins and yurts. Archie Knowles Campground, operated by Lane County Parks, features nine sites along Knowles Creek, while Whittaker Creek Recreation Site offers approximately 30 campsites where Whittaker Creek meets the Siuslaw River. Most developed campgrounds in the region sit between the coastal mountains and the Pacific Ocean, creating easy access to both forest recreation and beach activities.
Seasonal considerations affect campground availability, with many sites open primarily from May through September. Whittaker Creek Recreation Site operates from May 22 to September 8, offering fishing access and creek swimming during warm months. Road conditions vary throughout the region, with some campgrounds accessible via paved roads while others require navigating forest service roads. Cell service remains limited or non-existent in many camping areas, particularly those in canyon bottoms or surrounded by dense forest. Highway noise impacts some locations, especially Archie Knowles Campground. A review noted, "This campground is finally reopened after being closed for a few years. It is a beautiful setting and they have been restoring the riparian zone surrounding the creek/river. Unfortunately, the road is very loud and the main route to the coast from the southern Willamette valley."
Riverfront access represents a significant draw for campers in the Mapleton area, with multiple campgrounds offering direct water access. Whittaker Creek provides wading opportunities in a small dammed area suitable for children, while sites near the Siuslaw River support fishing and boating. Trail access varies between campgrounds, with some offering direct connections to hiking routes such as the Whittaker Ridge Old Growth Trail. Several reviews mention privacy differences between sites, with some campgrounds offering dense vegetation between campsites while others have more open layouts. A camper observed about Whittaker Creek, "There are tons of things to do around the campground. From swimming and catching crawdads to hiking the old growth trail there is almost something for everyone." Nearby Sweet Creek Falls trail provides additional recreation opportunities within a short drive of several camping areas.
Best Campgrounds near Mapleton (179)
1. Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park Campground
"We stayed here at the group site and it was great—huge field, winding paths through heavy forest to arrive at a beautiful, sunny lake."
"Special and unique landscape right in the center of Oregon Dunes. We love it here. Located close to the quant town of Florence. Lots of nearby hikes, beach access, and of course the dunes. Enjoy!"
from $32 - $128 / night
Check Availability2. Sutton Campground
"Super pretty spot, tucked right next to a little creek. It felt private without being too far off the path — ideal if you want a bit of peace but still feel like part of the campground."
"This place is tucked into the woods and our space is yards away from access to a hiking trail that goes to the ocean. Hosts very friendly and helpful. Bathroom very clean."
from $35 - $250 / night
Check Availability3. Carl G. Washburne Memorial State Park Campground
"1/2 mile walk to the beach. Clean, safe, and quietWell maintained campgrounds, as are all Oregon parks. Great reservation system. (California in comparison has a terrible website. What’s up CA?)"
"This Oregon state park is one of the few Oregon state parks who don’t have reservations. It is a first come first come facility."
from $89 / night
Check Availability4. Harbor Vista Campground
"This campground is operated by Lane County (Oregon). For $30 / night, it offers electrical (30-amp) and water hookups (threaded spigots)."
"I find the beach access to the ocean (not river) to be a little more difficult here than other locations. Plenty of vegetation here in the park! Trees and bushes that others have described."
from $35 - $70 / night
Check Availability5. Thousand Trails South Jetty
"Beautiful park on the Oregon coast just outside of the Oregon Dunes national park. Great people and clean well kept facilities."
"This is one of our favorite campgrounds, very similar to Thousand Trails Pacific City."
6. Alder Dune Campground
"Alder Dune is just a little ways down from the 101 tucked next to Alder Lake. There are beautiful paths that walk around the grounds and lake."
"Our site was directly across the bathroom, but you cross a little bridge and walk up about 10 steps to the flat tent pad."
from $35 / night
Check Availability7. Port of Siuslaw Campground & Marina
"Parks that are walking distance to shops and restaurants are such a treat. "
"The main draw of this campground is its proximity to the cute town of Florence. We don't tow a car, so being able to camp within walking distance of shops and restaurants is always a treat."
from $35 - $55 / night
Check Availability8. Archie Knowles Campground
"Host was nice, firewood was available About 20 min from Florence, which is on the Oregon Coast. Better spot for fuel and groceries if needed. Cp is just outside of Mapleton, a cute little town."
"Although this is right off the highway (so kinda loud) it is nestled next to a beautiful creek. The campsites and bathrooms are clean and well maintained and camp host was friendly and helpful."
9. Whittaker Creek Recreation Site
"My site was close to the bathroom and my site was right against the creek, which was peaceful. Even though the parking area of my site was small but the rest of it was large-lots of privacy."
"It was peaceful and located next a wonderful creek and river. The host was very nice as well. I posted up on camp site #1 next to a fish ladder."
from $20 - $40 / night
Check Availability10. Cape Perpetua
"Definitely a popular place, but we managed to snag an amazing site next to a babbling creek, tucked down in trees and secluded from everyone else."
"The Campground itself is tucked up into a canyon and has a nice stream running past each site. "
from $39 - $220 / night
Check Availability
Drive Time
- 48 min from Eugene, OR
- 1 hr 15 min from Corvallis, OR
- 1 hr 24 min from Albany, OR
- 1 hr 47 min from Salem, OR
Recent Camping Photos near Mapleton, OR
260 Photos of 179 Mapleton Campgrounds • uploaded by The Dyrt campers
Maple Lane RV Park & MarinaL
Whittaker Creek Recreation Site
BLM Kentucky Falls Road
Mercer Lake ResortR
Alder Dune CampgroundJ
Horse Creek Campground — Siuslaw National Forest
Port of Siuslaw Campground & Marina
Harbor Vista Campground
Baker Beach CampgroundV
Thousand Trails South Jetty
Stoney Acres FarmsteadJ
Recent Reviews near Mapleton, OR
1317 Reviews of 179 Mapleton Campgrounds
gabrielle P.
TravelerSuislaw National Forest Dispersed Camping
Great sunny spot
I drove up and down this forest road and didn’t find a whole ton. I ended up stopping at this beautiful spot that is just a pull off about 10 minutes past the trail parking for cape perpetua. Hard to miss.
There’s also one spot past these coordinates, at the first gravel road past the fork tucked into the forest, beautiful greenery.
Kylee R.GuideCape Perpetua
Cape Perpetua
Giant spruce trail! Biggest tree ever. Loved this place. Right down the road is thors well. So many trails around the camp. It was quiet as it was the middle of the week. Just about every camp spot had water by it. Dog friendly. Clean bathrooms. Fire pits. A lot of spots.
Ernie J.GuideHult Pond
Very Nice Quiet Campsite Near an Old Logging Pond
This dispersed campground allows a 14-day stay. Paved roads and a good variety of sized campsites. I found a cemented level slab to park my trailer on, however, this was the only site with a cemented structure. Lots of blackberries to pick, and very nice place to hike with your pets.
- gabrielle P.Traveler
Dispersed camping Siuslaw NF
Great if you don’t drive too far
I took forest service road 58 per another reviewers recommendation for this spot. I also drove up in the dark. In my opinion, it’s not worth driving past horse creek campground, let alone driving past the fork at cape mtn rd. All of the spots I saw were before horse creek. Like others have said, there are only a small handful of spots. I found a substantially sized spot, big enough for one decent size rig, or 1-2 cars with several tents.
- gabrielle P.Traveler
Baker Bay Campgrounds & Marina - a Lane County Park
Quaint campground
Sweet campground! Pit toilets were closed but portos seemed to be cleaned weekly, and appeared clean. Notably, Roy is a wonderful camp host!! Had a lovely stop here. Great view of the lake. Lake view spots seem to be closed when the lake is low but still wonderful views from across the way.
- WWanda C.Guide
Tillicum Beach Campground
Quick Overnight Stay
Needed a campground for one night while driving up the Oregon coast and this was convenient, less expensive than the state parks, clean, pleasant camp host, nice sites.
- sschannelle
ScoutSiuslaw National Forest Carter Lake Campground
Acceptable
Pros:
- Walk to the water and minutes from the ocean
- Clean sites
- Cheap as far as campgrounds go ($22)
- Flush toilets and there is a working outlet in the bathroom if you need to charge anything.
Cons:
- Small! I barely have room for my 8x8 cabin-style tent.
- Toilets look like they haven't been scrubbed since they were installed.
- Lake is super low, which of course is not the campground's fault
Forrest W.TravelerHarbor Vista Campground
Clean, quiet, and private
This campground is operated by Lane County (Oregon). For $30 / night, it offers electrical (30-amp) and water hookups (threaded spigots). There are free showers in the recently remodeled bathroom facilities. The campground is located on a cliff overlooking the outlet of the Siuslaw River as it empties into the Pacific Ocean. The setting is absolutely beautiful, and the campground is meticulously maintained. The campsites are situated between dense bushes and ground cover that provide excellent privacy between campers. Harbor Vista is close to downtown Florence (but not too close), so shopping and dining options are easy to come by.
Guide to Mapleton
Camping options near Mapleton, Oregon span across the Siuslaw River watershed at elevations ranging from sea level to 800 feet. Most campsites in this coastal forest region receive 65-90 inches of annual rainfall, creating lush vegetation but also challenging camping conditions during the winter months. Primitive camping areas typically don't have electrical hookups, though several campgrounds offer water access points.
What to do
Creek swimming: 2 miles from Mapleton, Whittaker Creek Recreation Site offers a small dammed swimming area perfect for families. "There is a small pool, but nice for young children to swim, for adults to float, or just sun on the rocky shore," notes a camper at Whittaker Creek Recreation Site.
Sand dune access: 10-minute walk from camp, Alder Dune Campground provides trails leading directly to Oregon's famous dunes. "The spot was secluded with a trail behind it which led to a lake and a little ways to some beautiful dunes," writes one visitor to Alder Dune Campground.
Crawdad catching: Available in multiple creeks, bringing simple traps or nets can provide hours of entertainment. A camper at Whittaker Creek mentions, "There are tons of things to do around the campground. From swimming and catching crawdads to hiking the old growth trail there is almost something for everyone."
Old growth hiking: Moderate difficulty trails, with elevation gains up to 900 feet in one mile. "The trail gains 900 ft. in a mile, so not the easiest for young kids, but I'm sure some can tackle it," explains a Whittaker Creek visitor about the Whittaker Ridge Old Growth Trail.
What campers like
Private, secluded sites: Many campgrounds offer vegetation buffers between sites. At Alder Dune, "The camping spaces are spread out and isolated by vegetation, providing some privacy. Restrooms are clean and there are plenty of water spigots."
Creek-side camping: Some campsites back directly to water features. At Archie Knowles Campground, "Sites 7 & 8 are 'premium' for an extra two dollars, you have a better view of the creek and can look down stream a ways."
Walking distance to town: Some locations offer convenient access to supplies. The Port of Siuslaw Campground & Marina is particularly noted for this feature: "The main draw of this campground is its proximity to the cute town of Florence. We don't tow a car, so being able to camp within walking distance of shops and restaurants is always a treat."
Easy coastal access: Many sites provide good starting points for beach exploration. "About 20 min from Florence, which is on the Oregon Coast. Better spot for fuel and groceries if needed," reports a camper at Archie Knowles.
What you should know
Road noise impacts: Highway proximity affects some campgrounds more than others. A camper at Archie Knowles noted: "The road is a bit loud but it gets dark here. Tables and a burn pit are available. No hookups."
Seasonal closures are common: Many campgrounds operate on limited schedules. Sutton Campground runs from "May 17 to September 2," while Whittaker Creek operates "May 22 to September 8."
Limited facilities at primitive sites: Most forest service campgrounds offer minimal amenities.
Frequently Asked Questions
What camping is available near Mapleton, OR?
What camping is available near Mapleton, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, Mapleton, OR offers a wide range of camping options, with 179 campgrounds and RV parks near Mapleton, OR and 12 free dispersed camping spots.
Which is the most popular campground near Mapleton, OR?
Which is the most popular campground near Mapleton, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, the most popular campground near Mapleton, OR is Jessie M. Honeyman Memorial State Park Campground with a 4.3-star rating from 74 reviews.
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mapleton, OR?
Where can I find free dispersed camping near Mapleton, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 12 free dispersed camping spots near Mapleton, OR.
What parks are near Mapleton, OR?
What parks are near Mapleton, OR?
According to TheDyrt.com, there are 15 parks near Mapleton, OR that allow camping, notably Fern Ridge Lake and Siuslaw National Forest.
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