Reservations possible?
No
RV Hookups
No
Potable water
Yes
Please respect the outdoors by practicing Leave No Trace. Learn more about how to apply the principles of Leave No Trace on your next outdoor adventure here.

With seven spacious walk-in campsites and 23 large and private campsites, Southshore Campground is easily Detroit Lake's most serene and quite campground. Unlike adjacent Cove Creek Campground, Southshore Campground offers little in terms of amenities, with only vault toilets and no showers, but with this comes less demand. And as the name implies, Southshore is located on the distance end of the reservoir's southern shore that draws fewer crowds than the reservoir's north side along Oregon Highway 22.

If you are looking to escape to the lake for some adventure, consider nearby Stahlman Peak, or make your way up to Dome Rock + Tumble Lake for an arduous but rewarding hike. To reach the 3,058-foot Stahlman Peak, head 1.8 miles east on Blowout Road to the trailhead just past Sauer Creek. The trail climbs 1,340 feet in 2.1 miles and passes a stand of old-growth forest and a sheer cliff before reaching a former lookout tower site with impressive views of 10,495-foot Mount Jefferson and the surrounding landscape.

Note: The campground is open from early May through end of September. Call American Land and Leisure at 1.800.342.2267 for specific dates.

Logistics + Planning

Preferable season(s)

Summer
Fall

Parking Pass

General Day Use Fee

Pros

Direct access to Detroit Lake. Walk-in campsites.

Cons

Detroit Lake's (reservoir) water levels fluctuate drastically.

Pets allowed

Allowed

Managed by

American Land and Leisure

Features

Vault toilet
Boat ramp(s)
Swimming holes
Potable water

Location

Nearby Adventures

Comments

05/28/2018
Stayed in site 19 over memorial day weekend 2018. Reservoir levels were high during our stay, and we had a beautiful view over the lake from the campsite. Parking pad was a little short for my van+trailer, and arriving late at night made for some slightly harrowing maneuvering, but we were able to park our trailer and van parallel to eachother. Check the pad length in advance if you are bringing a trailer. The higher-capacity sites (15, 18, 26) are pull-through, with 29 and 31 being "street parking" style.

The climb from parking pad to campsite was not expected, and most of the site is on a slope. We had flat enough space for our single tent, but tables for our kitchen area required shimming. The slope made for some challenging toddler navigation, and all three of our kids biffed it at least once coming down the stairs (luckily without incident) during our stay. The tradeoff is a path from the site down to the water's edge, with some quacking visitors every morning looking for handouts. (We of course did NOT oblige them!)

Definitely on the to-do-again list.
08/05/2017
We made reservations for Southshore at Detroit Lake at RECREATION.GOV. Site # 17 was listed as one of the "good sites" and had privacy per that website. I beg to differ. Once we pulled in, it was as if other people were camping in our spot, they were that close. No privacy at all. We probably would choose a different site next time around. The only positive thing about this specific site is that you're within walking distance of the lake. Kids played in the water all day ~ Water level is high this year, compared to the last couple years. The camp hosts are nice. Vault bathrooms kept clean. Picnic tables and fire rings at each site. I would say this is a family friendly campground. Firewood $ 6.00 bundle. Parts of the lake were closed off so that scooper planes could get water from the lake for the Whitewater fire. Pretty neat to watch given the current circumstances. Camp hosts came to warn people to not go too far out into the water so the planes could do what they needed to do. Word of advice; don't camp close to the bathrooms mid summer heat. I would camp here again, maybe just not at # 17.
03/31/2017
Can we make reservations for a weekend stay at SouthShore.
Have updates, photos, alerts, or just want to leave a comment?
Sign In and share them.