Canal Creek Campground, Central Coast, Oregon

Canal Creek Group Campground

Siuslaw National Forest \ Central Coast Ranger District

Canal Creek Group Campground is a reservation-only group site.  Gates are locked and NO individual campsites are available for first-come-first-serve campers.  This is a beautiful, remote, campground that can accommodate 50 to 100 people at one time.  The Alsea group is the smaller of the two sites; accommodating up to 50 people.  The Canal Creek group has a pavilion for covered picnics and can accommodate up to 100 people.  Group areas may be reserved up to a year in advance through Recreation.gov\Canal Creek or 1-877-444-6777. 

There is no potable water available and no garbage service.  You can take your recycle to Ray's Grocery in Waldport; please do not burn glass or metal in the fire ring.  It is very difficult to remove.  Burn your burnables and safely dispose of food garbage away from your, and your neighbor's, campsite to keep critters out of your camp.  There are deer, elk, cougar and bear in the area.  Store food in your trunk. 

Just 10 minutes away, the quaint town of Waldport has groceries, restaurants and farmer's markets.  A public dock is available for crabbing off the dock or launching your boat into Alsea Bay.  Harbor Seals and sea birds can always be seen from the beautiful Alsea Bay Bridge.

7 miles of sandy beach is accessible between Waldport and Yachats to the south.  Display your car pass for free parking in any of the federal or state waysides.   Store all your valuables in your trunk when you leave your car.   A car pass is available from the Campground Host when you check-in.

Click here for a campground map. 

Alsea Group Site

Looking through parking spur #8 to the group fire ring.  The vault toilet restroom is seen on the right.

Canal Creek Group Site Entrance

The gate is locked until a reservation arrives.  Contact the campground host to coordinate your time of arrival.

You must ford a small stream to enter this group site.   Due to this steep entrance and limited parking, trailers and large RVs are not recommended.

Individual Parking Spurs

The Alsea Group Site has individual parking spurs for RVs and campers. 

Picnic Tables

There is a group area with a large fire ring and picnic tables.  Some of the parking spurs also have a picnic table and some have a fire ring.  The Alsea Group Site use to be for individual campers.  However, misuse of campers caused restriction to group reservations only. 

Sense of Privacy

Because the Alsea Group site use to be used for individual campsites, families in the group have some sense of privacy by parking in the separated parking spurs.

Long Sites Accomodate Trailers

Several parking spurs are quite long.  Most are partially shaded.

Steps in Some Sites

Some parking spurs have steps down to the picnic table.

Sound of the Waterfall

You can hear the sound of the waterfall and creek from your campsite.

Canal Creek Entrance Sign

It is 4 miles from Hwy 34 to the Canal Creek entrance.  By the time you get to mile 3 you're wondering if you somehow missed it.  The road is narrow and winding but there are turnouts for passing. 

Canal Creek Campground consists of 2 group sites: Canal Creek and Alsea.

The Alsea Group site can accommodate large RVs and trailers but there is not room in the Canal Creek site.  The entrance to Canal Creek is not safe for large RVs or trailers due to the steep road crossing the stream.

Canal Creek Pavillion

The group fire ring is next to the pavillion.  No matter the weather, you'll have a dry place for gathering.

Apple Trees at Canal Creek

Apple trees provide shade and beauty to this charming, remote, group site near Waldport, Oregon.

Apples mature in the fall and attract wildlife from bear to woodpeckers. 

Large Playing Field at Canal Creek

There is plenty of room for all your tents AND for playing games in the large field.

Fishing and hiking are common activities here. 

Alsea Group Site Entrance

The Alsea Group Site used to be available for individual campers.  Due to abuse by some of those campers, it has been redesignated as a group reservation-only campsite.  All payments are made via http://www.recreation.gov.  Notice how many autos are allowed with the reservation.  Additional vehicles may be allowed by purchasing a car pass from the Campground Host.  These car passes can be used for parking in the scenic areas along the Oregon Coast.

Be sure to coordinate your arrival time with the off-site Campground Hosts. 

Entrance Road to Alsea Group Site

Group gathering area near the restroom.

No Driving Off Road

There is plenty of room to drive on the gravel road and park in the parking spurs.  Please leave room for an emergency vehicle to pass through on the road.

Partially Shaded Sites

Parking spurs range from full sun to full shade.

Hiking, Fishing and Biking

Although there is not a large playing field, children can safely ride their bikes on the gravel road.  For the most privacy, close the gate.

Trillium Wildflower

This beautiful Oregon native wildflower takes 5 years to mature and bloom for the first time.  So you can see why it is important not to pick the wildflowers!

Trillium Among False Lilly of the Valley

False Lilly of the Valley is a lush ground cover that blooms in the summer.  It has a small white flower.  The Trillium turns pink as it dies.

Canal Creek Campground Map

Canal Creek Campground consists of 2, reservation-only, group sites.

The Canal Creek Group Site has a pavillion near the group fire ring, a parking lot and 2 vault toilets. 

The Alsea Group Site has 11 parking spurs for campers or RVs, a group fire ring and 1 vault toilet.

There is no drinking water on site.