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Santiam Flats Campground rests on the shores of the sparkling Detroit Lake. Visitors enjoy fishing, boating on the lake, and hiking on the nearby Stahlman Point Trail. Recreation Sailing, boating, water skiing and fishing are all excellent options for enjoying Detroit Lake. Catfish, rainbow trout and Kokanee salmon are among the most common species found in the lake. Several hiking trails dot the area, including Stahlman Point Trail, which offers beautiful vistas of Detroit Lake and the surrounding area. The Hoover Nature Trail is an accessible, short footpath that delights many campers. The Willamette National Forest has about 1,700 miles of trail. While many are in wilderness areas, a number of trails are low-elevation, easy-access trails for year-round hiking. Facilities Sites have picnic tables, grills and easy access to the vault toilets. Drinking water spigots are spread throughout the campground. Most campsites offer views of the lake. Santiam Flats does not have a boat launch ramp. Some of the sites are adjacent to the shoreline and mooring is allowed. Natural Features The campground lies in the Willamette National Forest, which stretches for 110 miles along the western slopes of the Cascade Range. The varied landscape of high mountains, narrow canyons, cascading streams and wooded slopes offer varied recreational opportunities for visitors. Nearby Attractions Detroit Lake provides plenty of opportunity for water recreation like boating, water skiing and kayaking. ADA Access: N
Travel 2.6 miles northeast of Detroit, Oregon. From Detroit, follow Highway 22 east for 2.6 miles to Blowout Road/Forest Service Road 10 on the right. Santiam Flats Campground in on the right.
Santiam Flats Campground is a little noisier than I'd like being that it's right next to Hwy 22. The current at the river nearby is too swift for swimming, so we used nearby Hoover Campsite's Day Use area. Campsites are decent size. Faucets are pretty far away if you're staying near the entrance. Campground managers were attentive and monitored the campground well.
No showers, disgusting bathrooms, and few water faucets were a huge inconvenience. However, the campsites are big and not squeezed together, the views are great, and the location is nice.
What a wonderful place to be! Much cheaper than the other campgrounds in the area and the hosts are friendly and helpful. The restrooms are cleaned three times a day!
Campsites 1 through 10 are right by the highway, and the trucks or party goers tend to be extremely noisy all hours. There's also no bear signs here(disregard the picture that was posted to scare people away). As far as swimming goes, the currents are fast, and it's mostly people fishing. The hosts were extremely nice. There's several bathrooms, and it's close to a mini mart that has ice.
We loved this spot will visit and camp again next summer.. we had a perfect campground experience and the river is beautiful. Detroit lake is just a quick drive and we had a great weekend.
