Sand lake is exactly what it isn’t, No lake, but a super atv kid friendly family atmosphere where a family that rides together stays together. If you’re looking for a quiet beach to walk on or camp ground that isn’t wreaking of 2 stroke oil and horse power Oregon has many beaches that are not off road friendly so those would be a better place. There are much better places to camp if this isn’t your scene. It’s not really a place you want to bring your corvette powered sands car because it’s just too small of an area. Atvs and side by sides work great. The locals claim there is a one way trail that runs the exterior of the tree line, but USFORESTSERVICE remove any signage so it’s really ride at your own risk and be careful. The facilities are decent with the amount of summer traffic. Bathrooms are well taken care of and camp hosts though strict are fair and helpful. If you end up getting a complaint, you probably earned it. The sand lake store carries about anything you will need to fix a broken atv or race gas at a fair price. Plus any of what you would expect from a small grocery store. Go check it out. Have a blast and throw some sand. Cellular coverage is almost non existent here. Take yourself out to the last dune before the beach and you might get one bar of signal.
Urban S.
Place rating: 1 Vancouver, WA
This campground is strictly for those with ATVs and are willing to put up with the noise for literally 18 hours a day, and put up with it you will. Quiet hours are from 12−6AM. Pros: Large sites with more than enough room. Restrooms are OK. Cons: 1: US Forest service has incorrect/out of date directions posted on their website and the signage is virtually nonexistent. If you follow the directions, there is a VERY good chance that you will end up at a Ranger Station that is approximately 15 minutes away in the opposite direction of the campground. Difficult to find a Ranger or anyone with knowledge of the grounds. 2: Noisy. Louder than Scandinavian Death Metal and just as visual as a sunset biker rally. 3: Dirty. Fire pits do not regularly appear to be cleaned out. If you love 6-packs of partially burned Monster Energy Drink cans, you’ll be in Heaven. I realize that is typically not the type of campground that I would frequent. However, placing noise issues aside, there are not enough redeeming qualities to recommend this campground. The Oregon Parks System is far superior when it comes to parks in the state and this is prime example of why.
