CP Campground Review – Harbor Vista County Park, Florence, OR
A well-located, pleasant county park on the middle coast in Florence, OR
Link to campground here: Harbor Vista County Park, Florence, OR
Link to map location here: Harbor Vista County Park, Florence, OR
- Site Quality = 3.5/5
Somewhat mixed site quality here. All sites are paved back-in with 50Amp/water and “sitting areas” containing picnic table and fire-pit. Where the variation comes in is with size, separation and space. Some of the sites are nicely large, *very* private with good space and excellent separation (e.g. 33-38) whereas others are sloped, or have very small/odd “sitting areas” or back-up to houses (e.g. 25) or have no separation at all (e.g. sites 11/12/13). With only 38 sites total it seems odd to have such wide variation so it’s worth picking your site carefully (the online reservation system has pics). Only one site in the campground (#13) has actual views of the beach/jetty and this is considered a “premium” site. - Facilities = 3/5
Nice facilities with a few dings. Large toilets, kept nicely clean with decent shower stalls. Biggest ding is that the shower stalls are pay-only (always a bummer in a park with no full hookups). On-site dump station, but (oddly) it is only open until AM and closed in afternoon. Small green lawn and play area on-site. - Location = 4.5/5
Very good location with just a slight ding. You’re just north of town, very close to downtown and any shopping you’ll need (e.g. Fred Meyers) with easy drives to Haceta Head Lighthouse and the surrounding sights. You’re also ~1 mile drive on the road to the beach. The slight ding? There is no hiking on-site and no direct trail access to the beach. There is a small grassy area on-site and a short “hidden” trail from the end day-use area down to the jetty, but the sand here is only accessible at low-tide and rather soft/muddy. Good for clamming, but not so much for hiking. - Pet Friendliness = 4.5/5
A good doggie park with just a slight ding. Decent space in camp (depending on site) and small grassy lawn on-site, but not much in the way of hiking. At low tide you can walk doggie down to the jetty, but expect some muddy paws when you get home. Nearby beach is only ~1 mile drive and a good place to play & splash.
Overall Rating = 3.9
BONUS ALERT = Go clamming by the jetty in low tide!
Summary: So, this was a park that was recommended to us by several other RVers, but interestingly enough we ended up with rather mixed feelings on it. All sites are paved back-ins with 50Amp/water hookups, but after that things become mixed. Some of the sites are really nice, very large and extremely private, plus there is a lovely view from the lawn overlook and a “hidden” trail from the end day-use area down to the jetty (great if you like clamming). Also you’re in an excellent location to explore & shop in Florence, drive to Haceta Head Lighthouse and see all the surrounding sights. These are the positives. Then again some sites are small with odd/teeny sitting areas, even a few that back-up to houses (?) or have no separation at all (e.g. 11/12/13), and no real place to hike with pooch except down to the jetty at low tide. Plus, other annoyances such as the showers are pay-only and the dump station closes at noon. These are the not-so-greats. The pluses and minuses left us with mixed feelings. We liked our very private site (#38), and enjoyed the jetty area at low tide, but were bummed about the lack of free showers, no hiking and no direct access to the beach. Overall I would say we enjoyed our stay, but much prefer Carl G.Washburne State Park ~14 miles north where we stayed 2 years ago.
Extra Info: Terrible 3G signal, but 2 bars of fairly stable 4G LTE. Sites cost $25/night for regular sites, $27.50/night for “premier” sites all reservable online (38 total sites with 50 Amp/water sites). On-site dump station although it is only open in AM.
P.S. You can get pics of each and every site here on the Lane County Reservation System.
We enjoyed our stay at this park. The host and grounds keeper were so very nice. Bella enjoyed all the green…hehe
I agree with your assessment of the park, however, the “dings” you mentioned didn’t bother us at all. We had site 36, perfect, and used the on-line reservation system to pick it – a must do. There is a very specific reason that the dump is only open in the mornings, we talked with the caretaker about it. Inconvenient, but understandable. They should, however, make that known on their website to avoid unpleasant surprises.
We thoroughly enjoyed both our stays there, with those caveats.
Sue
We, too, enjoyed our weekend stay (8/10/13) and appreciated the quietness and privacy. Our 36′ motorhome fit comfortably into site #3…only space left went registering on-line. Bathrooms were ADAQUATE…enough said. If your looking for a quiet and peaceful spot you’ll enjoy this campground. We WILL be back…perhaps for Christmas.
Glad to hear it and cheers for the feedback.
Nina
Is this a good place for tent camping? Seems like it is geared more towards RV/Camper trailers. Noise would be the main issue.
The sites are paved and I don’t remember there being any dedicated tent pads, so it just depends how you feel about that. Some of the sites are very private and if you have a blow-up mattress for your tent you might be comfortable, but otherwise I’d recommend looking at Carl G Washborne State Park ~14 miles down the road = very quiet with nice green sites.
Nina