Eel Lake

Eel Lake, located within William M. Tugman State Park, is a very deep lake south of the Umpqua River on the Oregon coast, part of a chain of bodies of water that drain into the Pacific Ocean via Tenmile Creek. It is located where the sand dunes meet the foot of the Coast Range with steep forested slopes bordering it. Geologically, the lake was formed as a "dune-dammed" lake, where migrating sands blocked the outlet of local streams roughly 6,000 years ago. Historically, the lake and its surrounding forests were the ancestral territory of the Coos and Lower Umpqua peoples, who utilized the area's diverse resources long before the arrival of Euro-American settlers. Eel Lake is named for Pacific Lampreys, not truly eels, native to Oregon and important to indigenous peoples. For modern paddlers, the lake offers a uniquely protected experience; its long, narrow arms are shielded from intense coastal winds by towering Sitka spruce and Douglas fir forests. The park features a developed boat ramp and a ADA-accessible fishing dock, providing a serene launch point for exploring the lake's quiet coves and observing resident wildlife like osprey, bald eagles, and river otters.

Tugman State Park Launch Site

For expanded details on our launch sites, click the link or hover over the box below and click the image to visit Super Water Trails (SWT). While our "Map and Launch Sites" tab provides basic locations, SWT offers deeper insights into whether the site is open, launch type, tidal, cellular signal availability, fee, if a pass is accepted, and amenities.

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Registration is required to access the platform. SWT was developed by FOAK member Annette Chihorek and is free to use, though some premium features are available for a fee.

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Launch site for Eel Lake (Tugman State Park).

Photo by Bev Scott
Eel Lake

Paddle Videos: Eel Lake

Included are two videos by FOAK member Bev Scott. One video is from the West Arm of Eel Lake while the other is from the East Arm of Eel Lake.