Buck Lake

Federal campground in Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest

Location: Winthrop, WA, WA

Price: From $10 per night

Rating: 4 out of 5 (0 reviews)

Season: May through October

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Cell coverage (FCC estimate): none signal. Actual signal may vary in remote areas.

Amenities: Fire Rings, Picnic Tables

Availability alerts: Set a free cancellation alert at camperwatch.org/campground/buck-lake to be notified when sites open up.

Buck Lake offers affordable camping at $10/night in a scenic Winthrop location with fire rings and picnic tables. First-come, first-served access means no advance reservations needed.

Wildlife alert: Gray wolves, mountain lions, and American black bears confirmed in the area within 8km. Also present: Western gray squirrels, Northern saw-whet owls, and Northern rubber boas.

Insider tips for Buck Lake: Arrive early as this is first-come, first-served only with just 1 site available Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature for remote payment Drive north 8 miles from Winthrop on West Chewuch Road, then follow Eightmile Creek Road and Buck Lake Road

Skip Buck Lake if: You need hookups — no hookups available at this campground. You prefer tent camping — only tent sites available. You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal closure.

Best time to visit Buck Lake: May-October — Campground operates seasonally May through October only.

Nearby campgrounds: Flat (Winthrop, WA), Nice (Winthrop, WA), Falls Creek (Winthrop, WA), Ruffed Grouse (Winthrop, WA).

Cell Phone Coverage at Buck Lake

Cell signal at Buck Lake (Winthrop, WA): none overall signal based on FCC broadband data.

Coverage data source: FCC Broadband Data Collection (BDC). Actual signal may vary due to terrain, tree cover, and distance from towers. Camper reports are more reliable than coverage maps in remote areas.

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Federal campground in Okanogan-Wenatchee National ForestLive availability via Recreation.gov· synced every 30 min

Buck Lake

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Winthrop, WA, WA★ 4 (0 reviews)From $10/nightFederal campground · book on Recreation.gov
On this page ↓OverviewConditionsPlan Your TripCommunity

This location is available on a first-come, first-served basis only. Visitors are required to physically arrive at the campground to purchase and claim a site. Once on-site, you may be able to pay for your campsite(s) by scanning a QR code using the Recreation.gov mobile app, and the Scan and Pay feature.

Best for:CampersNature loversFamiliesSites:Tent
LIVE · weather + fire + AQI + availability + wildlife

Verified facts

RIDB / Recreation.gov official database
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
SeasonMay through October
Stay limit14 days
HookupsNo hookups.
Max/site6 people

Amenities

RIDB /facilities /campsites · owner-verified
Essentials
Fire Rings
Recreation
Picnic Tables

Straight talk

CamperWatch intel · curated from camper reports

Known issues, each with the workaround. Read before you book.

Known issuesFederal campground — book early. No hookups at most sites. Seasonal operations.
Skip it if:✕ You need hookups — no hookups available at this campground✕ You prefer tent camping — only tent sites available✕ You're visiting outside May-October — seasonal closure

Insider tips & when to go

CamperWatch intel · hand-curated entry

Arrive early as this is first-come, first-served only with just 1 site available

Download Recreation.gov mobile app before arrival to use Scan and Pay feature for remote payment

Drive north 8 miles from Winthrop on West Chewuch Road, then follow Eightmile Creek Road and Buck Lake Road

Best: May-October

Campground operates seasonally May through October only

Things to do nearby

RIDB /activities /recareas + intel

Conditions today

Live
at campground coordinates

Cell signal

FCC BDC · quarterly dataset
T-Mobile
4G · 0%
Verizon
4G · 0%
AT&T
4G · 0%

FCC maps are theoretical — camper reports confirm signal.

Wildlife nearby

iNaturalist · research-grade · 8 km
Alert: Gray wolves, mountain lions, and American black bears confirmed in the area within 8km. Also present: Western gray squirrels, Northern saw-whet owls, and Northern rubber boas.

Location

Leaflet · OpenStreetMap tiles
Open in OpenStreetMap ↗
N/A· Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Getting there →

From Winthrop, drive 8 miles north on West Chewuch Road (County Road 1213), turn left onto Eightmile Creek Road (Forest Road 5130), then turn left onto Buck Lake Road (Forest Road 5130-100) drive for about 1.5 miles to campground.

Campground entrance

Google Maps API

Community

#community · posts, photos & Q&A · AI-moderated (Claude Vision)

Pro tips

  • Book on recreation.gov exactly 6 months ahead at 10am ET — Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest fills fast in peak season.
  • Check current road conditions at Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest before arrival — seasonal closures common.

Frequently asked questions

RIDB facts + intel · FAQPage schema, speakable
How much does Buck Lake cost per night?+
Buck Lake costs $10 per night. Hookup options: No hookups.
What season is Buck Lake open?+
Buck Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.
Does Buck Lake have hookups?+
No hookups.
What is the maximum RV length at Buck Lake?+
Buck Lake is primarily a tent camping facility.
How do I make reservations at Buck Lake?+
Buck Lake is a federal campground — book 6 months ahead at Recreation.gov. Set a free CamperWatch cancellation alert to be notified the moment a site opens.
What is the cell service like at Buck Lake?+
According to FCC coverage maps, cell signal at Buck Lake is rated none. FCC maps show theoretical coverage — actual signal in remote or heavily forested areas may be weaker.
What season is Buck Lake open, and what are check-in times?+
Buck Lake is open May through October. Check-in is 2:00 PM, check-out is 12:00 PM.

Official resources

Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest
Compare campgroundsPlan a multi-stop trip
●Data sources on this page
Recreation.gov — Live site availability — updated every 30 min
recreation.gov · RIDB API
National Weather Service — Live hourly forecast + active alerts
api.weather.gov · open-meteo.com
Google Air Quality API — Live AQI at exact campground coordinates
airquality.googleapis.com
iNaturalist — Research-grade wildlife within 8km
api.inaturalist.org
Google Pollen API — Today’s tree, grass & weed pollen forecast
pollen.googleapis.com
FCC Broadband Map — Verizon, AT&T, T-Mobile 4G/5G coverage data
broadbandmap.fcc.gov · quarterly
Sunrise-Sunset.org — Sunrise, sunset & golden hour for today
api.sunrise-sunset.org
Google Street View — Campground entrance & access road imagery
maps.googleapis.com
RIDB — ADA sites, hookups, toilets, pets, campfire rules, bear boxes, max RV, activities, contact, directions
ridb.recreation.gov · /facilities /campsites /activities /links /recareas

CamperWatch never fabricates data. Where data is unavailable, it is not shown.

$10 /night★ 4 (0)
SeasonMay through October
Check-in2:00 PM
Check-out12:00 PM
Reserve on Recreation.gov ↗
Dates full? Get an availability alert
FAQ
How much does Buck Lake cost per night?+
What season is Buck Lake open?+
Does Buck Lake have hookups?+
All 7 questions →

Nearby Campgrounds

Flat

Winthrop, WA

From $15/night

Nice

Winthrop, WA

From $10/night

Falls Creek

Winthrop, WA

From $15/night

Ruffed Grouse

Winthrop, WA

From $15/night

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