Iowa / Appanoose County

Buck Creek

Closed — Closed for the season. Operates May through September. Reservations available through Recreation.gov. All 42 sites are reservable only; no first-come, first-served camping. Limited to 14 consecutive nights per 30-day period in the same loop.

About

Buck Creek Campground is located on the shores of Rathbun Lake, a sprawling 11,000-acre reservoir situated in the gently rolling hills of the Chariton River Valley in southeast Iowa. The campground offers 42 sites with electric hookups spread across open grassy areas dotted with mature trees. Each site includes a picnic table, fire ring, and lantern hanger. A swimming beach is available within the park, and a marina with bait shop operates nearby. Rathbun Lake, nicknamed Iowa's Ocean, provides exceptional fishing opportunities for crappie, channel catfish, walleye, and largemouth bass. The lake's prevailing winds make it particularly popular with sailors and windsurfers, while power boaters also enjoy the expansive waters. Wildlife enthusiasts can spot bald eagles, white-tailed deer, Canada geese, and wild turkey throughout the area. The campground is managed by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers and operates on a reservation-only basis with all sites bookable through Recreation.gov. Campers are limited to 14 consecutive nights within any 30-night period in the same camping loop. Nearby attractions include the Rathbun Fish Hatchery, which produces hundreds of thousands of catfish and walleye annually and offers self-guided tours, and Southern Iowa's only Off Highway Vehicle Park with 125 acres of terrain on an abandoned rock quarry.

Directions

From Centerville, travel 5 miles north on Highway 5 to Highway J-29, then 4 miles northwest to Highway J5T. Travel 2 miles north and follow signs to campground.

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