Buck Creek (Rathbun Lake) in IA -- Campground & RV Camping

Buck Creek Campground sits along Rathbun Lake in the rolling hills of the Chariton River Valley in southeast Iowa. The campground consists of open grassy areas dotted with trees and features 42 campsites with electric hookups. On-site amenities include flush and pit toilets, showers, drinking water, a dump station, a playground, and a boat ramp. The 11,000-acre lake attracts powerboaters, sailors, and anglers targeting crappie, catfish, walleye, and bass. Nearby points of interest include a local marina and bait shop, the Rathbun Fish Hatchery, and an off-highway vehicle park.

Getting there: From Centerville, IA, travel 5 miles north on HWY 5 to HWY J-29, then 4 miles northwest to HWY J5T. Travel 2 miles north and follow signs to campground.

• Limited separation from through roads or other sites here, a 42-site campground with the nearest through road 0.1 miles off.
• The Rathbun Lake shoreline is 0.3 mi off.
• Open country, with nothing named rising within 30 miles.
• Most sites here have an electric hookup, with most of them shaded.
• Estimated night sky: Bortle 3, a dark rural sky.

Rules