Hutchins Group Campground sits at 5,000 feet in the Plumas National Forest, designed for groups wanting to explore the Bucks Lake area together. The 2021 Dixie Fire left this campground barren and exposed, so bring serious shade — but those same open conditions create excellent stargazing once the sun drops.
Campground Details
- ⛺Type
- Group
- 💵Fee per Night
- Free
- 📍GPS
- 39.88306, -121.19917
- 🐾Pets Allowed
- No
- 📞Phone
- 530-283-0555
- 🗺️Address
- CA
The Camp
Three large group sites accommodate up to 24 people and eight vehicles each, handling both tents and RVs. Multiple picnic tables and campfire rings with grills are scattered across each site, along with vault toilets throughout the campground. The Dixie Fire's timber salvage left the area stripped of shade cover, making this a hot, exposed camp during the day. That same openness delivers unobstructed sky views for anyone serious about night viewing.
A roving campground host shows up intermittently to answer questions, but don't count on constant availability.
What to Know
This campground currently has no water. You'll need to haul from Sandy Point Day Use Area or Haskins Campground nearby. The convenience store within five miles stocks gas, phone access, and propane.
PG&E owns the facilities here, with American Land & Leisure handling operations under Forest Service oversight — a partnership that keeps the greater Bucks Lake recreation complex running.
Nearby
Bucks Lake's 1,820 acres sit within walking distance, with boat ramps at Sandy Point and around the lake's perimeter. Sandy Point also provides showers and day use picnic areas along with boat docks.
Trail access requires a short drive: Mill Creek Campground and the Mill Creek Trailhead on the route to Bucks Summit both offer hiking options. At Bucks Summit itself, you'll hit the Pacific Crest Trail or pick up the Bucks Creek Loop. The Bucks Lake Wilderness borders the lake, though no wilderness permit is required. Leave an itinerary with the campground host or at trailheads before heading into the backcountry.