I had big plans for my morning. First, I was going to get up. Then I was going to move my camping chair to the edge of Buck Creek, near a convenient rock so I could prop up my feet. Then I was going to read a book and, if I felt energetic, maybe do a bit of wading.
Everything went exactly according to plan. The only interruption was when a dipper, my favorite bird, spent about half an hour diving for bugs from a nearby rock.
Buck Creek Campground, on the Suiattle River Road, has been closed for more than a decade. It reopened for the first time in late June. I’ve been eager to check it out, so my family and I recently spent a long weekend there.
I was lucky to have an extra day, so I arrived early, set up camp, slept like a log and spent the next morning by myself next to the stream. When my family and a friend showed up, we spent a busy day of sitting near (or in) the river. My daughter tossed stones and splashed happily.
We enjoyed lazing around the campground. To us, the camp felt brand new.
It took a lot of work to get Buck Creek to that point after years of it being closed and little maintenance being done. The biggest task was going through the campground with a pathologist and entomologist to look for trees that could fall on campsite or cars, said Adrienne Hall, recreation program manager for the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest.
Some of the trees obviously were dead. If they were a risk, they were cut down.
Crews also cleared small alders and other little trees that were growing in the roads in the campground. Some picnic tables and fire rings had to be replaced. The restrooms needed a lot of work. The exteriors were nearly totally redone.
And the work is still incomplete. A section of the campground is still closed. The upper loop is partially blocked, turning it into two spurs instead of a full loop. In that area, the trees have laminated root rot, which puts them at risk of falling without warning, Hall said. The upper loop will remain closed until the Forest Service can put together a vegetation management plan.
Buck Creek has a total of 25 sites, 15 of which are accessible right now. Two of the sites are ideal for large groups. All sites are first come, first serve for now. Hall says the campground has been popular since it opened, usually filling up during the weekend. Reservations will probably be available for the campground next season.
Eventually, there will be more options for camping on the Suiattle River Road. The Suiattle Guard Station, a small cabin not far from Buck Creek, could be ready for rentals in August. Crews are working on some repairs from vandalism that occurred while the road was closed. When it is ready, the cabin will come with a propane refrigerator and stove. There is no electricity and no running water. There is plenty of room for tents or RVs, so a group can share the rental.
Sulphur Creek Campground, near the end of the Suiattle River Road, is expected to open next summer. Work crews have been putting in a new loop, clearing out brush and making other repairs.
There are a lot of options for hiking nearby, including the Suiattle River Trail and the Green Mountain Lookout. We had a nice family hike on the Suiattle River Trail.
Really, though? I suggest not making too many plans for your weekend, unless they involve a book and a cold beverage.
If you go
Buck Creek Campground is on the Suiattle River Road, about 45 minutes from Darrington. There are 15 sites open, and they all are first-come, first-serve. Campsites are $14 per night, $50 per night for a group site. There are two group sites. There is no running water, so bring your own or a way to treat the creek water.
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