Free Camping Near Quincy | Bucks Lake Road

After spending a few weeks exploring some great spots in Tahoe National Forest, we decided to head north to check out the free camping near Quincy. As we were driving through the area we noticed that there are plenty of dirt forest roads to choose from. And different than a lot of areas, it took us no time at all to find a nice and easily accessible spot for camping near Quincy.

Many of the spots in the area are in pretty wooded areas with a mix of manzanita, conifers and deciduous trees. There are also a lot of creeks in the area but with the drought and heat of summer, many of them area dry or very low. But a short drive will get you to some of the larger creeks as well as the Feather River. If you decide to camp in the area there are some good adventures nearby too so keep reading!

Quick Info: Camping Near Quincy

Cost: Free

Ownership: Forest Service; 14 day limit

Directions: From Quincy, follow Bucks Lake Road for about four miles then turn left onto the dirt forest road. There are several dispersed camping options along this road.

Solar: Limited

Water: None

Miles From Town: About four miles from Quincy

Cell Service: None

Road Conditions: The dirt/gravel road is very well maintained and in great condition

Our Experience Camping Near Quincy

Our summertime travels in northern California brought us up to an area we’ve never been to, the Quincy area. On our way north from the gorgeous Gold Lake Highway area we noticed a lot of forest roads on both sides of the roads with dispersed camping potential. But we kept on north to get a bit closer to town. And it didn’t take long to find a great spot on a forest road off of Bucks Lake Highway.

There are a number of options for dispersed camping off of this forest road. And there is also a forest service campground further up the road. On weekends, we did see some traffic along the forest road but during the week there was a few cars here and there.

While we were camping near Quincy, we were tucked into a clean, wooded turn out. From our spot, we could see and hear the water flowing below but the creek was a bit too overgrown to explore. But we set out and explored the surrounding forest roads and enjoyed the peace of the woods.

Checking Out the Area

Another perk of camping near Quincy was the proximity to the really nice city park. The Quincy City Park has a lot of great features and amenities! There is a really nice skatepark, a frisbee golf course, tennis/basketball court, playground, restrooms, picnic tables, grills, and a great workout station. And there is also a really nice pool that seemed to be very appreciated by the community with the hot summer temps! In addition to all that fun stuff, we were able to sit in the shade of a pavilion and use the cell service to get some work done.

It was really hot while we were camping near Quincy so after talking to some locals, we managed to check out a couple refreshing swim holes. And one was only a mile or so from our camp spot!

Oakland Camp Road has a nice area for cooling down in the river! The river is wide here but just a ways up it narrows quite a bit. There is a decent sized parking area with a sandy area along the banks of the river to sit and relax. But the best part of the Oakland swimming area was the rope swing! We haven’t been to a rope swing in awhile so we were excited to play on that.

A bit past this first parking area there is a small bridge followed by another small parking area. There is another smaller swimming area that is less deep and less wide but it was pretty. And there are maintained port a potties here as well.

Camp Here Later – Pin it Now!

The other swim hole close to our spot camping near Quincy is called Lovers Leap. And it is gorgeous! We did not expect such a beautiful, clean, deep swimming spot so close to home. This swim hole has a small but beautiful waterfall and rocks of varying heights to jump in from. The water here is also very clear so you can see how deep the water is.

This swim hole is very popular and seems like it could get crowded pretty easily. But from the swim hole you can also just explore the river in either direction to get away from the crowds. Weekends looked particularly busy, as you’d expect. Please use these places responsibly! We really enjoyed them.

Unfortunately, our time camping near Quincy got cut short due to Bucks Lake Road being evacuated due to the Dixie Fire (7/2021). There was a lot more we planned on seeing and doing while we were in the area. But hopefully the fire was contained before it spread much further. We look forward to our next visit to the area.

Thanks for Reading!

We love getting to know new areas and seeing new things! Let us know in the comments below where your favorite place to go camping is.

If you’d like to see some of our other dispersed camping spots, check out the links below:

• Camping and Exploring Near Mayer
• Dispersed Camping at Trona Pinnacles
• Turtle Mountain Wilderness Dispersed Camping
• Free Camping at Laguna Mountain Recreation Area

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