Summary:

Butte Creek follows a summer at a historic ranch and Cub Scout camp in Oregon through the eyes of its teenage staff. As record heat and wildfire threats test the camp, one young staffer finds resilience and belonging in a place that demands everything of those who call it home.

Full Synopsis:

Butte Creek follows Josie, a teenage staffer who arrives at a horse ranch and Cub Scout camp in Oregon expecting a fun summer job and a chance to be outdoors. Instead, she is quickly immersed in the demanding reality of life at the ranch- long hours, physical labor, and the responsibility of helping keep a remote camp running for hundreds of campers. As the summer unfolds, routine gives way to strain: staffing shortages create tension among the crew, a black bear wanders into camp, and record-breaking heat pushes everyone to their limits.

For Josie, the challenges are both external and deeply personal. Ongoing health issues complicate the physical demands of the job, forcing her to confront exhaustion, vulnerability, and self-doubt. With the end of the summer in sight, wildfire threatens the surrounding forest, bringing uncertainty and the very real possibility that the camp could be lost.

Through these trials, Josie’s experience quietly transforms. What began as a temporary job becomes something far more consequential. Surrounded by others who are equally stretched and tested, she finds connection, purpose, and a sense of family she didn’t expect. Butte Creek is a portrait of endurance and community, and of a young woman who discovers that belonging is often forged in the hardest moments, in a place that asks everything, but gives something lasting in return.