Buffalo River State Park
- Status
- Open (per official listing)Daily 8 a.m. – 10 p.m.
- Entrance fee
- Statewide rule — see below
- Day-use reservations
- None mentioned
- Dogs
- Statewide rule — see below
- Camping
- Yes
- Official site
- dnr.state.mn.us(218) 498-2124
Official page last checked Oct 29, 2026. How we keep this current
Current alerts 1
Partial closure Important seasonal updateThe campground and dump station are closed for the season.
Posted by the park 2026-10-25. Official alert
Overview
Buffalo River State Park is a 1,338-acre park in Clay County, about 13 miles east of Moorhead.
The park supports fishing, ranger programs, hiking, and picnicking. The official site lists about 12 miles of trails. Overnight options include 3 camping areas, with RV sites with electric hookups, tent sites, group camping, and showers.
Hours
Park, gate, office and facility hours are listed separately because they often differ. Alerts above override normal hours.
| Facility | Days | Hours | Season |
|---|---|---|---|
| Park | Daily | 8 a.m. – 10 p.m. | — |
| Office | Daily | 8 a.m. – 4 p.m. | — |
| Campground | The campground is closed for the season. | ||
| Park | Electric sites: Park has 35 electric sites (Sites 0E - 34E). Campgrounds: The campground is closed for the season. RVs: There are 44 gravel drive-in sites in the park, sites 0E-34E have electricity. Rentals: The picnic shelter is available for rent. Call the park at 218-498-2124 to reserve. Drinking water: Water has been turned off for the season. Showers: The shower building is closed for the 2026 season. Dump station: The dump station is closed for the season. Bathrooms: Water has been turned off for the season. Vault toilets are available in the picnic area. Water: Water has been turned off for the season. Vault toilets are available in the picnic area. Trails: Park has 12 miles of hiking trails. Trails are currently fully open. Seasonal flooding may occur in some lower areas of the Prairie View Trail. Programs: Check with the park for program information and dates. | ||
Official wording
Daily from 8 a.m. until 10 p.m.
Fall 2026 **Hours may vary due to staff availability.*** Monday - Sunday: 8:00am - 4:00pm
The campground is closed for the season.
Electric sites: Park has 35 electric sites (Sites 0E - 34E). Campgrounds: The campground is closed for the season. RVs: There are 44 gravel drive-in sites in the park, sites 0E-34E have electricity. Rentals: The picnic shelter is available for rent. Call the park at 218-498-2124 to reserve. Drinking water: Water has been turned off for the season. Showers: The shower building is closed for the 2026 season. Dump station: The dump station is closed for the season. Bathrooms: Water has been turned off for the season. Vault toilets are available in the picnic area. Water: Water has been turned off for the season. Vault toilets are available in the picnic area. Trails: Park has 12 miles of hiking trails. Trails are currently fully open. Seasonal flooding may occur in some lower areas of the Prairie View Trail. Programs: Check with the park for program information and dates.
Source: official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Times are local to the park (America/Chicago).
Pets
Pets allowed on a leash six feet or shorter (or in a portable enclosure) and personally attended; only service animals in buildings, lodging, camper cabins, yurts, tipis, tours and beach areas.
Statewide rule from Minnesota's park system (source). This park’s page doesn’t state its own pet rules, so check for local restrictions.
Fees and passes
Per vehicle: a state park vehicle permit (one-day $7 or year-round $35) is required for every vehicle; same price for residents and nonresidents. Four free park days per year. Iron Range OHV SRA states 'There is no entrance fee'.
Statewide fee rule from Minnesota's park system; this park’s page doesn’t list its own fees.
Minnesota park passes
- Year-round vehicle permit — $35. Unlimited visits to every Minnesota state park and recreation area for 12 months from the month of purchase Details
- One-day vehicle permit — $7. One day, one vehicle Details
- Additional year-round vehicle permit — $26. Additional vehicles owned by a year-round permit holder Details
- Year-round motorcycle permit — $30. Motorcycle, 12 months Details
- One-day group permit — $5. Group vehicles, one day Details
From the Minnesota state guide. Confirm which passes this park accepts.
Reservations
- Day use
- No day-use reservation requirement mentioned
- Booking system
- Reserve MN (US eDirect)
- Phone
- 866-857-2757
We link to the official booking system rather than showing live availability, which changes minute to minute.
Camping
| Campground or site type | Sites | Hookups / features | Price |
|---|---|---|---|
| Drive-in Sites The park has 44 drive-in sites. You must be able to back into these sites. | — | ShowersRVs up to The max RV length is 60 feet. Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. | — |
| Electric Sites The park has 35 sites with 50, 30, and 20-amp hookups. | — | ElectricShowersRVs up to The max RV length is 60 feet. Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed. | — |
| Group Camp The group camp is available seasonally. It accommodates up to 50 people. Only tents and pop-up campers are allowed. Vault toilets and water available nearby. | — | Showers | — |
Camping details from the park
Drive-in Sites: The park has 44 drive-in sites. You must be able to back into these sites.
Electric Sites: The park has 35 sites with 50, 30, and 20-amp hookups.
RV Length Limit: The max RV length is 60 feet. Length is measured from front of tow vehicle to rear of vehicle being towed.
Accessible Sites — 2 accessible sites: The park has two drive-in fully accessible campsites. One has 50-amp electric hookup.
Although there are only two fully accessible sites, all campsites in this park are on flat terrain.
Group Camp: The group camp is available seasonally. It accommodates up to 50 people. Only tents and pop-up campers are allowed. Vault toilets and water available nearby.
From the official park page, checked Oct 29, 2026. Site counts and prices can change; confirm when booking.
Things to do
HikingPicnickingCampingFishingRanger and interpretive programs
Trails
| Trail | Length | Difficulty | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Self-Guided (summer) | — | — | The park has one mile of self-guided trails.Self-Guided |
| Hiking (summer) | — | — | The park's 12 miles of mostly flat trails wind along the river and through forest and prairie.Hiking |
| Snowshoe (winter) | — | — | Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park.Snowshoe |
Trail descriptions from the park
Summer — Self-Guided: The park has one mile of self-guided trails.
Summer — Hiking: The park's 12 miles of mostly flat trails wind along the river and through forest and prairie.
Winter — Snowshoe: Snowshoeing is allowed anywhere in the park.
Trail conditions: Park has 12 miles of hiking trails. Trails are currently fully open. Seasonal flooding may occur in some lower areas of the Prairie View Trail.
Fishing
Fishing: Fish along the Buffalo River.
A state fishing license is usually required.
Amenities
Facilities
- Restrooms
- Flush toilets
- Vault or pit toilets
- Showers
- Picnic areas
- Picnic shelters
- Group facilities
Camping
- RV dump station
- Tent camping
- RV camping
- Electric hookups
- Group camping
✓ listed by the park · ✕ the park says it is not available. Anything not shown here isn’t mentioned by the official source — that means unknown, not unavailable.
Accessibility
Accessible Sites — 2 accessible sites: The park has two drive-in fully accessible campsites. One has 50-amp electric hookup.
Although there are only two fully accessible sites, all campsites in this park are on flat terrain.
Showers: Accessible showers are available seasonally in the campground.
Flush Toilets: Accessible flush toilets are available seasonally in the campground and picnic area.
Picnic Shelter: The park's enclosed accessible shelter has electricty. Reserve the picnic shelter online.
All-Terrain Track Chair: The park has an all-terrain, electric powered chair that may be used on designated trails within the park.
- Reserve the chair
- Map of designated trails
- Learn more about track chairs
Official accessibility information
Conditions change. Contact the park to confirm specific accessible features before your visit.
Getting there
- Address
- 565 155th Street South
Glyndon, MN 56547 - Nearest town
- Moorhead — about 13 mi east (straight line)
- Coordinates
- 46.8728, -96.4746
- Phone
- (218) 498-2124
- buffaloriver.statepark@state.mn.us
Google Maps directionsApple MapsOfficial park map (PDF)
Directions from the park
From Moorhead, go 14 miles east on U. S. Highway 10 and follow the signs to the park.
Nearby state parks
Sources and freshness
- Minnesota State Parks and Trails — park page — last checked Oct 29, 2026; page says updated Oct 25, 2026
- MN DNR A-Z list of state parks and recreation areas (park IDs in server-rendered <noscript> links) + state waysides page; details from the compass feature_detail JSON API used by park.html
- Wikidata
- USGS PAD-US 4.1 (boundary and acreage)
“Last checked” is when our system last read the official source. No change has been detected since this page was first published. Hours, fees and rules can change without notice — confirm with the park before you go. Methodology