Buffalo River State Park Planning

The Department of Natural Resources (DNR) Parks and Trails Division is creating a new management plan to guide future development and operations at Buffalo River State Park. The management plan will set the direction for the state park for the next 15-20 years and will include recommendations for managing natural and cultural resources and providing recreational and interpretative opportunities to state park visitors.

Public input opportunities

Open house Monday, December 9

An open house will start the planning process. It is open to anyone interested in learning more about the state park and providing input for the master plan.

Monday, December 9 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m.
Minnesota State University Moorhead Regional Science Center

Provide your input on the initial public input questionnaire if you are unable to attend the open house.

Citizen advisory committee

After the open house, a citizen advisory committee will be formed to help identify issues and consider recommendations for the management plan. The committee will meet three to four times at the Regional Science Center adjacent to the park over the following months. Meeting dates, agendas, summaries and other meeting materials for the citizen advisory committee will be posted on this page.

If you would like to participate in the citizen advisory committee, please fill out the initial public input questionnaire or contact Gratia Joice, listed below.

Planning documents and other materials

About Buffalo River State Park

Buffalo River State Park, established in 1937, sits along the winding Buffalo River and is home to one of Minnesota's finest and largest remnant prairies. Many of its buildings and other facilities were built by the Works Progress Administration (WPA) in the late 1930s and early 1940s.

The park offers miles of trails for hikers to enjoy the unique landscape of the park. The native and restored prairie within the park, and the adjoining Bluestem Prairie Scientific and Natural Area (SNA), is judged to be one of the largest and best of the state's prairie preserves. The landscape contains more than 250 species of wildflowers and grasses. Visitors can enjoy riverside hiking trails through old-growth forest, with plenty of opportunities for picnicking, fishing, birding and wildlife viewing throughout the park. For overnight visitors, there is a seasonal campground and group camp. The park shares a boundary with Minnesota State University Moorhead Regional Science Center to the east and the Bluestem Prairie SNA to the south.

The park is located 14 miles east of Moorhead, Minnesota, just south of state Highway 10.

More information

If you would like more information or have questions about this project, please contact:

Gratia Joice, Principal Planner
Minnesota DNR, Parks and Trails Division
Telephone: 651-259-5328
Email: [email protected]

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