Buffalo River State Park




<> 

<>

A day of Geocaching at Buffalo River State Park!  In this photo are my brothers

and sisters, from left to right:  Brock, me, Brynn, Brigham, Bralynne, Brooke (baby),

Brett, Brenna, Brayden, and Brielle.



Who doesn't like geocaching?!

Buffalo River State Park is located about 15 miles out of Moorhead, Minnesota and offers one of my favorite activities-  Geocaching!

Geocaching in the Minnesota State Parks is relatively easy.  First, it is available in all 72 State Park and Recreation Area locations.  You need a GPS, a few trinkets to trade for the cache, and a spirit for adventure!  The GPS device is available for use at most parks, however, if you have a portable one in your vehicle, like I do, you can use it with ease.  All you have to do is type in co-ordinates of the cache and start following the GPS.  Be sure to follow the rules of Leave No Trace while doing this activity.  For practical purposes, this means:

1)  Plan Ahead, Prepare!

2)  Dispose of your Garbage!

                                           3)  Leave Nature as it is.  Don't take anything.



"I think we found our coordinates!"



4)  Respect Wildlife.

5)  Be considerate of others.

If you follow these basic rules, you will have a great time searching the parks for the hidden geo-caches and enjoy some sights and wildlife while doing it.  Other visitors will be thankful that you are considerate of their time in the park, too.  Here's a tip that will make you instant best friends with the Park Rangers-  if you find any garbage while visiting the park, pick it up and dispose of it.  We can all help to make the parks a great place to visit!





Ready, Set, GEOCACHE!!

Jumping for Joy at Buffalo River State Park!



Besides the wildlife in this park, there is a lot of history.  I love history.  Going back to glacial history, understand that Lake Aggasiz, at its largest, was about 200,000 square miles with about 17,000 square miles of it in what would become Minnesota.  About 10,000 years ago, when Lake Agassiz receded, grasslands appeared- everwhere! They sported seas of colorful flowers and green grasses.   Nomadic hunters and herds of bison populated the region and soon, traders built a portion of the Red River Oxcart Trail through the area. The trail paralleled the Buffalo River in this region and was used to transport furs, hides, fats and tallow, as well as other goods between St. Paul and Pembina, North Dakota. Furs and trade were important, but it was the fertile farmable land that became the desire of settlers.   They farmed the land, turning it into cropland. The park came into existance in 1937 when the Moorhead Rod and Gun Club lobbied the State to preserve this area as a recreation spot. The original thought was to provide swimming and other recreational activities. Later, in 1979, efforts began to restore the prairie ecosystem, making the park look much like it does today.

Come out and Geo-cache and explore the trails in Buffalo River State Park!