Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
RV Guide
Introduction
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park offers campers and visitors alike the perfect blend of wilderness and nature with plenty of recreational activities to partake in. The vivid grasslands, rolling hills and vast lake waters offer panoramic views of Saskatchewan's unique natural beauty. The park itself is nestled in the Qu'Appelle Valley and contains Buffalo Pound Lake as well as the Qu'Appelle and Moose Jaw Rivers.
These lands were once the used by First Nations people to corral and hunt bison that were once abundant here. Visitors can still view these magnificent beasts in a nearby paddock that features a small captive bison herd managed by the park authorities.
Apart from its picturesque landscape and indigenous history Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is also a haven for thrill seekers and outdoor adventurists alike. Plenty of recreational activities are available for campers and picnickers to participate in including hiking, mountain biking, boating, bird watching, swimming and fishing. The diverse flora and fauna around these lands make for some truly amazing hiking and biking adventures through grasslands, dense woods, and of course the vast lake shoreline.
The Nicolle Flats Interpretive Area and Marsh Boardwalk are dedicated for bird watching enthusiasts who come to these parts to catch a glimpse of many rare and exotic migratory waterfowl. The diverse topography also allows campers to enjoy multiple landscapes that include sandy beaches, hilly terrains, rocky shorelines, grasslands and woodlands all in one location.
Excellent amenities, facilities and activities make for a thoroughly enjoyable and comfortable camping experience for all those who visit Buffalo Pound Provincial Park.
RV Rentals in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
Transportation
Driving
If driving in an RV, motorhome, Big Rig or car, make sure you have your GPS set as getting to Buffalo Pound Provincial Park can be a little tricky. The park is located north of Moose Jaw off of Highway 2. The turnoff for the park is just south of the town of Tuxford. Turning east on to Grid 202 you will continue to drive about 9 km or 6 miles until you meet with Grid 301. Turn on to this almost gravel-like road and head north until you arrive at the park entrance. The roads are wide and manageable even for large sized motorhomes and bigrigs so getting to the park shouldn't be a problem.
Parking
Public Transportation
Campgrounds and parking in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
Campsites in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
Reservations camping
Lake Side Campground
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park has several different campgrounds that are are all situated close to each other in different loops. Lakeside, Elm View, Maple Vale, Shady Lane, Trails End, Valley Lower Chalet and Rankins are the campground available to choose from and contain a total of about 270 campsites. Rankins is a large group campground that can accommodate up to 15 people. Campers can find campsites that offer full-service electric, water and sewage hookups as well as unserviced campsites for those that prefer a primitive camping experience.
The Lake Side Campground has some of the best lake facing campsites for campers to choose from with electric hookups of 15/30/50 amps. The campground offers close access to playgrounds, washrooms, showers, waterpoint and garbage disposal. The campsites by the lake are partially shaded and offer limited privacy. They are largely gravel and grass campsites that come equipped with picnic tables and firepits.
Elm View Campground
The Elm View Campground is more shaded with paved sites amidst trees and grasslands. BBQs, picnic tables, electric hookups, playground, washroom, showers, water point, and garbage disposal can all be found within camp grounds.
Valley Campground
Valley campground is located behind the mini-golf and climbing wall and is close to the boat launch area. The campground is also close to the service center and offers RV campers full-service gravel sites that are spacious, open and semi-private.
Maple Vale Campground
Located close to a creek and ravine with plenty of tree cover, Maple Vale Campground is a popular camping spot with many campsites to choose from that offer electric hookups, shade and privacy from other campers. Some campsites are a tad further away from the main entrance but still provide access to washroom, showers and garbage disposal. Picnic tables, pedestal BBQs and fire pits are also present at each campsite.
Shady Lane Campground
Shady Lane Campground is broken down into two loops Shady Lane A and Shady Lane B. Shady Lane A lies south of Shady Lane B and has about 22 campsites that offer electric hookups while the later has about 37 electric hook-up sites for RV campers. The campground has roadside access which is great if you are camping for a night or two at this beautiful location.
Trail Ends Campground
A beautiful open campground that offers amazing views of Buffalo Pound Lake and newly planted trees along the shoreline. Big spacious gravel sites with roadside access allows for easy maneuverability when it comes to larger motorhomes and even bigrigs. Electric hookup is available and access to amenities and facilities is only a short walk away from campsites. This is a large campground with 66 campsites available for reservation.
Lower Chalet Campground
Lower Chalet Campground is located closer to the more forested areas of the park and close to the Bison Range. The campground is divided into two parts Lower Chalet A that has 15 campsites and Lower Chalet B which has about 11 campsites to choose from.
Rankins Campground
Rankins is a group campground situated right next to Buffalo Pound lake. The campground is private and away from the main road with a small beach area on the north side of it.
Seasonal activities in Buffalo Pound Provincial Park
In-Season
Hiking/Biking
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park features over 30 kilometers or 19 miles of hiking and mountain biking trails that offer some truly spectacular views of lakes, rivers, rolling hills and abundant wildlife. The mountain biking trails are well-maintained and carve through Qu'Appelle Valley, taking you past this diverse landscape. Several mountain biking trails lead off the campground and vary in difficulty depending on your experience. The Nicolle Flats Nature Area located at the southeast end of the park has many hiking trails that weave through the wildlife rich prairies, thick marshlands, and dense woodlands until you arrive at a stone home that marks the end of the trail. A truly spectacular hiking and mountain biking location that offers plenty to adventurist of all skill levels.
Fishing
Buffalo Pound Lake, Moose Jaw River and Qu'Appelle River offer plenty of fishing opportunities for anglers of all ages and experience. The lake and river waters are teeming with many species of fish including northern pike, walleye, yellow perch, lake whitefish, channel catfish, burbot, and common carp, to name but a few. The diversity in fish species and breathtakingly beautiful fishing spots make Buffalo Pound Provincial Park a rewarding destination for all fresh water anglers. A fish cleaning station and wheelchair accessible trout pond for shore fishing is also available at the park to entertain anglers of all ages and experience.
Boating
Buffalo Pound Lake is connected by a series of rivers and streams that make for some truly memorable kayaking and canoeing experience. The landscape allows adventurous kayakers and canoeists to take to more remote waters for a secluded and private boating experience immersed in natural wonder and beauty. A wide and well-maintained boat launch area means that you can even bring your sailboats along and enjoy the steady winds as you sail past these placid lake waters.
Off-Season
Picnicking
Buffalo Pound Provincial Park is the perfect destination for a spot of picnicking, enjoying Saskatchewan's vast open skies, prairies, lakes, rivers and grasslands. Not only do picnickers get to enjoy this picturesque lake-side location, but they can also take advantage of the modern amenities and facilities available at the park for an enjoyable and entertaining day out. Modern washroooms, picnic tables, fire pits, and a playground are all available at or close to the designated picnic area. Picnickers can also have fun at the mini-golf course area or try their hand at the climbing wall while enjoying their stay.
Nicolle Flats Nature Area
This diverse ecological habitat is a stopover area for a wide variety of wildlife including many exotic migratory waterfowl, reptiles, mammals and insects. Birdwatchers can spot yellow-headed blackbirds, great blue herons, American bitterns, muskrats, pintail ducks, canvasback ducks, and grebes as well as western painted turtles camouflaged in the tall grasses. The Nicolle Flats Marsh Boardwalk Interpretive trail allows visitors and campers alike to immerse themselves in the surrounding wildlife with excellent vantage points for some truly epic photography. The buffalo pen is also around this area, where visitors can watch large buffaloes lazing around the hillside.
Winter Activities
The fun doesn't stop once summer is over at Buffalo Pound Provincial Park. During winter the many trails hiking and biking tails are transformed into 7 km (4.3 miles) of ungroomed cross-country ski trails that start from the Lower Chalet Area. Other winter activities include snoeshowing, ice skating and ice fishing on the frozen Buffalo lake. The prairies are completely transformed in the winter months and are a sight to behold no matter what time of the year you plan on visiting.
