RV camping near Buffalo, Minnesota
Buffalo sits in Wright County about 40 miles northwest of the Twin Cities, surrounded by glacial lakes, hardwood forests, and rolling farmland. The area is a practical base for RV renters who want quick highway access to Minneapolis-Saint Paul while still parking on a quiet lake shore. Wright County's parks system includes regional parks such as Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park, Collinwood Regional Park, Robert Ney Regional Park, and Stanley Eddy Regional Park, each providing amenities for hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking.
Private RV parks handle the bulk of full-hookup demand in the immediate area. Codgers Cover RV Resort and Cokato Lake RV Resort sit on lakes within a short drive of downtown Buffalo, while RiversEdge RV Park of Becker and St Cloud Clearwater RV Park give travelers a northerly base along the Mississippi River corridor toward St. Cloud. Minnesota Airstream Park serves club members and vintage-trailer travelers.
Public camping is anchored by Lake Maria State Park, a remnant of the Big Woods with backpack sites and camper cabins, plus Wright County's regional campgrounds at Collinwood, Bertram Chain of Lakes, and Schroeder Park.
Things to do around Buffalo
Water dominates the recreation menu. Buffalo Lake, Pulaski Lake, and Cokato Lake support fishing for walleye, northern pike, bass, and panfish, and most public accesses have paved boat ramps suitable for RV tow vehicles. Swimming beaches, fishing piers, and paved trails are common at Wright County regional parks.
The county's parks system includes regional parks such as Bertram Chain of Lakes Regional Park, Collinwood Regional Park, Robert Ney Regional Park, and Stanley Eddy Regional Park, each providing amenities for hiking, biking, fishing, and picnicking. Bertram Chain of Lakes is known for its chain of lakes, offering water-based activities like swimming, canoeing, and kayaking.
Inland, Lake Maria State Park protects one of the few remaining stands of the Big Woods, a maple, oak and basswood forest, and draws hikers, backpackers, and cross-country skiers who enjoy the challenge of the rolling terrain. Buffalo's compact downtown, farmers' market, and county fairgrounds add rainy-day options within a short drive of any campground.
When to visit Buffalo
March - May
52° / 37°F 60 mm
Thaw and mud season; parks open by early May.
June - August
79° / 59°F 100 mm
Warm, humid, buggy; peak bookings and thunderstorms.
September - November
55° / 37°F 55 mm
Crisp days, fall color; Wright County parks close October 18.
December - February
23° / 10°F 20 mm
Deep freeze; most RV parks winterized and closed.
The camping season runs roughly May through mid-October at most parks in the region. Wright County campgrounds run May 1 through October 18, with check in at 2:00 pm and check out at 1:00 pm. Private RV parks around Buffalo follow a similar pattern, with some opening in mid-April if the ground has thawed.
Summer is peak season. June tends to be the wettest month, with frequent afternoon thunderstorms. July and August bring warm days, active mosquitoes near marshy lakes, and heavy weekend bookings, so travelers should reserve well ahead for holiday weekends. Early fall cools quickly and delivers hardwood color, especially at Lake Maria and along the Crow River.
Winter camping is limited but not impossible. Lake Maria's camper cabins are open year-round, with two of the three operating through all seasons with woodstove heat and the third being seasonal. Most private RV parks near Buffalo close their water systems before the first hard freeze.
Reservations and booking
Private RV parks around Buffalo, including Codgers Cover RV Resort, Cokato Lake RV Resort, RiversEdge RV Park of Becker, and St Cloud Clearwater RV Park, take direct bookings by phone or through their own websites. Weekends in July and August fill first, so travelers should lock in dates several weeks out. Minnesota Airstream Park operates as a club property, so confirm access rules before planning a stop.
Wright County regional campgrounds use a central online system. Campsites open for reservation in early March for the coming season, and a reservation fee applies to all reservable campsites. Camping is limited to a maximum of 7 consecutive nights.
For Lake Maria State Park, book through the Minnesota DNR. Reservations are available through the Minnesota DNR reservation system up to 120 days in advance. The maximum length for a single camping reservation is 14 nights.
What to expect on site
Private parks near Buffalo generally offer 30- and 50-amp electric, water, and sewer hookups, laundry, showers, and Wi-Fi of variable quality. Sites tend to be level gravel or grass, and pull-throughs are common but not guaranteed, so ask when booking if a larger rental rig needs extra clearance.
County campgrounds mix electric and non-electric sites with modern shower buildings. At Collinwood Regional Park, fifteen sites are full service, forty sites have electric hookups, and the campground has two modern shower and restroom facilities, plus a swimming beach, fishing pier, playground, hike and ski trails, and a sanitary dump station.
Lake Maria is a different experience. Backpack sites are located on remote lakes and ponds throughout the park, one to two miles from the trailhead parking. RV travelers using Lake Maria typically day-use the park and sleep at a hookup site nearby.