Buffalo Campground, the Hub

Buffalo campground is located on the north bank of the Buffalo River, across Highway 20 from Pond’s Lodge. It is the largest campground in the caldera with 121 camp sites, one dozen with power. When I lived in the valley, I spent more than one weekend camping at Buffalo. The river banks at the campground are protected by willows, making the area picturesque but without the gravel beach environment of Coffee Pot. With willows come slow water along the river bank, and more mosquitoes. Bug spray is a must.

I had the opportunity to visit with Bee O’Neil and his wife Celia. They are a friendly couple that winter in Bullhead City, Arizona. This is their first season in Island Park. They are the area managers for all the federal campgrounds in the caldera, as well as Lower Mesa Falls, Cave Falls, Warm River, Stoddard Wells and Steel Creek. The last two campgrounds are located west of Ashton and I-15. Buffalo Campground serves as the hub for service and maintenance for all of the campgrounds within the O’Neil’s area. With Bee’s background in California law enforcement, he and Celia take seriously their responsibility to protect the campers while they are enjoying the campground facilities.

Buffalo has four separate loops and boasts a campground host couple for each loop. It also has a long boardwalk at the back end (east) of the campground that leads to a sportsmen’s access and docks on the Buffalo River. The campground is well maintained and all the sites are fully developed with tables, fire rings and pads. This is one of the few campgrounds in the caldera where some sites cannot be reserved but are available for drop-in campers.