Buffalo Lake National Wildlife Refuge

We we’re driving through and planned to disperse camp at Palo Duro Canyon but the rain flooded the area and they had to close it. We drove here, and it was okay. The grass was tall so we couldn’t really get to the lake from the tent areas. They do have a restroom but we didn’t use it.

I was caught up in some pretty bad weather after a camping trip to Palo Duro and needed a place to hunker down until the weather cleared. The campground is located down a long gravel road and contains 10 sites. No amenities, just a picnic table. The wind blew dirt everywhere and there was a lot of wind as trees were few and far between. It was quiet, maybe 1 or 2 others during my stay. The flies and moths were relentless and made the stay less enjoyable. The best part of this stay was the cost. FREE! With an America the Beautiful senior pass. Otherwise with a reg. ATB pass, it was 2.00 night. No water or dump anywhere near and it’s a bit of a trek to get there from Palo Duro SP.

I got there after 5 so the ranger station was closed. I drove in over some one-way dragons teeth spikes in the pavement and a sign that said the park closed at 8 pm and opened again at 8 am. Apparently the one way dragons teeth spikes make that happen. The lake was dry when I was there and it looked like they’d done a controlled burn between the campground and the lakebed- maybe to promote new grass? I was the only person there however and it was like being out on the Great Plains 150 years ago- wind in the grass, stars, coyotes, two owls calling to each other from the trees. From the campground you can see the blinking lights of the wind farms to the east, but that was really the only evidence of the outside world. It was windy, but sublime.