Every Lake
Buffalo Lake
Named for the buffalo fish once pulled from its water, not the animal.
- 7 ft · first step
- 13 ft
- 20 ft
- 27 ft
- 33 ft
- 40 ft · bottom
About Buffalo Lake
Buffalo Lake sits in Wright County, Minnesota, about thirty miles southwest of St. Cloud. Traders and settlers who arrived in the 1850s named it for the buffalo fish, a type of carp, that they found in large numbers in its waters — not for bison, despite the name. The city of Buffalo, platted along the lake's shore in 1856 and incorporated in 1887, took its name from the lake and grew into the Wright County seat. The lake and the town have shared the same name and shoreline for more than a century and a half.
The lake covers about 1,455 acres with roughly six miles of shoreline, reaching a modeled maximum depth near 40 feet. That combination of size and depth supports a mixed fishery of walleye, northern pike, bass, and panfish, drawing anglers from across the Twin Cities metro on weekends. Homes and cabins ring most of the shoreline, with the densest development near downtown Buffalo on the northeast side and quieter, more residential stretches along the south and west shores. Public boat access sits within walking distance of the town's main street, keeping the lake part of daily foot traffic rather than a separate destination.
- 2 shore towns named, with a star on each
- 121 roads engraved around the shore, 7 of them labeled
- 6 depth layers, each step engraved with its depth in feet
- Compass rose, title block with coordinates, max depth and area; keyhole hanger on the back
Turn it in your hands
Live 3D of the actual cut files — drag to orbit, pinch to zoom. Every road you see is engraved on the real thing.
Viewer not showing? Open it full screen.
Buffalo Lake depth chart, in wood
This is a Buffalo Lake depth chart you can hang: 6 stacked layers of birch, each one a depth contour — 7 ft, 13 ft, 20 ft, 27 ft, 33 ft and deeper, down to the deepest hole at about 40 ft. The lake covers about 2.3 square miles, and 121 shore roads are engraved around it. The shape of the bottom is the real one from published soundings, so anglers recognise their drop-offs and points.
A Buffalo Lake map for the wall — or a gift
Most of these go to a cabin wall, a lake house entry, or a home office; a lot are gifts — the family that has been on Buffalo Lake for three generations, the retirement move, the first boat. The 12-inch is the desk-and-shelf size; the 24- and 30-inch boards read across a room. Add a line under the title and star your place on the shore, and it becomes the map of your Buffalo Lake.
Buffalo Lake map — the details
How big is the map?
Four sizes: 12, 17, 24 and 30 inches on the long side, from $149. Every size is cut from the same depth data of Buffalo Lake; the bigger boards carry more shoreline roads and place names.
Is it made from real depth data?
Yes. Buffalo Lake is cut layer by layer from published bathymetric soundings — each layer of birch is a depth contour, so the shape of the bottom is the real one, not decorative.
Can I add my own place on it?
Yes. At checkout you can add a line under the title (a family name, a cabin name, a year) and star the spot on the shore that matters to you.
How long does it take?
Made to order in Waterford, Pennsylvania and shipped in 7–10 days; shipping is free in the lower 48.
Can you make a lake that isn't listed?
Any lake in the United States — we hold depth data for 104,419 of them. Search for yours; if it isn't built yet we build it when you order.
- 6 depth layers down to 40 ft
- 2.3 square miles of water
- 121 shore roads engraved, 7 named
- Title block, compass rose and depth markers
- Birch plywood, keyhole hanger, made in Waterford, PA
