Lone Elk County Park
Location: Valley Park, Missouri
Date: July 22, 2012
Lone Elk County Park is in western St. Louis County along Interstate 44 in Valley Park. I stopped here after hiking in Forest 44 Conservation Area, which is across the highway, and visiting the World Bird Sanctuary, which is next to the park, just outside the entrance. Lone Elk Park is the location of bison an elk herds that can be seen via driving routes throughout the park. There is also a hiking trail around Lone Elk Reservoir, in the general area of the elk herd.
The park's terrain is very hilly and mostly forested, which can make spotting the animals difficult. I saw several bison, including a couple next to the road. Only two elk were in places where I could easily see them, although I did see more in the distance. White-tailed deer are also fairly common in the park.
The area was originally a military facility in World War II, but after the war it became a county park. In 1948 elk and bison herds were established, however the land was again taken over by the military during the Korean War. For safety reasons, all the bison and elk were killed with the exception of a single bull elk, thus the park's name. By the early 1970s the area was once again a county park and bison and elk herds were reestablished.
© Copyright 2017 Matthew Pintar. All rights reserved.
Date: July 22, 2012
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| One of the park's bison |
Lone Elk County Park is in western St. Louis County along Interstate 44 in Valley Park. I stopped here after hiking in Forest 44 Conservation Area, which is across the highway, and visiting the World Bird Sanctuary, which is next to the park, just outside the entrance. Lone Elk Park is the location of bison an elk herds that can be seen via driving routes throughout the park. There is also a hiking trail around Lone Elk Reservoir, in the general area of the elk herd.
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| Elk |
The park's terrain is very hilly and mostly forested, which can make spotting the animals difficult. I saw several bison, including a couple next to the road. Only two elk were in places where I could easily see them, although I did see more in the distance. White-tailed deer are also fairly common in the park.
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| Lone Elk Reservoir |
The area was originally a military facility in World War II, but after the war it became a county park. In 1948 elk and bison herds were established, however the land was again taken over by the military during the Korean War. For safety reasons, all the bison and elk were killed with the exception of a single bull elk, thus the park's name. By the early 1970s the area was once again a county park and bison and elk herds were reestablished.
© Copyright 2017 Matthew Pintar. All rights reserved.
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