Lone Elk

Just ten minutes southwest of the bustle of the suburb of Manchester, Missouri, lies Lone Elk Park. Located in a sequestered valley that lies tucked away just out of hearing from the interstate in the next valley over, this beautiful park is a true hidden jewel. This valley had once been a testing ground for the US Army during the forties and fifties. At some point, it was deemed wisest to eradicate the herd of elk that lived in the woods, but one wily old bull managed to evade detection. He hid out in the woods, a fugitive in his own valley, before finally being discovered ten years later, at which time he was granted a full pardon!

Arriving by Midget on a glorious sunny morning, the valley opened up beneath me as I passed through the front gate. On all sides rose forested hillsides, with small streamlets trickling down into a gorgeous lake in the very heart of the park. Proving that there is no longer any danger of there being only a lone elk, I found a large herd of almost thirty big elk lying in the shade near the southern shore. These animals are so much bigger than you imagine when you are right next to them!

After parking the car next to the herd of elk, I found the trailhead for White Bison Trail, a three mile loop that circled the lake and meandered back into the forested hillsides. It was a perfect day for a hike, and my early start meant that there were only a few other people in the entire park. Along the route, I found a black locust tree, which has two inch thorns in a protective layer around the tree trunk. I also was happy to see several pileated woodpeckers, a couple of white tail deer, and two bull elk that were enjoying some solitude away from the main herd. While examining a stream more closely, I was even able to find some salamander eggs, although unfortunately I didn't find any adults.

To finish off my expedition, I then drove on to the last part of the park, the Bison area. This portion of the park is entirely fenced off, and you are not allowed to leave your vehicle for safety. As I drove through the gate to this section of the park, the warning signs about bison damaging cars were a good reminder of just how strong these animals are. I found the herd quickly, which was resting beside a stream. The big bull of the herd was sitting contentedly, staring into the distance as if contemplating something profound. It was amazing to have to look up at these animals because of how huge they are and how small my car is!

Sadly, I didn't have my camera, but I will have to return and take pictures at some point. Adjacent to this park is World Bird Sanctuary, which is supposed to have bald eagles, eurasian eagle owls, and even some sort of parrot, that I will have to check out in the near future!