By Dave Webb
A large herd of elk spends the winter at Hardware Ranch, where they are easy to see and photograph. We visited on Jan 27 and saw a couple hundred elk in the meadow, including some large bulls. Conditions were pleasant with mostly cloudy skies and mild temperatures. My kids/grandchildren said they enjoyed the trip.
The ranch is a wildlife management area operated by Utah’s Division of Wildlife Resources. It is located in northern Utah, in the mountains east of Hyrum. Access is via a paved road which is plowed during the winter.
The surrounding mountains usually receive heavy snow during winter and so the elk migrate down to lower elevations where it is easier to find food. Much of their traditional winter range in Cache Valley is now farmland or new subdivisions. The ranch is being developed to provide natural winter feed for the large animals. So far, the elk have needed supplemental feed, so ranch workers haul grass hay out to the herd during the cold months.
A concessionaire offers wagon rides to allow visitors to get relatively close to the wild animals. The elk become accustomed to the wagons and do not spook, as long as people stay on the wagon. If people got off the animals might startle and flee.
Wagon drives answer questions and give a presentation about the ranch and efforts to manage the elk herd. Our driver was knowledgeable and personable and helped us have a great experience. Our ride lasted a little over an hour.
Rides are offered between 10 am and 4:30 pm, Dec. 1 through Feb. 11. People ages 9 and up are charged $10; for ages 4-8 the fee is $4, and ages 3 and under are free.
Tickets must be purchased at the Ranch Education Center and reservations are not accepted. You buy tickets and then get into a line to board the wagons. The line is usually short. We visited on a good weather Saturday and there were more visitors than I expected. We waited in line for about 45 minutes.
(Reservations are available for groups of 25 or more.)
The education center offers informational exhibits, restrooms, and a blazing fireplace. A concessionaire trailer nearby offers hot chocolate and some food items.
See the Hardware Ranch website for more information.
