Elk viewing tours continue through October at Chief Logan State Park
Elk tours continue through October at Chief Logan State Park
Robert Fields | WVOW News
HENLAWSON Elk viewing tours at Chief Logan State Park are continuing through October, giving visitors a chance to see West Virginia's growing elk herd in its natural habitat.
The West Virginia Division of Natural Resources and West Virginia State Parks are offering morning and evening tours from Chief Logan Lodge. Guests ride to the nearby Tomblin Wildlife Management Area, where a viewing tower provides a 360-degree view of the surrounding area.
The tours are being held during elk mating season, when visitors have a chance to hear the bugling of bull elk in the hills and hollows.
The remaining September tours are scheduled for Saturday, September 26, with morning and evening trips, and Sunday, September 27, with an evening trip.
October tours include morning and evening trips on October 10, 17 and 24, and evening trips on October 11, 18 and 22.
Those tours can fill quickly.
Visitors can also explore the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area on their own. The property is open to the public, and the viewing tower can be reached by vehicle from the Corridor G area. Vehicles cannot be taken throughout the property because of gated access, but people can hike across the 35-thousand-acre wildlife management area.
West Virginia's elk restoration project began in 2016, when the DNR opened the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area and began bringing elk into the state. The first animals came from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area in Kentucky, followed by additional shipments and a large transfer from Arizona.
The herd now numbers more than 100 animals, with many elk having been born in West Virginia.
DNR officials conduct annual health checks and track most of the animals with GPS collars. Officials say most elk have remained on the Tomblin property, although some temporarily travel outside the area before returning.
The tours and visitor center also provide information about the state's elk restoration program, the history of elk in West Virginia and the biology of the animals.
PHOTO | WVDNR
