Follow A Self-Guided Driving Tour Through A Conservation Area In Missouri To Spot Elk In Their Natural Habitat
By Beth Price-Williams|Published May 27, 2020
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Beth Price-Williams
Author
A professional writer for more than two decades, Beth has lived in nearly a dozen states – from Missouri and Virginia to Connecticut and Vermont – and Toronto, Canada. In addition to traveling extensively in the U.S. and the U.K., she has a BA in Journalism from Point Park University (PA), a MA in Holocaust & Genocide Studies from Stockton University (NJ), and a Master of Professional Writing from Chatham University (PA). A writer and editor for Only In Your State since 2016, Beth grew up in and currently lives outside of Pittsburgh and when she’s not writing or hanging out with her bunnies, budgies, and chinchilla, she and her daughter are out chasing waterfalls.
Wildlife in Missouri is so beautiful it can often take our breath away. We have an abundance of places to watch the wildlife, too, from our state parks to our own neighborhoods. You can also see elk in their natural habitat by embarking on a self-guided driving tour in Missouri that will take you to two conservation areas.
Peck Ranch and Current River Conservation Areas both offer a front-row seat to view elk and other wildlife in their natural habitat.
The self-guided driving tour allows you to view elk up-close, to take photographs, and to explore at your own pace. However, the Missouri Department of Conservation warns that visitors should not interfere with the elk or disturb them in any way.
More than a century and a half ago, elk disappeared in Missouri. With the hard work and dedication of the Missouri Department of Conservation, an elk herd has been introduced to a conservation area that spans from Ellington to Winona.
You can explore some of the “elk restoration zone,” which spans approximately 346 square miles, as you drive through Peck Ranch and Current River Conservation Areas.
Peck Ranch Conservation Area and Current River Conservation Area are open daily from sunrise to sunset. However, both are closed in special circumstances, including inclement weather and when managed deer hunts are scheduled.
Have you ever gone on this self-guided driving tour in Missouri? What was your favorite part of the experience? Join the conversation in the comments! If you love nature, you might want to add these spots to your nature bucket list.
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