![]() ![]() Go left/northwest up a weaker trail that heads steeply up onto a ridge. DO NOT GO STRAIGHT ON THE WELL-BEATEN TRAIL. This junction shows up on the USGS topo map but is not shown on the Caribou-Targhee National Forest Map. At about 6,820 feet, the trail reaches an unsigned junction at a ridge crossing. The trail bends left-ish/northwest and enters a pine forest. Follow the trail as it meanders its way northward across dry gullies and shoulders in open terrain. Just look for a spot to jump across (or walk through) each creek. Neither crossing has a footbridge or logs/boulders but the creeks aren’t too deep. It immediately descends 70 vertical feet to cross two creeks (McCoy Creek and Clear Creek). South Spur/East Ridge, Class 1 The Climbįrom the trailhead, hike up the Great Western Trail/FST-552. Also note that FST-130 (the trail to the summit of Little Elk Mountain) is not shown on the USGS topo map. Please note that Wolverine Creek Trail/FST-164 ( of the book) no longer exists and is not a viable option for climbing Little Elk Mountain. Go right/north onto FSR-164 and drive 0.7 miles to the large parking area and signed trailhead for the Great Western Trail/FST-552. At 19.2 miles, reach a junction with FSR-164. At 6.6 and 6.8 miles, reach the two entrances to the McCoy Creek Campground. Turn right/west onto McCoy Creek Road/FSR-087 and reset your odometer. Livingston Douglas Photo Accessįrom the junction of US-89 and Greys River Road in Alpine, WY (Alpine Market and Family Dollar are nearby), drive south on US-89 for 3.1 miles to a junction with McCoy Creek Road. Allow at least 45 minutes to reach the valley once you exit I-40.Little Elk Mountain as viewed from the east. After 0.2 mile, turn right onto Cove Creek Road and follow signs 11 miles into Cataloochee valley. The easiest way to reach Cataloochee is from Interstate highway I-40. Most of the elk are located in the Cataloochee area in the southeastern section of the park. If you approach an animal so closely that it stops feeding, changes direction of travel, or otherwise alters its behavior, you are too close! Approaching wildlife too closely causes them to expend crucial energy unnecessarily and can result in real harm. Enjoy elk at a distance, using binoculars or a spotting scope for close-up views. Elk may also be active on cloudy summer days and before or after storms. The best times to view elk are usually early morning and late evening. It also increases danger to other park visitors.Įvery year park animals must be destroyed because of mistakes humans make. Feeding park wildlife is strictly forbidden by law and almost always leads to the animal's demise. ![]() Never feed elk or other wildlife or bait them in for closer observation. It is also illegal to remove elk antlers or other elk parts from the park. The use of spotlights, elk bugles, and other wildlife calls are illegal in the national park. The same is true for white-tailed deer fawns. A calf's natural defense is to lie down and remain still. Cows frequently leave their newborn calves while they go off to feed. Though they may appear to be orphaned, chances are their mother is nearby. Please watch a short video about safely viewing elk. The best way to avoid these hazards is to keep your distance. Males (bulls) may perceive people as challengers to their domain and charge. Female elk with calves have charged people in defense of their offspring. Warning! Elk are large animals-larger than black bears-and can be dangerous. Learn more about elk! How big do they get? What do they eat? What is rut?Įlk are large animals! Females can weigh 500 pounds and stand nearly as tall as this pickup truck. In 2002, the park imported another 27 animals. R eintroduction of elk into Great Smoky Mountains National Park began in 2001 when 25 elk were brought from the Land Between the Lakes National Recreation Area along the Tennessee-Kentucky border. In cases where native species have been eliminated from park lands, the National Park Service may choose to reintroduce them. By 1900, the population of elk in North America dropped to the point that hunting groups and other conservation organizations became concerned the species was headed for extinction.Ī primary mission of the National Park Service is to preserve native plants and animals on lands it manages. In Tennessee, the last elk was killed in the mid-1800s. The last elk in North Carolina was believed to have been killed in the late 1700s. ![]() They were eliminated from the region by over-hunting and loss of habitat. Please watch a short video about safely viewing elk.Įlk once roamed the southern Appalachian mountains and elsewhere in the eastern United States. During the rut in fall, male elk bugle to attract females and to challenge other bulls. ![]()
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