Limited tickets to see West Virginia’s only elk herd now on sale

LOGAN, W.Va. (WBOY) — Tickets for guided tours through the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area to see West Virginia’s growing elk herd are now on sale, the West Virginia Division of Natural Resources (WVDNR) announced Friday.

The 2-3 mile walking excursion is “the best way to learn about the history of elk management in West Virginia,” according to West Virginia State Parks , although the tour does not guarantee that attendants will see elk. The tours are only offered for three weeks and spots are expected to book up fast.

The tours start on Oct. 3, 2024, and are offered at 5:30 a.m. on Saturdays and Sundays and at 4 p.m. on Saturdays, Sundays and Thursdays until Oct. 19. Tickets are $34 each and include the educational program, transportation to and from the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area from Chief Logan Lodge, a tour souvenir and a snack. Tickets can only be purchased online here .

The tour is only recommended for ages 12 and older, and all participants must wear sturdy, closed-toed shoes and long pants.

Construction began this year on a new Elk Visitor Center in the Tomblin Wildlife Management Area that will contribute “significantly to the local economy and support ongoing elk management efforts.”

West Virginia’s elk population disappeared in the late 1800s, but the West Virginia Legislature voted to reintroduce some elk to the southern part of the state in 2015. Since the program was launched in 2016, additional animals have been added to the herd and at least 60 calves have been born in the state. West Virginia is now an estimated 140-150 elk, according to the WVDNR .

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