Wild Elk - Up Close At Hardware Elk Festival

Hardware Ranch is a wildlife management area in northern Utah, near Logan. Every year a large herd of wild elk winter at the ranch. Biologists feed them there to keep them from migrating down into the valley where they might harm farms.

Viewing the elk has become a very popular winter activity. Ranch personnel will take visitors on sleight rides out among the elk as they deliver feed. The sleights are often able to get quite close to the animals, even to large bulls.

As snow starts to fly, the Ranch sponsors a wildlife festival, as described in the info below provided by the Ranch.

Annual Elk Festival

December 13: Celebrate Utah's wildlife at this year's Elk Festival.

It's time to celebrate the return of the elk to Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area with the annual Elk Festival. This year's festival will be held at Hardware Ranch WMA on Saturday Dec. 13, from 10 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. There will be many fun and free family activities in addition to the regular sleigh rides and visitor center. Activities will include fish printing, wildlife Christmas ornament crafting, and more.

Elk viewing and wagon rides begin in December

Depending on weather and snowfall, elk-viewing rides at Hardware Ranch WMA generally run from the middle of December until March on Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays and Mondays. The 2014-2015 season will begin on December 12, 2014 and will run through March 2, 2015.

Days Hours

Friday Noon to 4:30 p.m.

Saturday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Sunday 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Monday Noon to 4:30 p.m.

Elk-viewing ride prices

(We take cash, checks, credit and debit cards.)

Adults (9 and older) — $5

Children (4 through 8) — $3

Children 3 and younger ride for free.

Ticket sales for rides will close promptly at 4:30 p.m. You must have your ticket purchased and be in the sleigh line by 4:30 p.m. There is no food or fuel sold at the ranch.

We are closed every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday. We are also closed on Christmas day.