A Lucky Early Elk Sighting And Then A Day Exploring Benezette And Saint Marys In Elk County

I was up at  5 :30 a.m. in Saint Marys in  Elk County, Pennsylvania  Saturday morning. I was here in elk country to try and see some of the elk heard  that still roam freely in the forests near here.  Although I was exhausted from my long day of travel on Friday , including spending 4 hours  stranded on a remote rural road , I did not sleep well at my hotel. I was tired when I awoke  but still excited to do some hiking and hopefully see an elusive elk or two. So after  a few cups of coffee at  the hotel I was on my way back to Benezette, the Elk Capital of Pennsylvania.

After talking with some folks and a ranger at the  viewing area at the Visitor Center Friday evening  I was aware that there is no guarantee to see elk while in the area. So, while I am always optimistic, my expectations were realistic.  I may not see any of the elk heard. However, once again I got lucky  on my travel. While driving on Route 255,  just a few miles out side of Saint Marys,

 I saw three huge elk in a field across the highway. I was able to pull over and watch as these  beautiful animals stood in the field. There were 3 large bull elk with their massive antlers still covered in velvet. The elk will shed the velvet in a week or two, usually in mid-August.

Unfortunately, a few other vehicles pulled over and the noise  scared the elk. They fled into the safety of the surrounding woods. It was a wonderful experience. And a lucky one to see them this close to Saint Mary’s.  Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos of the  beautiful elk  I saw along the highway . Elk County Benezette elk August 1 2026.

I was hoping to see more elk that day, with my next chance   at the Winslow Hill viewing area near Benezette. I drove  on Highway 255 to Highway 555 which took me to Benezette.  However, I  missed the  turnoff road to Winslow Hill.

There is no cell phone service in many areas out here and I lost my navigation maps . I drove on  the winding roads through the mountains for a couple of miles until  into I reached the small town of Driftwood where  I realized I was way off course.

I drove  back to Benezette and now saw the sign showing the way to the Winslow Hill viewing area I missed earlier.

 I drove to the viewing area atop a ridge with a beautiful view of the surrounding valley and fields.

Here I found only one young couple  with their daughter. I was told there were elk here earlier but they were at the far edge of the fields and barely visible in the fog. They were bugling.The young family all said it was an amazing experience.

They left and I enjoyed the view myself for a few moments.. I understand that during the rut or mating season this and the other viewing centers are crowded.    I left the viewing center and drove to the nearby Woodring Farms  another viewing sight with a .8 mile interpretive hiking  trail through some former farm fields.

I hiked up a ridge through the fields, hoping to see or see some elk. 

I  didn’t.  There were no elk as I  walked through the wet grass on the trail  through mostly red pine trees. There were  a lot of indigo buntings,

chipping sparrow,

field sparrows in the fields,

and a lot of dew covered spider webs but no elk.

It was nice walk through the field.   I saw a  lot of  mid Summer native flowers blooming, including black-eyed Susan  flowers,

 yarrow flowers,

early goldenrod flowers,

common evening primrose flowers,

and spotted Joe pye weed flowers.

Invasive  and pretty blue flax flowers also bloomed on the  trail.

It was too early and too wet for much insect activity, but I am sure there will be a lot of bees, wasps, butterflies and other insects  in these fields on  a sunny day.

I finished my one mile hike on the loop trail and drove back to Benezette.  In town, next to the Benezette Hotel I  drove down Trout Run  Road, past some camping resorts. The road became dirt covered and rutted as I near  the Elk Trail parking lot.

I parked at the trail head and continued on private road past some cabins and campgrounds.

Large Norway  fir and red spruce  trees lined the road,

which followed fast flowing Trout Run.

Old sweet birch trees grew along the creek.

The road ended near a bridge over the creek,

and I followed a narrow trail along on the edge of  Trout Run creek.

It  was rocky and slippery for aa few hundred yards.

The trail then entered a woodland with large oak trees  and  followed   the creek a below  a steep ridge. Mountain laurel grew under the large trees  in the woodlands.

Intermediate wood ferns,

hay-scented ferns and

cinnamon  ferns grew in the moist conditions between the ridge and the creek.

Many species of mushrooms also grew on and along the narrow,rocky and root covered trail.

I found some edible chanterelle mushrooms

summer oyster  mushrooms and

milk cap mushrooms.

I also found many other mushrooms and fungi,  I believe a peppery milk cap,

golden spindle fungi ,

white coral fungus, 

a violet gray bolete and 

the unusual dead man’s fingers fungus.  I am no expert, and like most of my identifications on my blog, come from Goggle images and my iPhone Apps.   So please correct me if make a misidentification and I will correct it.

There were also dozens of red efts crawling along the trail.

The trail left the Trout Run creek and continued up the ridge

taking me through   a grove of old hemlock  trees.

There was some bird activity  in the woodlands along the trail, I saw  a winter wren,

a pair of eastern towhees, this is the female

and this the male,

and black throated green warbler feeding on some insects.

I  followed the trail about mile when it interested with the Chase Hollow Road. I think this much wider dirt road was  open  to motor vehicles in hunting season. I knew it was also open to horses as there was a lot of horse droppings along the road.

I followed the road for about a half mile when I came to Front Street, a less used road, covered with  grass.

A side trail took me on another rutted and grass covered road,

to some open fields. It was another elk viewing area.

There were no elk here but this white tail deer watched me as I approached the fields.

There were many wildflowers blooming in the fields, including Joe pye weed,  goldenrod, yarrow flowers,  I  saw earlier, and these spotted knapweed,

and   bull thistle flowers.

The sun was out now and  dried the wet grass and flowers which brought out the insects. I was pleased to see many monarch butterflies

visiting the Joe pye weed along the trail.

I also saw  a   pearl crescent,

 a northern pearly eye,

a summer azure,

a common wood nymph ,

 a dun skipper and

and a spicebush swallowtail  butterfly .

I also saw this monarch butterfly caterpillar and,

I think this was  some type of fritillary butterfly caterpillar.

I walked back  down to the Front Street road and followed it to Thunder Mountain Trail.   The trail was closed during the Summer months here so I began my hike back. On the way I encountered a family on horseback riding down  the Thunder Mountain  Trail. 

When I got back to the intersection with Chase Hollow Road I followed the grassy Front Street  road or trail for about a mile.

Along the way I saw many of the same  butterflies and  other insects I saw other, and a few Carolina grasshoppers. Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos of the birds I saw on my hikes  near Benezette. Elk County Benezette birds and insects August 1 2026.

I also saw many of the same wildflowers and a lot of invasive ox eye daisies.  Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos of the plants,wildflowers and mushrooms I saw on my hikes  near Benezette. Elk County Benezette plant and mushrooms August 1 2026. .

I came to a gate along the  trail, and began my hike back to the trail head. Walking down the wooded Elk Trail,

near the Trout Run creek, I came across some very fresh elk droppings.  Elk walked this trail after me. I would have loved to see these magnificent creatures in the woodlands where they roam free.

It was near noon when I finished my 5 1/2 mile hike.  Here is a link to a gallery on my blog web page with some more photos from my hikes  near Benezette. Elk County Benezette August 1 2026.

As usual  I was hungry after my hike.  On the way back to my hotel I stopped at Rose’s Hilltop Diner just outside of Saint Marys. I had a great filling breakfast, and a lot of coffee, at this  quaint dinner.  I love eating at local restaurants on my travels.

I returned to my hotel and edited photos for few hours. Late in the afternoon I  decided to visit downtown Saint Marys, and the famous Straub Brewery. I parked on Chestnut Street across from the Green Jade Chinese restaurant where I planned to have dinner after  I hiked to the brewery.

I walked to St. Michael Street  which  left   the downtown and  took me up through a residntial neighborhood. I love walking through new towns and cities. Here I found some older, but well-maintained homes and gardens.

However, many of the homes were not maintianed and in poor repair. It seems, to me, like many small towns in the Commonwealth, it had seen better more prosperous days.

 I walked uphill, past a few local stores,

and as I neared the hilltp ,

found the older homes were bettter maintained with some old trees and nice yards.

I continued toward the brewery, now walking down through another residential neighborhood.

I came to the 150 year old Staubs Brewery, 

and was greeted by this gnome.

I drank many beers brewed here in high school and college but it has been almost 50 years since I last had a beer brewed here.

The family  owned brewery provides  tours of the brewery and has a famous etnernal tap.  Both were closed  on this late Saturday afternoon.

In my younger years I may have been disappointed but I do not drink as much beer as I used to.  I walked back through the neighborhoods of Saint Marys under cloudy skies.  Here is  a link to a gallery with some photos from my afternoon walk through the streets of St. Marys.  Elk County St. Marys  August 1 2026.

 I had a nice meal of kung pao shrimp at the Jade Garden restaurant before returning to my hotel. I had walked over 8 miles and I was tired. I feel asleep early, aftert editing some photos. I set my alarm for 6 a.m. I had planned to do some more hiking and look for elk. However there were heavy rain and flash flood warnings for later in the morning when I awoke.  I was driving a small Toyota rental car and didn’t want to drive 3 hours in heavy rains. So I left the wild elk country of Pennsylvania and made it home before the rains. I was disappointed but I am already planning my return to look for more of the majestic  elk in this beautiful part of our State.

“There is growing awareness of the beauty of country … a sincere desire to keep some of it for all time. People are beginning to value highly the fact that a river runs unimpeded for a distance… They are beginning to obtain deep satisfaction om the fact that a herd of elk may be observed in back country, on ancestral ranges, where the Indians once hunted them. They are beginning to seek the healing relaxation that is possible in wild country. In short, they want it.”  Olaus Murie