Camping and Elk watching

This was our first  Camping experience at Sinnemahoning State Park. It being such a short distance (40 minutes) from Benezett we figured we could double up on our activities.  Early morning biking and hiking at the Park and lunch and Elk watching in the afternoon and evening.

The campsite was private and quiet and very dark after the sun went down.

Some of our early morning sightings included two immature Bald Eagles

And another one that was  a 2 to 3yr. old..  Evidence by the dusty head and tail feathers still not all white.  We also saw an Osprey hunting the First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek at the 40 Maples Day Use Area.

 The area is beautiful..   early morning renders a misty fog rising up the mountain range

First Fork Sinnemahoning Creek flows right through this area and is a prime location for wildlife.

Deer were crossing the creek and grazing in the clearings

 

 

Sinnemahoning State Park was  developed as a recreational facility after the completion of the George B. Stevenson Dam and reservoir.  Originally known as First Fork Dam constructed in 1953-55 to control flooding.

The picture everyone wants to record

 

 

 

 

My brother David, his girlfriend Rhonda and I in front of the Elk at the Elk visitors Center, Benezett

 

Our first Elk encounter was at  the the Old Bull Café -

 

An Elk Cow came into the yard with her Calf

A reasonable size Bull Elk on Winslow Hill

 



A Bull was rounding up his cows along one of the roads

 



 Emerging from  the woods another Bull Elk is on a mission to catch the cow you see below.

 

 

 A first year  Bull sporting his spikes



I get why they made  a large area at the top of Winslow hill into a parking lot and viewing area for the elk but.....I hate it.  As soon as the sun starts to dip the parking lot fills with cars and people start to gravitate to the posts set up to keep them out of the field or the rocks on the other side to wait for the emergence of the Elk herd.

It reminds me of a drive in theater....  everyone getting ready for the show.  Not photographer friendly in my opinion.

 

 

At the Woodring Farm they made a walking path that leads to a viewing platform.  This seems like a better deal than Winslow hill, but when we went there we saw nothing in the fields.

 It is however a very pretty vista.

 

 

 

A new bridge was being constructed when we were here in July and is now finished.  How apro-pro that elk are etched into the sides of it with  "Benezette" on one side and "Elk Country" on the other. Its right by the Benezett Store.

 

As we prepare to leave for another year some interesting clouds lead the way.

 

 

 Watching the sun go down after a day of elk watching...It's the perfect place to be.

 

 

To God be the Glory  ~~  Great Things He Hath Done