“The primary mission of the Elk River Lodge is to protect and preserve the habitat in this area, along with it’s incredible abundance and diversity of wild game.”
Welcoming Back Wildlife: Our Conservation Journey
The lodge is a natural wintering ground for elk in the valley. In the fall, massive herds can be seen crossing the meadow every day. Bald eagles, herons, owls, ducks and geese call it home. Because the property was once a cattle farm, it was contained with miles of electric fencing that bordered the property and impeded their migratory paths. It took a massive effort to remove all of the old fencing and replace it with wildlife-friendly split rail wood with crossings throughout so wildlife could once again come and go as they please.
On top of that, we spent years cleaning up all of the old farm equipment, barrels and barbed wire along the river to restore this incredible land to its former glory and create a refuge for a vast array of wildlife.
Our Recent Conservation Efforts: Restoring the Spring Creek
We worked closely with a biologist to conduct research of the beautiful Dalzelle Creek that flows through the property and alongside the lodge. Investing in this lengthy, in-depth process allowed us to get district approval to clean up the creek that was illegally destroyed before we took possession of the property. What had been buried and diverted for irrigation is now restored as close as it can be to its natural state.
Today, it’s home to raft of ducks and is full of brook trout you can see rising for bugs from the patio.