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Accessible Elk Viewing Platforms Come to Virginia Mountains

Elk viewing has become more accessible in the Virginia mountains.

Nature enthusiasts with special needs now will have access to some spectacular mountain views and captivating elk antics.

Buchanan County, Virginia now has three handicap-accessible viewing stations—small, sheltered structures with bench seating that overlook nearly 400-yards of habitat where there is known elk and other wildlife activity. The platforms can seat about 25 people. 

The viewing stations are located on Buchanan County IDA (Industrial Development Authority) property, near Poplar Gap Community Park. Each station has parking, and visitors will have about a 100-yard walk to the platform from the parking areas. 

Resources for the viewing platforms were obtained by DGIF, Southwest Virginia Sportsman’s Club, Noah Horn Well Drilling, and Thompson Group. Volunteers from Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Southwest Virginia Chapter (RMEF), National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), Mountaineer Farms and Southwest Virginia Sportsman’s Club donated time and labor to the wildlife habitat restoration work and construction of the stations.

END OF PREVIEW

The story above appears in our Jan./Feb. 2019 issue.

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