HYRUM, Utah, Nov. 17, 2020 (Gephardt Daily) — Sleigh rides at Hardware Ranch in Hyrum have been cancelled due to COVID-19 concerns, but visitors can sill see hundreds of wild elk.
The decision to not offer the rides due to COVID-19 concerns was made in consultation with the Bear River Health Department, said a news release from the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources.
“Keeping people safe from COVID-19 is our top priority,” Brad Hunt, manager of the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources Hardware Ranch Wildlife Management Area, said. “The sleighs we use are fairly long, but they’re also narrow. It’s impossible for people to be in the sleighs and maintain the recommended safe distance from other individuals and groups.”
Starting Dec. 4, the visitor center will be open on weekends until Feb. 14, and two viewing areas outside the center will provide views of the hundreds of elk at the ranch.
“To keep people safe, COVID-19 protocols will be in place inside the visitor center,” Hunt said. “You must wear a mask. And, to keep the crowds small, we’ll limit the number of people who can be in the visitor center at any given time.”
After signing in, you can move into the indoor observation area. This area provides a view of the meadow in which the elk are feeding. You can stay inside the visitor center for up to 15 minutes.
From Dec. 4 until Feb. 14, the visitor center will be open from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
To try to minimize the risk to those who are in the COVID-19 high-risk category, those who aren’t high risk should wait until noon to enter the visitor center.
You can reach Hardware Ranch by traveling 16 miles east of Hyrum on state Route 101 through Blacksmith Fork Canyon.
For more information, visit the DWR website or call the ranch at 435-753-6206.
