Hardware Ranch Sleigh Ride With The Elk

Hardware Ranch is a Utah DWR ran ranch located at the end of Blacksmith Fork canyon above Cache Valley. In the winter they provide food for wild elk in an attempt to keep them away from nearby ranches and do some health checks on them. Unlike a zoo they are not caged and can leave anytime they want. It just happens to be mutually beneficial. They allow the humans to observe them up close and in return get a safe place with food and water to winter at.

For a totally fair $5.00 per adult you can take a sleigh (or depending on snow levels) wagon ride through the herd and view them up close. This fee helps fund operations at the ranch. To be honest I expected a bunch of elk lazily hanging out in a field. Instead we found hundreds of elk, and even got to watch a pair of bull elk spar with each other! It was absolutely incredible, and I would recommend it to anybody. This can be done as a day trip from Salt Lake but plan on spending 3-4 hours in the car (out and back). I think if I do it again I will plan on staying overnight and doing some other exploring in Cache Valley. However even in winter, it is a pretty scenic drive with something amazing to do at the end.

Bull elk sparring.

Quick Details:

Length: The ride lasts about 20-30 minutes.
Difficulty: DR1. Short walk down a paved ramp to the DWR cabin then get on the sleigh/wagon.
Elevation Gain: NA
Restroom: There are flush toilettes at the visitor center.
Dogs? No.
Other Info: You must have your ticket purchased and be in the sleigh line by 4:30.

Additional info found on the Hardware Ranch website (external link).

To Get Here:

Take i15 north towards Brigham City. Take exit 362 for HW 89/91. Continue through Sardine Canyon to Cache Valley. From here follow signs to Hardware Ranch. Take a right on SR 101 follow the signs through Hyrum there will be a right and a left to stay on 101 and then an additional 18 miles up Blacksmith Fork Canyon. The signs are obvious and easy to follow. I didn’t even need to use google maps to help get us there.

Heading up what is referred to as Sardine Canyon (DBP). Apparently the original road went up Sardine Canyon and over Sardine Pass, HW89 does not do that. If you look at a map you can see where the Old Sardine Highway goes over the mountain between Mantua and Dry Lake. Instead it is actually 3 Canyons (Box Elder, Dry, and Wellsville) But, Sardine seems to have stuck so that is what people call it and even the DWR refers to it as that.

(DBP). Landis tells me this is pronounced Manaway. In what language? Only in Utah.

Mantua Reservoir (DBP).

The last time we were up this way was when we drove through on the way to Bear Lake.

Dry Lake in Dry Canyon (DBP).

Coming down Wellsville Canyon into Cache Valley (DBP).

Cool old building in Hyrum (DBP). There doesn’t appear to be a whole lot to Hyrum.

Into Blacksmith Fork Canyon (DBP). SR 101 through Hyrum and up this canyon was the only section I was unfamiliar with and I was a little nervous of this canyon being this high in elevation. However, with the light winter, even up here the snow was not bad at all and well, this canyon, while very windy, is pretty chill. The elevation gain is quite gradual it hardly seems like you are climbing. Even with more snow I wouldn’t be too worried, but be aware of conditions and travel safe.

Blacksmith Fork River (DBP).

Even near the top it isn’t bad at all (DBP).

Woo! Almost there (DBP).

We are here (DBP). When just arriving, ignore the lower parking lots and take the right turn up the hill to the visitor center. After exploring there and buying your sleigh ride tickets, you will come back down the hill and park down here.

The visitor center.

Stuffed elk.

The visitor center offers a great view of the clearing below. Holy crap! Look at all the elk!

I wanted to explore the visitor center a little more, but I wanted to see the elk even more. So we bought our tickets and went on down. The informed us the little cabin below is where the line is.

Our horse drawn sleigh. I asked when if they always have tires or if they swap out skis for more snowy days. He said when the snow is deep enough they do swap to skis.

The little cabin.

While we waited for our turn I pulled out the telephoto lens and took a couple pictures.

That is seriously a lot of elk! I learned this year they have about 300 elk up here. Last year though they had closer to 800. Last winter we got a lot more snow.

A couple of crows.

A couple of cow (female) elk.

I wondered why elk get called bull and cow instead of buck and doe. I can’t find a definitive answer but the 2 thoughts that make the most sense to me is because elk are grazers like cows. The other thought that bull comes from an old Germanic term which means ‘to roar’ and elk make a loud bugling noise.

A whole bunch of elk!

I was a little surprised with the shortage of snow. I know this winter has been weak, but I guess it is not as high in elevation as I thought at only about 5570 ft.

Our adventure begins:

Our tour guide/sleigh operator, Cheeseburger, was very nice and knowledgeable. Before setting off he advised to stay seated while the sleigh was moving and to hold onto our belongings tightly because if anything fell off the sleigh it could not be recovered.

One of our horses.

Some more elk cows.

Well hello there pretty lady.

For the most part the elk didn’t seem to mind the sleigh. If they were close by they tended to stop what they were doing to look at us, and some darted out of the way but otherwise it did not appear to bother them. As you will see shortly, they were much more bothered by a loud ATV coming down the OHV road above.

A couple bull elk surrounded by cows.

These guys are majestic.

So pretty.

Whole lot of elk butt.

Oh awesome! We get to watch these guys spar!

I don’t know a whole lot about elk behavior, but I do know it is not rutting season and they don’t seem to be fighting terribly hard so they might just be playing.

Either way it is super cool to watch!

Little serious of the one on the left gaining ground.

Decided to zoom in a little closer.

This is incredible!

I may have taken uh.. a lot of pictures of this.

One of the other males. I think I caught him making some kind of noise but maybe not. He almost seemed to be egging the other two on.

Chillin elk.

Back to our sparring friends.

It’s so gnarly!

This one from the ‘Large animals that could completely destroy you can be adorably silly too’ album.

Right Elk: I herd they needed elk-a-seltzer after the stag party. I guess the entertainment had quite a rack... Really! No bull.
Left Elk: *tries not to smile* Horri-bull.

With some more elk in the background.

Oh I took a quick video. Of course this was about when the guide decided to give some more info and I thought about editing the sound out, but you can hear a small bugle and some of the antler knocking noises in there. Plus, what he was talking about is interesting.

I probably could have sat and enjoyed this all day, but the next wagon rolled up so it was time to move on.

Us moving again caught this guys attention.

A bunch of the females.

Looking back at the group of bulls.

More cows.

This guys has a smaller rack.

Love birds.

Every direction you look there are just more and more elk.

A very loud ATV started coming down the canyon and it sent the elk scurrying away from the road.

This one has a radio collar on. I saw a moose at Willow Lake a few months ago with one that seemed to be flapping about and was a little worried about her. But they don’t hurt them and it’s just a way for the DWR to track them and see where they roam.

Back to the group of bulls.

Some bull elks

One of the other sleighs.

I love this! It is not uncommon at all for us to see elk when we visit Yellowstone or other National Parks but it is never quite this many.

Small group.

Before I knew it the sleigh ride was over. I was really enjoying myself and would’ve liked more time but all things must end.

People are not allowed in the fenced-in ranch area except via guided sleigh ride. But you can come up here and view the elk from the parking lot.

Fun places sign.

Time for the long drive back:

Heading down Blacksmith Fork Canyon (DBP).

Blacksmith Fork Canyon is very similar to Logan Canyon which makes sense since it is just a few miles south (DBP).

Very pretty (DBP).

Left Hand Fork (DBP). This area sounds kind of interesting so I might have to explore it someday.

Rock formation kind of looks like a griffin (DBP).

Almost out of the canyon (DBP).

Back down to the Cache Valley (DBP).

Heading up Wellsville Canyon (DBP).

Dry Lake (DBP).

Terrible shot of a crumbling old building (DBP). Last time we passed by it still had most of the roof, but it looks like the roof has fully collapsed now.

Mantua Reservoir (DBP).

Box Elder Canyon (DBP).

Looking out towards Brigham City (DBP).

Willard Bay (DBP).

That was an incredible adventure! It was so cool to get that close to a bunch of elk and not bother them. It was even more cool that we got to see some sparring bulls! I also enjoyed that we chose a great day and time to go and didn’t have a long wait or a crowded sleigh. It was just about the perfect experience. The only thing missing was the snow! However, we were plenty warm so that was nice 10 out of 10 squirrels!

The scenic drive was nice too, particularly going up Blacksmith Fork Canyon. Going with 8 out of 10 for that.

Dogs are not allowed on the ranch as they can spook the elk.