Elk Country Grassland Cam

A Window Onto Elk Country

This camera streams a wide, open meadow on the grounds of the Elk Country Visitor Center in Benezette, Pennsylvania, in the heart of the state's north-central elk range. The center sits within the Pennsylvania Wilds, a rural region of forested ridges and reclaimed grasslands that supports one of the largest free-ranging elk herds in the eastern United States.

Habitat Restoration in Practice

The rolling grassland visible on camera is managed habitat, maintained specifically to draw elk out of the surrounding forest and into open view. Grasses and wildflowers are cultivated across the hillside, giving the herd a reliable grazing ground within sight of the visitor facilities.

Part of a Larger Elk Story

Elk vanished from Pennsylvania in the 19th century and were reintroduced from western herds in the early 1900s, an effort that has since grown into a population exceeding a thousand animals. The visitor center's network of cameras lets viewers follow this ongoing wildlife recovery without disturbing the animals on the ground.