Sleigh and wagon rides run through Feb. 15

Haviland’s Old West Adventures will again partner with the Utah Division of Wildlife Resources to offer rides every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from Dec. 5 through Feb. 15. Each ride lasts about 45 minutes and provides an up-close view of elk as they winter in the meadows of the Hardware WMA.

In addition to weekend availability, extra weekday rides will be offered during the holiday break on the following dates:

• Dec. 22 and 23
• Dec. 29, 30 and 31

Rides run from 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on all operating days. Tickets must be purchased in person at the Hardware Wildlife Education Center on the day of your visit. Ticket prices are $12.50 for ages 9 and up, $5 for ages 4 to 8, and free for children 3 and younger. A food trailer will also be available near the loading line for snacks and warm refreshments.

Educational exhibits and family activities

Visitors can also spend time inside the Hardware Wildlife Education Center, where they can warm up and explore the “All About Elk” exhibit. On all ride days, families can participate in learning activities and interactive displays at no cost.

A favorite winter tradition–making Christmas ornaments from sagebrush, bitterbrush and other native plants–will return in December.

“Making Christmas ornaments using sagebrush, bitterbrush and other plants found at the WMA is a fun and popular activity each winter,” said Education Center Director Marni Lee. “We’ll offer the ornament making for visitors during December.”

All indoor activities and admission to the education center are free.

Brucellosis concerns

While the sleigh rides offer a unique wildlife experience, wildlife managers carefully time the season to help prevent the spread of brucellosis, a disease that affects elk, bison and cattle in parts of Idaho, Wyoming and Montana.

Some elk at the Hardware WMA — tracked with GPS collars — have migrated as far as Montpelier, Idaho, and Cokeville, Wyoming. In these northern areas, brucellosis occurs more frequently.

Caused by the bacterium Brucella abortus, the disease leads to low fertility and miscarriages in infected animals. The risk of elk abortions is highest from February through June.

“Congregating many animals in one area during the high-risk period increases the risk that elk will contract the disease,” said DWR Northern Region Wildlife Manager Jim Christensen. “Ending the viewing and feeding season at Hardware in early February should cause the elk to disperse at exactly the time when cow elk that might have the disease start aborting their fetuses, and will reduce the risk of other elk contracting the disease.”

Plan your visit

Hardware WMA is located 16 miles east of Hyrum on State Route 101, a scenic drive that winds through Blacksmith Fork Canyon. Winter road conditions are common, so visitors are encouraged to plan ahead.

For more information about sleigh rides and activities, visit the DWR website, call 435-753-6206, or email Education Center Director Marni Lee at marnilee@utah.gov.

For many Utah families, a winter wagon ride at Hardware WMA has become a cherished seasonal tradition — one that brings wildlife, snow-covered scenery and holiday adventure together in a way few experiences can match.