ponca elk education center

lauracE7435MN

A great little place in Ponca AR. See and touch exhibits. Learn about small animals, birds and of course the elk of Arkansas. No charge to go in. Game and Fish keep it super clean and nice. Closed on Tuesday and Wednesday. You would definitely want to take your children here.

MarisM357

This is a must stop before entering Boxley Valley for elk viewing. The mounts are amazing. Great for kids. Very hands on. Get a map and check the sightings before entering elk valley

Mjw1259

We visited the center on a Sunday morning, liked the displays of local animals and their skins and their footprints. Loved hearing the recordings of the elk calls.. Would have loved to have heard a lecture or seen a film on why and how the elk were brought to this area and their life since. We found the center lacking compared to other Arkansas Game And Fish exhibits.But we were very excited to see the elk in a nearby pasture. They are beautiful, and the bull we saw was very majestic.

496karene

We stopped by here on our way back from a razorback game over the weekend. My husband was really hoping to see an elk or two but come to find out we were too late. Evidently the best viewing time is before 8 am. The education center was fabulous and very informative. The views during our drive were well worth the extra time it took to get home by getting of the main route. We will definitely return for a stay to hopefully get a glimpse of the elusive elk!

David_2013834

Good information on local elk herd, photos, and few exhibits. Small footprint but nice to have the service available in an extremely low populated area except for tourist.

ROBA87

There's nothing here - just a small shop of goods related to animals and some stuffed animals...The receptionist was very nice but there was nothing to do inside this centre.

pclonger

This is a nice place to visit when in the area. A lot to see and read about in this center. They have some unique items in their gift shop.

danap765

This small museum/information center in Ponca, Arkansas is a wealth of information. It is free and the staff is extremely helpful. They will advise you on the river, float trips, local trails, caves, campgrounds, overlooks and the best places to see the elk. They also have a small museum where the kids can get hands on experiences with the local plants and animals. If you are going to get away from the more touristy areas of the Buffalo National River, this is the place to go.

cindyp112

Ponca Arkansas is a small town, (near Harrison) and they have a large elk herd. The fall leaves are beautiful, winter can be exciting but watch, drive slowly, and watch for the elk. They are impressive animals, fleeting sometime, and they photograph beautifully. Get that long lense out and enjoy! http://www.agfc.com/education/Pages/EducationCenterPonca.aspx Check out the Arkansas Game and Fish Educational site for information on the Center.

williamh793

this is the second time to visit and both times it was color fest weekend. the center has plenty of info on the elk in the area and can tell you about other things like hiking and canoeing. color fest is where the locals come and display their pictures, art work and other things that they do. you can buy things from them which i bought some great pictures of elk and bald eagles from one of the locals that i had met on facebook. the whole area is just beautiful there.

johnscotth

We stayed in Ponca this weekend to watch the elk. Saw some nice herds. We decided to visit the education center as well. It is a very nice place to learn about wildlife. Hands-on for the kids. Outside they were having an art festival, with some very talented artists. A nice experience.

Kayece

We stopped here to learn more about where to view the Elk in the area. Was very surprised to see all the interactive displays about elk and other wildlife found in the area. Lots for kids to learn from! They had a very nice gift shop and DVD's about the Buffalo River. There was some wild flowers and grasses labeled along the board walk entrance, but it was very overgrown and needed attention. Very nice viewing area in back with lots of humming bird feeders. They also have maps of the area and are very helpful in telling you where to find the elk and the Trumpeter Swans.

Ozarkgirl11

My husband and I visited here while vacationing in the Ozarks. The education center isn't very big, but it has a good bit going on. There are all kinds of info about the elk as well as a lot of other local wildlife. The have a lot of pelts of the local wildlife, too, that you can pick up and touch and feel. Who knew beaver fur was so soft? There's also a little bird sanctuary in the back where birds are busy eating away. Admission is free and there's enough inside to be interesting, but not too much to be boring.

jsdorri

A beautfiful place with plenty of hiking floating. Elk, Deer, beaver. Lodging and camping is available for overnighters. wildflowers are beautiful in the spring and one of my favorite places to view fall foilage

writer198

This place is very educational, interesting, and fun. We had a great time checking out the exhibits. There is so much for kids! There are many things that they are able to touch, which is fantastic for the little ones. You can hear the bugle of an elk and the mew of an elk calf. It's not just limited to elk though, there is info on many other kinds of animals that are native to the area. The staff is knowledgeable and resourceful. For any history or genealogy buffs wondering what life was like in the area a long time ago, there is a display with a letter (very enlarged to fit a wall) from a local who was born in the 1880's describing his history there. Out in the back there are birds and the river runs behind the center as well. It is very close to the Buffalo Outdoor Center, so if you are going there, you might as well stop by the Elk Education Center!