Lone Elk County Park

{{Short description|Park in Western St. Louis county, Missouri}}

{{Use mdy dates|date=February 2025}}

{{Infobox protected area

| name = Lone Elk Park

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| photo = Lone Elk Reservoir.JPG

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| map = USA Missouri#USA

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| location = St. Louis County, Missouri, United States

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| coordinates = {{coord|38.532482|-90.541363|display=inline,title}}

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| area_sqmi = 0.85

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| established = 1964

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| website = [http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/LoneElk Lone Elk Park]

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Lone Elk Park is a county park in the U.S. state of Missouri consisting of {{convert|546|acres|km2}} located in St. Louis County west of the town of Valley Park.{{cite web|title=Lone Elk |publisher=St. Louis County |url=http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/LoneElk |accessdate=July 22, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130213215632/http://www.stlouisco.com/ParksandRecreation/ParkPages/LoneElk |archivedate=February 13, 2013 |url-status=dead }} The park is located adjacent to Interstate 44, the World Bird Sanctuary, Castlewood State Park, and Tyson Research Center.

Lone Elk Park was originally part of the Tyson Valley Powder Plant during World War II. After the war the area became a county park and herds of elk and bison were established in 1948. The land was reacquired by the federal government during the Korean War, and the wildlife herds were destroyed for safety reasons in 1958, but one lone bull elk survived. In 1964 St. Louis County acquired {{convert|405|acre|km2}} for Tyson County Park, which became Lone Elk Park in 1966. The park officially opened on October 17, 1971, and six bison were acquired from the St. Louis Zoo in July 1973.{{cite web|title=Lone Elk Park |publisher=Waymarking.com |url=http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4EBW_Lone_Elk_Park_St_Louis_County_MO |accessdate=July 22, 2012 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20140904010306/http://www.waymarking.com/waymarks/WM4EBW_Lone_Elk_Park_St_Louis_County_MO |archivedate=September 4, 2014 |url-status=dead }}

There are driving routes that provide views of the elk and bison, often at close proximity. The park is also home to many deer, wild turkey and waterfowl.

Domestic animals are not permitted whatsoever, even if confined to a vehicle.

Research was conducted in 2016 to determine if a sinkhole was under the lake. The boat dock has been removed. Fishing was closed in 2017 in an effort to rebuild the fish population.

File:Bison in Lone Elk Park.JPG|Bison

File:Elk in Lone Elk Park.JPG|Elk