Located about 10 miles southeast of St. Marys, Benezette offers a last-chance stop for conveniences before slipping into the heart of Pennsylvania's elk range. Benezette is most easily accessed via Route 555, which intersects with Route 255 between DuBois and St. Marys. The best opportunities to see elk are early and late in the day from Labor Day to Halloween. That's not to say you won't see elk at other times of the day or year. But visiting the elk range in September and October will place you afield when elk are rutting, which is when they're more visible, herding cows in open areas, sparring with other bulls and bugling.
Elk are most active early and late in the day.
That's when they're moving from the open areas they visit regularly at night to the wooded cover they hang out in during daylight hours. Overnight accommodations are available in St. Marys, Dubois, Clearfield and Emporium. Limited accommodations can be found in Medix Run and Benezette. If you plan to visit and stay overnight in September and October, make your reservations well in advance to ensure you'll get a room. Also, expect to find visitor and traffic congestion at some viewing locations in September.