During music class in elementary school, I was introduced to the song “Home, Home on the Range.” The lyrics painted a picture of a place where buffalo and other wild animals live under a clear sky.

Again and again, the writer used imagery to circle back to a central theme of the song – the breathtaking beauty of untouched nature.

Discovering the natural, wild wonder described in this song would be a dream come true for a nature-loving photographer like myself. This type of setting would undoubtedly find a spot on a nature photographer’s list of “great photo spots.”

Yet, fields of concrete parking have replaced meadows with flowers and deer. Towering trees have been cut down and replaced with towers and other large buildings.

Architectural and street photography are beautiful in their own right, no doubt. But where do photographers go when they are searching for “a home where the buffalo roam?”

Lone Elk Park is a perfect place for such photographs. The park is located at 1 Lone Elk Park Road, St. Louis, MO 63088.

While buffalo are native to Asia and Africa, the park is home to bison. Photographers will have the opportunity to capture a herd of bison grazing in a field. And the park offers much more to visitors.

A shimmering lake that sparkles under a blue sky. A herd of elk walking through the trees. A lone, male elk with beautiful, velvety antlers sitting in the shade.

Lone Elk Park is truly a great photo spot for anyone searching for wild nature. Like any other great photo spot, there are several things to keep in mind when visiting.

• The gates to the park open by 7 a.m. and they are closed at sunset.
• The park prohibits motorcycles and pets.
• Visitors are not allowed to leave their vehicles while driving through the bison area of the park.
• Visitors are free to get out of their cars outside of this area. To learn more about the trails and picnic areas Lone Elk Park offers, click here.

• While visitors are allowed to be out of their vehicles in the elk areas, be mindful of the fact that elk are wild animals. Consider bringing a telephoto lens so you can keep a safe distance between yourself and the animals.
• Some of the trees – especially in the fall and winter – cast uneven lighting on the ground. Be sure to check the exposure of your images.

Keeping all of these points in mind, Lone Elk Park is sure to be a great photo spot for any nature-loving photographer.