Three miles east of Reedsport [1], and stretching three miles along the south side of Highway 38, the Dean Creek Elk Viewing Area provides parking areas and viewing platforms for observing the herd of some 120 wild Roosevelt elk that roam this 1,100-acre preserve.
The elk move out of the forest to graze the preserve’s marshy pastures, sometimes coming quite close to the highway. Elk can reach 1,100 pounds at maturity, and the majestic rack on a fully grown bull can spread three feet across.
Early mornings and just before dusk are the most promising times to look for them; during hot weather and storms the elk tend to stay within the cover of the woods.
Links:
[1] http://www.moon.com/destinations/oregon/central-coast/reedsport-and-winchester-bay