Last Friday, intrepid photographer Stephanie Platt skipped class to visit Lone Elk Park. She interviewed a park ranger for a story she was assigned, so it wasn't just a pleasure trip.

Please note our photographer doesn't condone skipping class and personally believes that skipping is academically detrimental to a student's scholastic health.

The pictures below are fantastic visual examples of what you would find at Lone Elk Park.

To get to to Lone Elk,drive west on I-44 to the highway 141 exit. Take the North Outer Road west until it dead-ends at the gate of the park.

Proceed slowly into the park and keep your eyes open for elk, deer, and bison! The best times to see the animals are early in the morning or late in the afternoon.

Lone Elk Park is the only park in Missouri that displays free-roaming animal herds native to Missouri.

One last warning: Do not feed the animals!