Elk are hiding in this photo at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See them?

The biggest of the elk roaming Great Smoky Mountains National Park can weigh up to 900 pounds, yet they’re masters at hiding when the mood strikes.

Proof of their ability was shared Aug. 7 on Facebook, when the park posted a photo of an open field and challenged viewers to count the elk in it.

“Take a closer look ... those brown tufts might be more than meets the eye,” the park wrote.

“Elk can blend seamlessly into their surroundings and practically vanish in a meadow. When they bed down in knee-high grass, their coloring and stillness make them nearly invisible, even in plain sight.”

The post earned hundreds of reactions within a day, with many people counting one or two elk.

Turns out there are three, and the park circled their little pointy ears in a follow up post.

“I’ve been coming to the Smoky Mountains my entire life and all I’ve ever wanted was to see an elk in person and never have,” Jennifer Renee Palm posted on the park’s Facebook page.

It’s estimated 270 elk roam western North Carolina, and about 150 spend part of the year inside the park, officials said.

As for size, those 900-pound males are about 300 pounds bigger than the biggest of the full-grown females, experts say.

“Adult elk can reach lengths of seven to ten feet from nose to tail and stand about four and a half to five feet tall at the shoulder,” the NPS says.

The photos were shared to make a point.

“This is a great reminder to slow down, scan the landscape, and always respect our wildlife from a distance. You never know who might be watching!” park officials wrote.

This story was originally published August 8, 2025 at 12:06 PM with the headline "Elk are hiding in this photo at Great Smoky Mountains National Park. See them?."