The site was heavily grazed during the late 1800s and early 1900s until 1930, when the exclosure was constructed. Elk Creek was one of six exclosures constructed in the Boise River drainage between 1927 and 1931 to study the effects of livestock grazing. Elk Creek Exclosure RNA is within Management Area 5, Prairie/Long Gulch, in the Boise National Forest Land and Resource Management Plan. The site is used as an exclosure to study grazing effects on shrub-steppe vegetation.The site is surrounded by grazed Boise National Forest lands.
