10/28/26: Update- 2nd Visit. Lakota Wolf Preserve is a "must-see" in Western Jersey on the Pennsylvania border. The preserve has beautiful wolves, lynxes, and bobcats. Tours run twice a day.. Big Thanks to Jim for giving us a wonderful and educational tour of the preserve. You can purchase tickets online, as they sell out very quickly. *Important to arrive no later than a half hour before your tour time for check-in. Otherwise, the tour shuttle will leave without you. Tour times: 1st tour 10:30 AM. 2nd tour 3:00 PM. read more

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Go here to support wolves!!! The man who runs it is so dedicated to these animals and you can tell. My husband and I loved this experience. I'd never seen a wolf in person before! Informative, fun, and heart-warming. Plus, we got to hear the wolves howl! Definitely recommend! read more

Had such a unique and wonderful experience. I went with a friend on a weekend and It was one of the best decisions. There are about 4 different packs of wolves, a lynx, a bobcat and a fox. Each separate in their natural habitat. The owners engaged with the animals so well and maintain the property maintained. The owners walk you through the history and are so knowledgeable and passionate about what they do. read more

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A unique and interesting experience that is great for the nature lover in your life. You get very close to the wolves, foxes, and bobcats (if they are feeling social). The "tour" is more like a short walk up a hill and then an educational talk about the wolves. I would be hesitant to bring small children here as they may not be entertained. There are also many signs and warning that loud play and running around can spook the animals. We drove about an hour to get there and that felt about as long as I'd be willing to go for this. If you want something to listen to on your drive, check out Episode 137 of the podcast Criminal "Wolf 10" and Episode 19 of the podcast This is Love "The Wolves." read more

We went this past weekend and had such an amazing time! The tour was super informative and interesting. The animals were so beautiful and well taken care of. Highly recommend !! read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

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We were almost shocked to find this place in New Jersey! Away from the hustle and bustle of New Jersey, this is a private reserve for about 14-16 grey wolves located in a remote hilltop. For protection, both visitors and wolves, all wolves are enclosed behind chain linked fences. However, you can get a very close encounter with these amazing creatures. The owners does a great job narrating the habits and origins of these wolves, and also dispel many of the myths as well. These wolves appears to be well kept, and properly maintained. To visit, you'll need to make a reservation online, and pay the fee. Plenty of parking available once you arrive at the preserve. You can take a 10 min hike to the where the wolves are kept, or take their shuttle. Overall, a very different type of attraction to visit if you're in the Stroudsburg area. read more

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If you love wildlife, Lakota Wolf Preserve is an absolute must-visit! We went on a cold day for my daughter's 10th birthday...Zoe is obsessed with wolves and foxes and dreams of becoming a veterinarian, so this was the perfect experience for her. First piece of advice: dress warm! Seriously, bundle up and bring those toasty hand and foot warmers because you'll be outside for a while. But honestly, seeing the wolves against the snowy backdrop was pure magic. They were stunning, and watching them move through the snow was an unforgettable experience. The staff was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, we learned so much about wolf behavior, conservation, and their role in the ecosystem. You can really tell they care deeply about the animals. The pricing was also super reasonable for the quality of the experience. I can't wait to go back in the spring to see the preserve in a whole new light. Whether you're an animal lover, a photographer, or just looking for something unique to do, this place is worth it! read more

I'm so glad I waited for my grandson to be a little older to come here (4.5yrs old) because he was so into what he saw, and he took alot of his own pictures!! What a great place. When people truly love animals, you get this place. 10 acres of free roaming wolves, who get fed, get vet care, & are not reproducing so that they can live out their lives til the end, & the owners are only permitted to have but so many via state laws. It's not a big place so don't expect a "zoo", but a cool experience. The wolves even howled, which was amazing to see. The fee is minimal, & they even shuttle you up to the preserve if you don't want to walk it. Thanks for being good humans who want to share the earth with the animals that live on it. You're doing a great job! read more

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This was my first time seeing wolves , foxes, and bobcats in person. I had a reservation for a tour at 10:30 am. First, they showed us the wolves. The wolves immediately came over. The tour guide then talked about wolf behavior, why they howl, and more about wolves! Then they made the wolves actually howl. I have never heard a wolf howl in real life before. Then we went to see the bobcats. It's a short small walk to another area where the bobcats are held. A lady inside the fenced area talked about the bobcats and fed them. The bobcats looked very pretty. Right next to the bobcats there's another fenced area with foxes. The lady fed the foxes white mice. I also liked the foxes. All of the animals seem healthy, happy, and are thriving in this preserve. I would definitely come here again, maybe during spring break. read more

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The trip was very informational. We all enjoyed the new things we learned from Jim. I see about 8 wolves in the vicinity. Not sure if they are more. We enjoyed when they howled on our arrival as if they were welcoming us. The wolves gave another howl on departure. Such a beautiful and majestic creatures. They were on their best during our visit. There was extra treat after the tour, Becky showed us two wildfire animals they are growing - the bobcats and foxes . It so nice to see how much this couple cared for them, feed them and give them shelter. Treating them like their own family. There is an option of either walk up to the preserve ( about half mile) or take the free shuttle. We opted to use the later. The preserve is located all the way to the top of a private campground. It is not affiliated with the campground. Totally separate entity. The combined tour lasted about 1 hr and half. It was an interesting excursion and well recommended. read more

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Still love this place, just wanted to update since I went during the summer (June). The wolves are fluffier in the winter since their coats are denser, but just as beautiful in the summer and a little easier to walk around and enjoy the nature all around! Awesome playground along the trail up to the site, as well as a lake and a candy machine dispensing fish food! You'll only see those things if you opt out of the shuttle from the parking lot and walk up the trail though! We ended up getting to the top at the same time as the shuttle, gradual incline but otherwise nothing too difficult. I'd definitely recommend it if you're physically able! read more

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Great preserve and awesome little tour! The wolves were pretty close to the fence and they were beautiful. Got to hear them howl ! Great little day trip up and got some info on the wolves. They also had a linx and bobcat! read more

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I heard about this place through a friend of my roommates' and it sounded really awesome, so I reached out to my crew to see if they were interested in checking it out. We were initially signed up to go in February, but due to a winter storm, the Preserve reached out to me to let me know the reservation was cancelled and gave me the option to reschedule or receive a refund. I still really wanted to experience it, so I decided to reschedule. Since this organization is so popular, they were booked over a month in advance, but we finally found a date that worked for all of us. My friends and I made sure we arrived on time, and we were one of the first groups to take the shuttle bus over to where the wolves are housed. We had to wait approximately half an hour before the rest of the tour arrived - as some were walking to the site and additional people were being driven in. That gave us time to see some of the wolves that came close to us (behind a fence, of course), and getting to view them up close was such a reverent, special feeling. The wolves were truly beautiful and majestic. The owner of the Preserve finally arrived, and we were able to go inside, to see even more wolves. I loved hearing how the wolves are taken care of and stories of individual wolves. It is evident that the owners care for and love the wolves immensely, giving them a wonderful life filled with lots of space to roam and run around, delicious frozen deer meat, and a habitat safe from predators. The owners have really dedicated their lives to the wolves and other wild animals they keep. It was awesome to be able to see more wolves in close proximity and it was a delight to witness how playful they could be. There were 4 breeds of wolves living there (all separated), and my favorite was the Tundra Wolf, because they were so gorgeous all in white. The owner was very thorough detailing information about wolves in general, the care that goes into having them, and much more. He was also excellent at answering all questions that were presented. One of my favorite parts was having the opportunity to watch and hear packs of wolves howling. It's such haunting, yet pretty music. After getting to see the wolves, the owner also showed us the bobcat and lynx they have in one area, and 2 foxes they have in another spot. That was a nice surprise to be able to see these lovely creatures. My friends and I definitely enjoyed our excursion to this wolf preserve, as well as had a great time learning about the wolves and hearing some heartwarming stories! read more

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The guides are excellent - knowledgeable, funny, genuine. We would have preferred a smaller group. It felt like there were 70 or so people, which made it hard to see the wolves. read more

Great place to get to know more about wolves and see them close by. Wonderful staff and so much information about the wolves who were great. Definitely a place to visit with children and family. Wonderful atmosphere and they have a linx, bobcat and foxes as well. Four and a half stars, but will round it up to five stars. read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Wolf - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

Such a cute place to take the kids very informative, Love to see the wolf My little one loved them

Omg a must. You learn a lot and when the howl you will be amazed. They are very protective of their animals and take very good care of them. Your visit helps offset some of the cost to keep these wolves safe. Definitely go. Don't be late and remember the RV park has nothing at all to do with the wolf sanctuary. Buy your souviners on line so the preserve gets the money. read more

Outstanding. Lakota Wolf Preserve was everything I hoped it would be. A refuge for wolves that would otherwise be in an overcrowded zoo or the disregarded pets of people trying to make wolves into domestic dogs (which is insane). And the people that run this place are just the salt of the earth. They don't do it for money (they have none), and they don't do it because it's easy (it's not - it's a 7 day a week job). They do it because they care about wolves and treating animals with love and respect. The "tour" as it were lasts about 90 minutes. It's mostly watching the animals eat and how, and listening to the people who run Lakota talk about the animals. But it's well worth the price of admission to get so close to the wolves and learn about them. I feel quite lucky and honored that they would even allow us to visit them. Quite a privilege. If you're in the area, there's no reason you shouldn't visit. read more

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First, the location is really out of the way and difficult to find without a GPS or detailed instructions. They are understandably very strict about arrival times and rules on behavior around the animals. A preserve is meant to protect them, not let you do what you think you are priveliged to do. Be there 30 minutes or more ahead of time to register, park, use the rest rooms, and board the bus ride to the preserve. Because of covid, bus seating is limited and they have to make multiple trips. You may have to wait for any second busload. The owner made the presentation and was clear and very easy to understand. We learned a lot about the animals and he answered a lot of questions. The kids in the group were well behaved and actually asked most of the questions. The wolves are somewhat tame as they were raised as pups and seem to respond to their name, especially during feeding tiime. They treated us to a chorus of howls which was awesome. These are not zoo-type animals that are interested in eating you, but are a rowdy group of four different packs that act like wolves. They even have a challenged wolf that they raise as a puppy who acted so sweet. read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

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We went camping one weekend in Worthington State Park nearby and my husband booked us in to visit the Wolf Preserve. It was much smaller than we expected but not bad. My 3 year old loved listening about the wolves and seeing them but it's difficult to hear because there are big groups and everyone (adults) wants to be close to the action. Their website doesn't seem the most inviting to kids and makes it clear if your kids are loud or disruptive they'll "ruin it" for everyone else, but they don't really say much about all the adults who pushed in front of the obviously shorter kids. Unless we lifted her, she wasn't able to see much and taller adults had no interest in making space for a kid. I get it, but kids are allowed to exist in public and should be included if the activity allows for them, but it was tough to bring a young child here even if she was super into what was going on. She was frustrated that she didn't get to see them much and that meant she got bored and disinterested. I'd wait until maybe 5 or 6 when kids are more independent perhaps. Moving down from the wolves to the Lynx & bobcat, it was even worse bc the space was less. With no adults making space for children to see or hear, we headed to a bench to wait for the shuttle to leave. There was a fantastic employee who graciously gave our daughter colored pencils and a postcard for the wait. We would have walked down but our daughter enjoyed the shuttle ride way way way more. Overall, it was a very cool experience and neat to see and hear about the wolves - unsurprisingly, most of the info I learned, I didn't know. I just think it's not exactly a "family friendly" or "kid friendly" activity. The lynx & bobcat talk was very very long and it's a small place (not an issue) for how long you're up there. I'd go back as an adult with other adults but I probably wouldn't bring my kid again until she was older and taller. I'm glad this place exists for the wolves and for us to learn from! read more

Consider this more of a four and a half star review. The only drawbacks to this venue is the location. It is in the middle of Friday the 13th country. Was waiting for Jason Vorhees to jump out. It is really of the main road. You'll see when you get there. Not a venue for kids as the second part of the tour is rather long and mundane. Kids lose interest quickly and start to do things they should not do like pick up the rocks and shake the fence. Having said that, the animals seem to be living a good life, are well looked after, owners are very hands on and the animals are out of harms way...the worst type of animal in the world ( human beings ) When the wolves all start howling at once, priceless!! read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve is an amazing opportunity to see some of nature's greatest animals up close. This is a family owned and operated establishment that really puts on a show for everyone attending. There are a variety of different wolves and animals located here for people to see. All of the wolves are in massive enclosures with others from their specific pack. They play, run, and function in their natural habitat. All the wolves here have been deemed unable to survive in the outside world. In these cases, the preserve does everything it can to make their lives as close to natural as possible. During the tour you can take, the woman is able to make a wolf call that stirs all the packs up and gives them the sudden urge to howl all together. This is an incredible sight to see with all of them in sync. There are also some other animals next door to the wolves that you will have to see in order to appreciate. The only thing that I wish was different, is that I wish the photography tour of the preserve was cheaper. I really appreciated how much effort this locally owned business has put in to recreate as much of a natural habitat as possible. All the animals seemed well fed and happy to be surrounded by their pack. I would highly suggest a visit to the Lakota Wolf Preserve. You will not be disappointed! read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Wolf Pack - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

There are a number of wolf preserves in the NY/PA/NJ area, & I researched differences before deciding. A friend had taken her kids to the one in PA, where there are self-guided tours & wolves may or may not be at viewing spots when you pass. Another one in NJ allows you to get in a pen with the wolves after you sign a waiver. Lakota caught my attention b/c the website is well organized & straightforward about the experience. Lakota is located within a larger campground park. They have 10 acres of the park for the wolves. The wolf sanctuary is somewhat deep into the park, & they are well protected inside two very high chainlink fences around the wolves. When you enter the campground, people greet you with clipboards to confirm reservation & instruct what to do. We visited during Halloween week of 2020, with COVID precautions. We had to sign a waiver about COVID risk, and risks to enter the wolf preserve. This was a little scary but I felt safe when I saw the set up of the preserve. They offer you the option of walking a 0.6mi distance up a gravel road to the preserve, or riding a minibus. I chose to walk b/c I'd do that with or without COVID, but I was definitely not about to get on a minibus with people during this pandemic. There was a disabled person on our tour, so the minibus was necessary for her. Tours are held rain or shine, & it was drizzling that day, but the walk was fine. We passed a pond, a playground, stream & quiet woods. Everyone assembles at the gate. There are cool didactic boards & brochures to read while you wait. Signs state that you are not to start howling b/c it will disturb the wolves. (Don't worry you will hear howling on the tour.) I didn't mention the rules to my toddler b/c he will instantly defy me. But, he knew he was there to see wolves, & he saw the picture of them on the brochure, & started to howl. I tried to hush him, but before we knew it, a wolf came out of the brush, & my son was mesmerized! There is something majestic about seeing a wolf in person, like it goes back to our primal memories as humans. And to see them naturally roaming in the preserve, is really cool. Everyone came over to see the first wolf of the tour. Tours are always held at 10:30am, & the owner, Jim, explains he does this b/c the wolves are used to him giving them snacks at that time, so he can assure they will come out & be present. The tour is not a lot of walking. They let you in the gate, & you walk up less than 0.10mi to the center of four chainlink quadrants. There are four packs of wolves, 6 to a pack, & 4 different species (British Columbian, Arctic, Tundra & Timber). Each quadrant houses a different pack. The tour is really interesting. It was difficult to hear a lot of it b/c with social distancing, many of us had to stand pretty far away from Jim as he gave his hour-long talk. But despite missing some info, I was really interested in what I did hear. I didn't know that there is no record of any wolf attacking a human anywhere in North America. It was funny to hear that the wolves all start to howl when they hear a fire engine siren in the distance, b/c they think it's another pack infringing on their territory. Jim has raised these wolves from puppyhood, & it is easy to see how he adores them. He knows every single one very well, & he talks to them like baby dogs. They were honestly so docile, & acted just like dogs, when he was throwing them treats to eat. One started to beg, & he said "You're a wolf, you don't have to beg." LOL! The experience really reframed my understanding of wolves, & all the fairytales I read as a kid. The wolf is always the bad guy, & we are taught to fear. At the end of the tour, Jim starts a howling session. SO fun! He gets the wolves howling, & they all go; 24 wolves calling out to the wild! It just goes on & on for a few minutes. Some of the visitors were howling too. It was so cool! All the kids were excited & howling. After the wolves, there is a quick last stop to see the foxes, bobcat & lynx. On our visit the foxes were at the vet, so we just got to see kitties. These wild cats are SO TAME with Jim. They were lying on his head from their perch on a log. When he was leaving the cage, he gave them treats & said "Bye bye sweethearts, I'll be back soon," just like housecats. His love for these animals is apparent. He devotes his life to taking care of them all. That really touched my heart. Lakota Wolf Preserve is part of the Amazon Smile program. You can google how to do it. It's totally free, and Amazon donates a portion of your purchases to a charity of your choice, Lakota is an option. You need to select your charity, attached to your Amazon account, & then shop through the Amazon Smile page (which is all the same Amazon, & is all the same items, but it's just making sure to click on their Amazon Smile page to process your purchase). It's been around for years, I'm surprised how many people don't know about it yet. read more

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I know that I'm going to Yelp Hell for this one but honestly the whole experience here wasn't as good as what I had hoped it would be/what I expected. Let me explain. I have previously done the whole wolf preserve deal in PA at the sanctuary in Lititz so my expectations were sort of set on things being like that. But to be honest I left Lakota kind of disappointed. Not so much by the substance of what goes on here as it is the format of the tour that's the issue. I can handle the long line to check in although that could be alleviated somewhat by taking cards or including the tax into the price or by having more than one person taking your payment, answering the phone and giving out the parking passes while two others just sat there. The sanctuary in Lititz is bigger and the layout is far more conducive to being able to see more of the animals while keeping the crowds more spread out between the multiple enclosures with multiple volunteers. Here, you are initially herded into a smaller space with the enclosures on both sides of you that really isn't the most ideal set up considering the group size. It's only Jim doing the talking and while he focuses on the wolves in one enclosure, unless you're facing that fence up close you can't see the animals so if he's talking about a specific wolf you have no idea what he's talking about and based on the number of infants/toddlers/younger children fidgeting-crying-talking-trying to interrupt him you can't hear him at times either. It also doesn't help with the bench/table which is in there I assume to be used by people who physically need a break but instead is used by the aforementioned children as a platform to stand on which only further blocks the view. If that's what is going on regularly then it really needs to go because clearly there are too many clueless parents who are not watching their kids and at the same time I'm surprised from a liability standpoint and from a customer service standpoint that anyone would want/allow that to occur. With that said: The walk in either direction is not that difficult plus it's just simply a nice quiet walk thru the woods. When you are actually able to see the wolves they are majestic and of course the whole gimmick of getting them to howl on command is always a crowd pleaser. The other half of the tour where you learn about their two foxes and their two bobcats is arguably more comprehensive than the wolf part as a whole lot more information is imparted on you regarding the animals. Don't get me wrong, if I had never been to the other wolf preserve I'm sure that my opinion would be somewhat higher but either way the crowd size is too large and the enclosure area where you get to see the wolves is to me too small to fully appreciate what Jim is saying and at least the day we were there he only stayed around for a few minutes after he was done with his talk so there really wasn't much of a chance for any Q & A afterwards. If you go: Tours run year round six days a week (no Mondays) starting at 10:30 and at 4:00. Prices are $15 for adults and $7 for kids up to 11 years old plus tax. You can begin to check in thirty minutes prior and ideally you want to do that because if there is a larger crowd it does take a while to process everyone. In terms of time, we were there for the 4PM tour and it started maybe five or ten minutes late due to needing to wait for the shuttle bus to make another trip. We chose to walk back to the parking lot where the buses first left and got back to the lot at quarter after five. So actual time for everything was around an hour and around 2/3 of that was with the bobcats and foxes. A few noteworthy quirks: The website says that you don't need to make a reservation for weekend tours but you do for weekday tours. I suppose I get that but when we got there no one ever asked our names or anyone's name that I saw so in premise we could have just shown up without a reservation and yes, it was on a weekday. The website says "shuttle leaves parking area promptly to start the tour, if you are late we will not make others wait to hold the tour for you" but at least the day we were there they must have waited because indeed, we started late and indeed those of us who got there on time waited for the people on the last shuttle to get to the enclosures. Unlike what a few Yelpers have posted, payment is not cash only as they do take checks and a fair amount of people paid this way which only slowed things down as no one knew who to make the check out to or the amount since everything is not tax included. It's neat and it's cool and I'm glad that I came here once but at least me for me if there's a want to do something like this in the future it honestly won't be here. read more

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Excellent tour and well worth the money. The two owners obviously care very much for all of their animals. They are very knowledgeable and very patient with questions (from adults and even young children). Make sure if you go during the week to call first and make a reservation. Be patient for a call back. For us if was a couple of hours, so plan at least a day in advance. Small children will not enjoy this tour. We went with our three kids (3,6,9). They were great while we were moving from wolf pen to wolf pen but lost interest at the foxes, where we stood for quite a while. If you are older or handicapped you may have issues getting around. The path is very rocky and uneven and you need to either walk the nature path uphill or get on the shuttle to get to the wolves. Bathrooms are only at the entrance of the camp. read more

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My boyfriend and I had a really great time here. We booked our tour on their website. The owners were knowledgeable and took great care of their animals. The $15 admission fee is worth it. You have the option of taking a 15-minute hike or taking the shuttle up. The hike is a bit uphill so I would recommend taking the shuttle up and hiking down. read more

Well worth the trip - a great experience, and an awesome organization, mission, and team to support. You get to see not only wolves (in an ingenious setup where the wolves have plenty of room to roam but are incentivized to come up close to the fence when tours occur) but also bobcat and lynx. This is clearly a calling for Jim and Becky and their care for the animals makes them passionate and effective advocates for conservation and protection, but they're also great speakers and have created a crowd-pleasing experience for all ages. (It's entirely outside so dress warmly if going during the cold season.) read more

Took a trip to Lakota Wolf Preserve during our recent stay in the Poconos. Great experience! You could really see the wolves up close and the tour guide was so knowledgeable but also entertaining. They are strict about starting on time so plan accordingly. The wolves are clearly well cared for with ample space to roam. read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

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A day out in the fresh air; what could be better? Well I could think of many things but the Wolf Reserve is a must do, must see place to go. After parking (reservation are required and are done online) you hike about a 1/2 mile to the fenced in area where the wolves are. The owner does the tour and although you can't get close enough to touch the wolves, your basically on top of them. They have 4 types of wolves in 4 different preserve areas and packs. Because they are domestic born, they have learned to interact with people so they come right up to the fence. At the end of the tour, the owner gets them to all howl which is soothing and exciting. There are also a bobcat and lynx in another section you visit. Place is worth the money (not expensive) and the time. Now the downside to the visit. Remember that 1/2 mile hike to see them? Aside from the 1st 300 yards; it's all uphill and in some areas it's very steep, extremely rocky and wet in certain areas. If your child can't ( won't, I'm sure they can) do the walk, you'll have to carry them. About 1/2 way up you'll be tempted to toss them in the lake. A stroller is almost impossible to use, a person in our group had one and it took two people to push it up the hill and across water hazards at the same time. Now, if your handicapped, they have a bus that will drive you up the mountain. Remember "lazy is not handicapped!" Go, learn and have a good time. read more

Very informative, the wolves and others are just so beautiful and beautifully cared for! I'll be taking my granddaughter this summer, I can't wait. read more

While I thought it would be bigger, the fact that the wolves were so active and present on a 90+ degree day made it such a great experience. And the HOWLS!!! We got to hear all of the (I can't remember how many...10+) wolves howl together for 2-3 full minutes 3 different times. Amazing. That alone made the trip worth every penny. The husband and wife owners were the nicest people too. read more

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Great Wolf preserve. Wolves are well taken care of. Come when the caretakers call. Recommend you take the bus up to the preserve. Nice walk but rocky. ( and buggy). Guide said most of the wolves were resting cause it' was so hot. Great family adventure. Campground next door looked nice too. Very much recommend going. Make reservations. Check they went thru. They couldn't find our reservation but let us go in with promise to check in latter. Great read more

Reserve on a campground run by a lovely couple who truly support the animals. Had a good time learning about the wolves and getting a chance to see them up close. No petting. Reserve includes about 20 wolves in 4 separate enclosures with bobcats and foxes in another. read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

Our kids and families loved the tour!!! It was something different to do while on our vacation. So much better than going to a crowded zoo. The owners are very knowledgeable and really love the animals like family. It was a short drive from the Delaware Water Gap KOA. read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

I recently went for the 2 hr. photo shoot, Feb. 5, 2018, thanks to my friend Bonnie. The time went too quickly, despite the cool temperature. Our guide Janet was so informative, and even started a wolf howl, it was fantastic. Seeing the different packs without the chain link fence, was a memorable experience. The open portals to shoot through, was more than sufficient to photograph these magnificent animals. read more

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The Lakota Wolf Preserve was awesome! I was disappointed you couldn't pet the wolves. But it was still a great experience to be a few feet away. They offer tours twice a day, except on Mondays. Times are 10:30 am or 3:00 pm. No appointment necessary if you go on Saturday or Sunday, otherwise you'll need an appointment. You do need to register prior to the start of the tour. It'll cost you $15. Cash only. The tour lasts about an hour. You can either shuttle your way to the wolf enclosure or walk. It's only a 1/2 mile, if your leg isn't broken, I'd walk it. There's great photo ops! There is a gift shop (same place where you pay for the tour) that has neat stuff. I bought a lighter shaped like a rifle. Or some type of gun, I'm sorry I'm not an expert. It also has one of those penny press machines, like they have at visitor centers. I also collected them as a kid so of course I had to get one. FYI - No pets allowed! read more

Lakota Wolf Preserve - Dances with Wolves - Zoos Near Me - Columbia, New Jersey

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I want to give this place all the stars in the universe...but I will settle for all the stars on Yelp. Brought my parents here since it seemed like a great family activity. And it is - it's perfect for kids, adults, seniors, just about anyone. I can see this being an awesome day date thing as well. The grounds (Camp Taylor) are beautiful and so serene. At the time of my visit, the preserve had 19 wolves, 2 foxes and 3 bobcats. You will view them behind 2 rows of fencing (for obvious reasons, can't have people sticking their fingers in) but they will come extremely close to the fence since the tour guide gives them treats. It's all set up very well. The tour is extremely interesting - Jim did an amazing job! He told us general info about wolves including various facts about their habits in the wild, social structure and endangered status. He also talked about their specific wolves - where they are from, how they are fed, their habits, etc etc. Oh and hearing them howl was fantastic....I'd imagine they are trained to howl for the visitors. If you are there on a regular tour, you can't really get good photos because of the fencing. With a little patience, you can sort of "focus out" the fencing in some spots. You need a long lens (I used 75-300mm) and shoot from the furthest distance possible w/ a full zoom. In some of the shots, I managed to focus on the wolf only and omit the fencing in the foreground. Manual focus is helpful here. I also missed the start of the bobcat tour because of this ^..^ They do offer photography tours here (info/pricing on their site) because the fences have little windows that open specifically for this. We were told that it's nearly impossible to get photos of wolves in the wild because they are so afraid of humans so this is a great option for authentic looking wolf shots. The bobcat & fox tour is really cool as well. Becky also did a phenomenal and fun- fact-filled job explaining everything. I learned a lot about both animals. The foxes are really brilliant - it's astounding. And they are adorable, jumping around, one even jumped in her arms to eat out of the bowl. This is seriously one of my favorite experiences. The tour guides/owners were awesome - engaging and insightful. The animals are beautiful and right in front of you. It's stimulating on so many levels. Kudos to the owners for the hard work they do to keep these animals happy and safe. You can tell how much they love and care - they even pick up roadkill as snacks for their furry friends :) TIPS: **Read their entire website about visitor information - it's helpful and thorough and tells you when they're open/closed etc. Don't rely on other sources & call to be safe **You have to park in the camp parking lot and then go to the office and buy a ticket/parking pass for your vehicle. **There is a bus that will take you from the parking lot to the wolf area but if the weather is nice and you have proper footwear on, I recommend you walk. It's a beautiful area - we walked there and back. The terrain is a little rough/rocky so bear that in mind. **Even though I went in October, still noticed some annoying bugs - bugspray can be helpful here **Visit the giftshop, a lot of neat stuff. **Pick up a brochure/coupon for Hollow Brook Winery (5 min drive) on the door of the office. Then after the wolf watch, head to the winery for the comp wine tasting. read more

I absolutely fell in love with this place yesterday when I went on the Wolf Watch tour with my boyfriend. Jim, the gentleman who shows you the wolves is super informative and loves his animals. I learned so much more than I expected and to see how happy and well taken care of these animals are makes me happy to support a sanctuary like this. Becky is also super informative as well! She spoke about the foxes, lynx and bobcats they keep there and she also deeply cares for these animals as well. They are great people doing even greater things for these animals and I will definitely be back! Please go when you get a chance because the money spent here will go towards the well being of these lovely creatures! read more

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Wonderful learning experience for kids and adults alike! Something you can do more than once!

What an absolutely amazing experience! I had promised my son for a long time that we'd go and it was worth the wait. I won't, however, wait this long to go up again. The preserve is up in Columbia, NJ and isn't easy to find, but when you do it's absolutely awesome. This isn't a zoo so if you come up to visit I suggest comfortable, loose clothing, hiking shoes/sneakers, and bug spray because you are in the forest...not walking around paved sidewalks in the Bronx. Jim and Becky have raised and care for all the animals on the preserve and have basically given their lives to making this a successful and safe place for the animals. The tour is approximately 90 minutes and you get to see and learn about (and howl with!!!) the different wolves on location as well as the foxes and bobcats. My son was so excited to be, quite literally, just a few feet from the wolves and to see how they interacted with each other and the tour guides. As an avid animal lover (no, I'm not a tree hugging crazy person) I love places like this where people can learn about and appreciate the animals in a semi-natural environment (they do need fences) and where the animals can thrive even if they can't reproduce - they are required to keep their wolf population at no more than a certain number. After visiting the preserve I logged into their Facebook site (see below) and was amazed at the amount of work and time and money and most of all love that Jim and Becky pour into the preserve and the animals in their care. I can't wait to go back next summer with the rest of the family. There are also lots of places located near the preserve if you want to grab a bite to eat before or after your adventure. If you love animals - take a drive up to the Lakota Preserve...you won't be disappointed. https://www.facebook.com/Lakota-Wolf-Preserve-249291433960/?fref=ts http://www.lakotawolf.com/ I stole the following from another Yelper - because it all fit and I didn't feel like re-writing... TIPS: **Read their entire website about visitor information - it's helpful and thorough and tells you when they're open/closed etc. Don't rely on other sources & call to be safe. It is ESPECIALLY important now as one of the owners is going through some medical issues and weekday tours are limited sometimes. **You have to park in the camp parking lot and then go to the office and buy a ticket/parking pass for your vehicle. **There is a bus that will take you from the parking lot to the wolf area but if the weather is nice and you have proper footwear on, I recommend you walk. It's a beautiful area - we walked there and back. The terrain is a little rough/rocky so bear that in mind. **Bugspray can be helpful here **Visit the giftshop, a lot of neat stuff. read more