We visited Fossil Rim on Thursday, June 18, for the Wildlife Safari Tour and an overnight stay at…read morethe Lodge. Overall, I would describe our experience as mixed. There were some wonderful employees and enjoyable moments, but there were also several disappointments that made it difficult to justify the $485 we spent for our family of three (including my 12- and 14-year-old sons).
When we first arrived, the woman at the entrance was very friendly and helpful. We asked how to make the most of our day, and she suggested visiting the overlook, café, gift shop, and the Wildlife Experience before our 11:00 a.m. tour. She also explained that tour vehicles returned every 60 minutes and implied that we could either get off at the overlook or stay on the vehicle if we preferred.
The Wildlife Experience was enjoyable, and we appreciated that recommendation. Our first tour guide was excellent--friendly, knowledgeable, and informative. However, he also told us we would stop at the overlook for about 45 minutes before another vehicle returned. It appears remaining on the vehicle was not an option.
After eating lunch and browsing the gift shop, we returned outside around 12:05 p.m. A vehicle arrived, but it was for a private tour. We were told another one would arrive in about 15 minutes. Instead, we waited until approximately 1:05 p.m., with around 30 people waiting.
This is where the experience became frustrating. The young female driver announced she was picking up the 10:00 a.m. tour group, but then allowed at least one couple from our 11:00 a.m. group to board. When I asked about our group, she said boarding was "first come, first served," which directly contradicted what she had just told everyone. After making a phone call, she rearranged passengers so our family could board, she knew I was upset.
She was informative during the drive, although her microphone stopped working and she had to raise her voice. That part was understandable. What I did find unprofessional was her repeated use of slang such as "trust" throughout her presentation. It felt out of place for a guided educational tour. I also noticed several children who appeared to be three years old or younger sitting in seats without an adult directly beside them, which raised some safety concerns.
After the tour, we arrived at the Lodge around 2:10 p.m., knowing check-in wasn't until 3:00 p.m. The front desk employee politely explained that our room wasn't ready unless we had purchased early check-in, which we completely understood. We spent some time shopping in town before returning.
The staff member who checked us in later was very friendly, and gave us a tour of the lodge. Our room itself was nice, clean, and had an extremely comfortable bed.
Unfortunately, the lodge itself was not what we expected based on the photos online. There is very little to do on the property. While it's understandable that guests cannot freely explore because of the wildlife, we expected more amenities. We discovered board games ourselves, only to find many were missing pieces or broken. We also learned there was no pool table, despite it still appearing in Google photos. We were later told it had been removed approximately two years ago. Updating the online photos would help set more accurate expectations for future guests.
That evening, heavy rain moved through the area. The ceiling fan light in our room would not turn off, and the fan remote was not functioning properly. Since there is no room phone, we had to call through Fossil Rim's main system to reach someone at the lodge. A staff member came to our room around 12:14 a.m. and was extremely kind and apologetic. He attempted to fix the problem but did not have a replacement remote or battery. He offered us a portable fan and later a lantern, which we appreciated, although neither solved the issue. His customer service was excellent despite the situation being unresolved.
Breakfast the following morning was acceptable, and we appreciated having access to the dining area throughout the evening. There were no spoons, so I had to go downstairs and ask for some. The lady came up and went into the blocked for "Staff Only" , kitchen and got them out of the dish washer, then proceeded to turn on the dishwasher, so we hope our spoons were clean.
Overall, the Wildlife Experience was decent, especially for families with younger children, and several employees provided outstanding customer service. However, the confusion surrounding the shuttle system, inconsistent communication, outdated online photos, limited lodge activities, and maintenance issues made the overall experience fall short of expectations.
For $485 for the lodge and tour, I don't feel the overnight lodge stay provided enough value, particularly for families with older children or teenagers. If you're visiting, I would recommend the Wildlife Experience and safari, but I would carefully consider whether staying overnight at the Lodge is worth the additional
