The only unfenced black bear sanctuary in the world. Amazing access to black bears in their natural habitat. Unmatched photo opportunities.
LOVE THIS PLACE~ So happy to be able to see the bears. Excellent place for education and appreciation of the wildlife around us
Well worth the back road trip to see all ages of bears and view their habits in their habitat. Cubs were in the trees, older bears were lounging around.
You will never see so many wild bears in one place. There are wild and free bears, not tame or caged it. Mamas with new cubs come in mid to later May. By August all the bears have their winter coats. You will see bears in trees, bears playing, mamas nursing their cubs, an occasional fight. And the gift shop is fantastic. A lot of people start or complete their Christmas shopping there. The staff is always available to answer questions. A must see for all. The staff is mostly unpaid volunteers usually students of wildlife, ecology, conservation ect. If you are so inclined to bring treats for the volunteers they would be so appreciated and most definitely consumed. The place is addicting many visitors come back several times as it is different each time.
We had a group of 10 ages 6-62 and everyone enjoyed the bears. The staff is knowledgable and interesting, and can answer any questions. We got to see a bear climb a tree right next to the platform, and a mama with 3 cubs. Great experience!
Never saw so many bears all in one place. And so many BIG bears, mama bears and baby bears. Plan to spend some time and visit with the workers about the bears. Bring a good camers for some great pictures.
If you like seeing wildlife up close in its natural habitat, you need to come here! I would not recommend bringing very small children if they are tired and are having a bad day. The bears are very sensitive to loud noises. However, it is a great learning experience for kids and adults as well. The volunteers are very knowledgeable and share lots of facts about the history of the sanctuary and of bears. There is a cute gift shop for purchasing trinkets, as well as tshirts and sweatshirts. It is amazing that the volunteers walk on the ground feeding these bears while they are unarmed. Bring your camera with a fully charged or extra battery. You will be able to get many great pictures. I most definitely will return if I am ever in the area again, and I highly recommend you take the time to visit this great place!
Only place in the world you can see so many wild bears in one place. All the bears are there of their own volition. You can literally watch them for hours. Be sure to bring cash and extra camera batteries!
It's a great place to go and see all the bears coming to eat! Very safe (unlike when I was little and you used to just drive in and throw the bears candy bars!). Also very educational!
We entered the grounds and paid our admission, $8 adults, $4 children. We boarded an old school bus that took us a mile down the road to the viewing platform. The doors opened about an inch from the steps and workers stood on each side of the exit/entrance. The old school bus holds about 40 people. You can return to your car at any time. Buses run back and forth.The platform was large and there were bears everywhere on the ground below. It was thrilling. It was still raining when we arrived. There were cubs resting on tree branches. We saw a mama show her cubs how to climb a tree for protection.They open at 5pm until 8pm which is plenty of time for photos and viewing. The staff is knowledgeable. It's a photographer's dream. In the summer they have Breakfast with the Bears once a monthThey feed the bears a mix of nuts, seeds and dried fruit mixed with a watered down peanut butter. It's a supplement to their diet. They are open in the summertime until Labor Day and are closed on Mondays.I'm surprised I've lived in MN so long and have never heard of this place before.