Bear Country USA is an Amazing Drive-thru Wildlife Park
Heavy traffic is something people dread. After all, who wants to sit in their car in super slow traffic? Well, if it’s because you’ve got wild animals roaming around, then I think it’s totally worth it. Bear Country USA in South Dakota is a unique drive-thru wildlife park that allows you to safely get up close to some amazing animals.
As we planned to visit Mount Rushmore this past summer, Bear Country USA came highly recommended from others who had explored the area. After spending a couple of hours in the park, we learned why.
Here are a few tips to help you plan your visit to Bear Country USA.
Visiting Bear Country USA: Admission and Rules
One of our first questions was about the best time of day to visit Bear Country USA. Initially, our itinerary had us visiting it in the afternoon. But we worried the animals would be less active in the heat of the day. After a quick call to the park, they said morning was best.
We arrived just after opening and the line of cars stretched from the main gate east along Highway 16. It took us about 15-20 minutes to make our way up to the gate, where we paid our admission fee ($65 for our entire family), and headed into the drive-thru wildlife park.
Depending on how busy the park is, your drive can last from one to three hours. Plan accordingly, especially when it comes to potty breaks.
A few of the rules they stressed as we entered the park:
- Stay in your car and keep the windows rolled up. The animals can smell food in vehicles if windows are down.
- The animals have the right of way. Respect them.
- Drive slowly (which wasn’t too hard on a busy summer day).
- If you want to stop and take photos, pull to the right side of the road so people can pass.
It’s challenging to drive AND take photos. Since traffic was moving so slowly, it worked out okay and I was able to snap some great photos of the wildlife. When necessary, we did pull to the right. But no one passed us, because we all wanted to look at the animals as long as we could – without holding up traffic too long.
The Bears at Bear Country USA
There are two main areas where you can see bears in the wildlife park: Along the scenic drive and in the Wildlife Walkway.
SCENIC DRIVE
As we were winding our way through the other animal habitats, we saw some bears playing in the distance. But we noticed they were in an area where the road didn’t go. We were worried we wouldn’t be able to see bears up close. But as we arrived at the Observation Tower, we got our fair share of bear sightings.
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The kids were climbing all over the van with camera phones in hand. They were taking photos of every bear they could find. At one point, two large bears laid down in the middle of the road. It took some driving skills to get around them safely, but we did it. One of the favorite parts was the large pond the bears were bathing in. We couldn’t blame them for taking a dip in the hot South Dakota summer sun.
WILDLIFE WALKWAY
The scenic drive area allows you to see large adult bears. The cute bear cubs are in the Wildlife Walkway. People would stand there for 20-30 minutes watching the cubs chew on sticks, wrestle with other cubs or climb around on log piles.
At one point, one bear cub took off toward the small pond and everyone followed. It looked like one of the best pool parties around. Bears were splashing, playing with pool toys and wrestling. It was fun to watch and photograph.
The Scenic Drive Through Animal Country
When you first pass through the entry gate, you make your way along a narrow road through animal enclosures. Take it slow, and keep your eyes out for animals hiding among the trees.
Here’s a rundown of the animal enclosures we experienced:
- Rocky Mountain Elk
- Reindeer
- Arctic Wolves (we didn’t see any – they must’ve been hiding)
- Big Horn Sheep
- Dall Sheep
- Mountain Lion
- Black Bear (as described above)
- Timber Wolves (they must’ve been hiding, too)
- Pronghorn
- Buffalo
The animals may rotate to other areas of the wildlife park, so what you end up seeing may differ from what I’ve described above. They are working on a Timber Wolves enclosure (as of summer 2020), but I’m not sure when that will open.
Wildlife Walkway: Baby & Small Animals
After completing the scenic drive and getting your fill of large animals, park near the Wildlife Walkway and continue the adventure. There are bathrooms near the parking lot, so if 1-3 hours in the car has left someone needing to go, it’s a great opportunity to do so.
The walkway is a short loop with animals on each side. Some of those animals included:
- Badger
- Groundhog
- Raccoons
- Porcupine
- Otter
- Wolves
- Lynx
- And of course, the black bear cubs
The highlight is definitely the black bear cubs. They are fun to watch and provide numerous photo opps.
After watching the animals, make your way to the Bear’s Den gift shop for a treat our souvenir.
The Details
Address: 13820 US-16, Rapid City, SD 57702 (South of Rapid City on the way to Mount Rushmore)
Cost: $18 per adult. $12 for children, ages 5-12. $16 for seniors (62+) and adult military members. $11 for children of military. Children under 4 are free. Max cost per vehicle is $65.
Hours: Bear Country is open daily from late April through late November, weather permitting. But check specific hours on their website for the days you plan to visit.
Website: https://www.bearcountryusa.com/
Phone: (605) 343-2290
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