Lakota Wolf Preserve
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creative.spirit
1630
Outstanding wolf preserve! The owners are the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met when it comes to wildlife and their animals! I’m a huge wildlife advocate, but had no idea about some of the knowledge they gave me on the tour. Beautiful animals and land. The animals are well taken care of and truly loved. I do wish I could have seen the rest of the wolves up close, but I understand why I couldn’t. Jersey has strict laws and I believe the owners may be fed up with little kids here or should I say their caregivers! This is my opinion only. There were kids when I was there and they were jamming sticks through the first fence that separates the humans from wolves, Thank God they have a second fence. Crying and screaming kids ruined the entire experience for half my tour. The wolves get scared and stay away from the fence where you can see them. The only reason I could get a great look at them is because the owners brought treats out and the wolves ran up to the looking area where you could see them. I can’t not believe how rude some parents are. If you’re going to bring kids here. Please make sure your kids are respectful of previous wildlife. Teach your kids to be quiet and pay attention to what they’re learning instead of jamming sticks in the fence as well as run up and down the fence screaming and smacking the fence. It’s bad enough most humans could care less about wildlife and have no idea the beauty and importance of it. If you’re touring a wolf preserve I hope you actually care and want to change the future for wildlife instead of using this for pure entertainment and something to put on your FB page for likes. I also hope the owners put an age limit on kids. Maybe a 10 year old well behaved kid or make it 12 so the kids are acting like they should be behind the fence not the wolves. As you can tell. I was completely annoyed with the misbehaved kids here. FIY I have 2 autistic girls, 1 severe 1 w/ Asperger’s and I had to leave my severe daughter home w/ my husband so she didn’t upset the tour or animals and then I see the typical kids were worse behaved then either one of my disabled kids. Sadly the daughter I left home loves wolves and would have been in heaven , but since I have am respectful of the wolves and other people I made her stay home sadly. My Asperger’s daughter put the typical kids to shame here. She was quiet, took pictures and absorbed all the knowledge of the owners like a sponge . Please control your kids, especially if you’re a teacher or group leader in charge of your kids. Which they weren’t . Where’s the respect. Yes I ranted and maybe you’ll be lucky enough to see the wolves with out screaming misbehaved kids! All in all the beauty of the wolves, knowledge of owners as well as love of owners made it a great your minus the kids
Maryann Farrell
90
- [ ] Lakota Preserve has an extremely impressive routine down with entering the parking lot at the beginning, with sign in, and with continuing to move the tours along on time. - [ ] We left for shuttle ride up the hill at 9:45, 15 minutes early. Even with us being in the front row, it was a very bumpy ride up. It's just something to be aware of but isn't really preventable as you are within the woods. We heard the back seat riders talking about how much bumpier it was for them, so I suggest sitting as close to the front as possible. We were dropped off at the top & waited for the other bus load/walkers to come up. It was a nice, elongated open space in the woods with a double fence entrance into the wolves area. - [ ] Bring bug spray! There are TONS of little knat like flies all over. - [ ] When waiting up at the top, we saw one of the wolves come right up to the inside -it was really neat. - [ ] Come 10 am, they opened up the outside fence and we were able to see the wolves more up close. (For everyone's safety, they are still behind one other fence) They talked about each wolf & their background. They gave some pretty cool facts about the wolves too! We were lucky enough to be the first group to see the new baby wolf that had arrived 2 weeks prior. - [ ] After the wolves, they showed everyone bob cats and other animals on their property. Until about 12 & were given the option to walk the .5 mile walk back or take the shuttle back down. Because the rock path isn't packed down, we opted to take the shuttle back. - [ ] It was interesting to learn that Lakota Preserve is actually located on a camp ground (Camp Taylor), so there may be some campers within the group too. The lots available to rent varied in size, as you'll see when going up in the shuttle. Coming from someone with chronic illnesses and handicap, I was also extremely impressed that the camp offers cabin options that are completely handicap accessible, as not many offer that! - [ ] Overall, it was an amazing experience and one we would do again, but possibly within the "photography session". It makes me so happy knowing these wolves are loved and truly taken care of (as you can see in the 3rd videos where they get so excited to see their "mommy") Thank you Lakota Wolf Preserve, for running such an impressive tour and for allowing others to see these beautiful animals, as you do. I'm positive that these wolves will always have a safe home.
Desiree Schwartz (Fighting for Freedom)
00
Fantastic experience, entertaining and informative. We followed the very simple instructions which were provided multiple times and had a wonderful afternoon. Jim, Becky and the other staffers we encountered were knowledgeable, funny and kind. Their dedication to the welfare of these endangered animals shines through in their stories and the way the animals respond to them. Unlike the lethargic residents of most zoos, the wolves, foxes and bobcats seemed alert and glad for company and clearly know and trust their humans. Advice: Wear good hiking shoes and bug spray. Use the very clean bathrooms provided by the campground before the tour starts. Take the (free) bus up the hill if you are not in great shape as it is a serious climb from the parking lot. If you have kids do not expect the tour to be about them (although the staff were engaging and the kids on our tour were great). ACCESSIBILITY: There is very limited infrastructure (because you're in the middle of the woods) but there are places to sit in the shade and a portable toilet if you need it. Narrations are not amplified so if you have hearing difficulties you may want to let the staff know and try to stick close to them. Although the bathrooms and the van were ADA-compliant I would think twice about going on this tour as a wheelchair user unless you/your companion are very strong because the ground is not level, no paved paths, etc. The owners are very honest/clear about the limitations on the web site. I have to laugh at some of the complaints in negative reviews, all of which amount to "why can't the rules be changed for me because I didn't bother to read any of the instructions?" The relationship with their landlords (the campground) is explained clearly and everything about the visit was exactly as described. I am not sure the main character who described the animals as being in "a kennel" was expecting... did you think you'd be in the enclosure with them and get to watch them bringing down live prey? Yes there are fences because they are WILD ANIMALS and they don't know and trust you. The primary function of this place is to give these endangered creatures, who were born in (mostly illegal) captivity a safe place to live as closely to a natural life as is possible. The tours help pay for their care, but it is not a zoo or a circus.
Christian Paolino
00
My sister, my daughter, and I recently visited Lakota Wolf Preserve, and we had a good overall experience. The preserve offers two options to reach the wolves: a short hike or a shuttle bus. We decided to take the scenic route and walk to the preserve. However, we were disappointed to find that it was not stroller-friendly. So, if you plan to bring a stroller, I would recommend opting for the shuttle bus instead. Although the visit didn't quite live up to my initial expectations in terms of excitement, it was still enjoyable. The opportunity to see wolves up close was fascinating for both me and my daughter. The staff at the preserve were knowledgeable and provided interesting information about the wolves' behavior and conservation efforts. It was a great learning experience for all of us. The preserve itself was well-maintained, and the natural habitat created a peaceful and immersive environment. The surroundings were beautiful, and we were able to appreciate the wolves' natural behaviors in a serene setting. Overall, I would recommend visiting Lakota Wolf Preserve, especially for families interested in wildlife and conservation. Just keep in mind that the hike to the preserve is not stroller-friendly, so plan accordingly. Despite the lack of excitement and the stroller inconvenience, it was a good experience overall.
Selfcare With Denisse
00
Amazing tour!! So glad we finally booked one! The animals are well cared for and healthy and the living environments for the wolves look totally appropriate. No beaten down grass and fake plants like you would see in the zoo! I always feel bad when I go to a zoo, but I left this place feeling educated, and warm and fuzzy about their efforts for wolf conservation as a whole as well as the beautiful animals they care for. We would absolutely come back and walk through the same tour!! I would actually love to come back in the winter and see the wolves in their full regalia of thick fur coats! We visited at the end of August, this was the grand finale to our Worthington State Park Camping Trip. We actually planned our camping nights around the opportunity to visit Lakota Wolf Preserve, and we booked the reservation more than a month out. We were considering staying at Camp Taylor to be close to the wolves, but I'm happy we stayed at Worthington State Park campground along the Delaware instead. It would have been fun to hear the wolves at night, but if you are looking for a little privacy you should know the Camp Taylor sites are all out in the open along the road and there is no privacy between the sites. Looking forward to coming back again soon to witness and contribute to this great cause again!
Tiffany Heater
00
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Address
89 Mt Pleasant Rd, Columbia, NJ 07832
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Phone
(908) 496-9244
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Website
lakotawolf.com
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Reviews
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4.8
(759 reviews)
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attractions: Lakota Wolf Preserve, Camp Taylor Campground, restaurants:
