california wolf center

love the area-for the wolves.. great people working there.showed us around../ lots of wolf info. so interesting..

Sadly the infrastructure is very....third worldish... The people working there are very passionate and informative. This place could be so much more....I am glad we went and got a chance to learn a few things about wolves

This is a must see for ages 10 and up. There is a classroom lecture that is very informative but long, so little ones may get bored.I would go during the week when the tour groups may be smaller. You would be more apt to seethe wolves!

I've always wanted to do this and am so glad the family and I did. The presentation at the beginning was very informative and we all learned many things we didn't know, like the fact that there are no wolves living in the wild in California currently. We learned how very small their territories are now and some of the reasons why this is happening. Our presenter was Heidi and she was great and very enthusiastic! We then were taken out to see the wolves and they didn't disappoint. We were able to see them up close in their natural enclosures. The extremely endangered Mexican Grey Wolves came right up to the fence and seemed as interested in us as we were with them. Definitely worth the trip and if you do a morning tour you can always have lunch in Julian before heading home.

First hand opportunity to learn and see endangered Mexican wolves and rare gray wolves. This group is doing all they can to safe this magnificent animals. Come to learn and experience for yourselves their beauty and intelligence.

We learned a lot about the wolves and got to see them up close. The preserve is close to downtown Julian and a wonderful place for the wolves to feel "at home".

My husband and I have always loved wolves and this was our first experience going to the California Wolf Center near Julian. We got there early and waited for the escort and then we all traveled together down the dirt road in our cars. There was a very interesting and informative presentation given about wolves first and then we were brought outside to the first enclosure to observe the wolves. There were quite a few that we saw and one came right down in front of us to rub his scent on the fence to establish his territory. It was amazing! We went to the second enclosure to see the Mexican Gray Wolves and one of them also came right to the fence to rub his scent. The tour guides gave us a lot of interesting information. I would highly recommend this outing to anyone who has an appreciation for wolves and wildlife.

I went with my cousin and her 7 year old son. There was 25 (or so) minute interactive lecture about wolves... their history and their future. After that they walked us out near the two enclosed areas that were accessible for viewing. They had different types of wolves in two two areas. Some of the wolves peaked out, some came to investigate the humans standing close to the fence, most ignored us, but you could still see them.

The California Wolf Center is not IN Julian but out past the town and then down a very bumpy dirt road... The wolves are kept in their own habitat.. You are met at the start of the dirt road and once all those that are going have arrived you caravan to the center.. you may use the WC then an interactive talk is presented... Afterwords, you walk out to the areas where the wolves are living. Both areas (that we saw the day we went) are surrounded by tall fencing with brush lining the perimeter. This is done so the visitors do not scare them.. you must look for them and watch for them.. The guides will not scare or get them to move.. the goal is to release them back into the wild (when and where it is possible). Therefore contact with humans is minimized... If you love nature and animals and understand you may or may not see many.. this is a great excursion... Remember, this is not a tour destination but a wild life center that allows tours to defray the costs...It is a gift to see them and observe an animal that struggles with survival in some parts of the USA.

Definitely worth a visit for anyone interested in the wild and the animals that live there. Wolves have a bad reputation but are great animals. Great to learn more about them and to appreciate their major attributes.

Great activitiy for young and old alike. We went there as a matter of fact, on our way to Julian and our wedding celebration weekend. My spouse loves wolves so with two different types offered at this sanctuary, they were elatedly surprised. We opted to take one of the private tours where you get right up next to the two fences separating the wolves' pen from where guests are allowed to stand. Many of the canines are getting prepped to be re-introduced into the wild, so you are not allowed for obvious and good reason to get too close to the animals. There is however a photography tour package offered where one is actually permitted to be inside of an enclosure while the care givers are feeding the beasts. They were sold out on our special date, but we will be back. This is also a good cause to remember in your charitable considerations, and the membership is a good way to help. When joining you get discounted entry as well as a percentage off in the gift shop too boot. I think I remember that this organization will present off-site demonstrations for workplace morale boosters, and education purposes at schools. Only advice, (and they also advise you on their website/if you call in preparation to make your visit,) would be to make sure your auto has off-road capabilities if road conditions are bad, as you are met near a fork in the road, (one side leads to a park entrance, the other road choice is the path up to the semi-secluded peacefull Wolf Center's area. I had forgotten a hat in the car when we shared a ride, up that road, and being fair skinned, was afraid to get a burn in the sun. One of the Center's rangers lent me her spare safari type hat. So suficit to say, they are quite caring folks manning this well-run facility. Wonderful experience all around that I wouldn't trade for the world. P.S., check out the Center's web site motion activated "Wolf Cam." That is a pretty cool feature to be enjoyed long after one's visit.

I would very much like to encourage anyone who loves wolves or is afraid of them to make the pilgrimage to the Center. Their staff is extremely knowledgeable about how the wolf greatly affects our eco-system, in a most beneficial way. Very reasonable.

Tucked away near the great apple pie mecca of Julian lies this beautiful sanctuary for wolves. They have a pack of gray wolves and some red wolves here. Make reservations in advance. They do a nice and informative brief on wolves, their nature, and current status here in North America before taking you out to see the packs.

Mixed feelings about this one. First, it was a great way to learn more about North American wolves. The staff clearly enjoyed their jobs, bringing great enthusiasm and knowledge to the subject. Given what happened to the North American wolf population, wolves certainly need human friends and advocates.But I'm not sure I can completely recommend a visit to the Center. Why? Well, first it's overpriced, unless you're just interested in making a donation to their cause. That said, they do offer discounts, including sometimes on Groupon-type sites, so look around if you don't want to pay the full price.Second, the experience isn't that much different from a zoo. Kind of like visiting a zoo with a personal guide. First you get an orientation program and then you go look at a couple of wolf enclosures. The wolves are behind fences and you're likely to only see a handful of animals. Indeed, at the Living Desert zoo in nearby Palm Desert, we probably got a better view of the Mexican gray wolves (of course, we LEARNED a lot more about them at the California Wolf Center).Finally, the relatively short gravel road to the Center is atrocious. Why not grade it -- or even better, pave it? I was glad to have a rental vehicle and not my own personal car.Bottomline, the Center makes a nice stop if you're in the area and interested in wolves, but is not a must see destination.

Very informative speakers and slide show. Best part was an up close look at the wolves under their care. Wonderfully knowledgeable staff. Well worth the small price of admission.