spirit of the hills wildlife sanctuary

A great outdoor Zoo!. They have all kinds of exotic animals that they rescued and are now taking care of. My kids loved see these animals up close. A great, great experience!

I had such a great experience here. The variety of wildlife they have here is amazing. Anything from peacocks to jaguars and bears - it was flourishing with animals. The tour guides are very down to earth and sweet. It is a welcoming place - there are animals walking around everywhere. I love it and I can't wait to go back. Plus, the price was quite fair.

My wife and I visited this attraction a couple of weeks ago. We saw a various big cats (lion, tigers, bobcat, lynx etc.), bears of various types, buffalos, camels, Emus etc. Most of the animals had been rescued from bad experiences with exotic pet collectors. The guide was good, and it sounds like most of the staff are volunteers doing this as a labor of love. The guide knew a lot of about the animals, and had stories to share. The animals appear to have decent-sized habitats, which occasionally made them hard to see but most were visible and I was glad that they were well-treated. The tour took about 1 1/2 hours, and though it was very hot the time went fast. You may want to check tour times by calling because the website wasn't up to date, and I don't think that they take credit cards.

A little bit hard to fins but so worth it!!! The grounds are not like a zoo but that was fine with me. It's clear that making the animals happy is the main concern. Almost all animals there were saved or rescued from locations around the country and they look healthier then most animals I see in the zoos. Again, so worth the trip to see.

We stopped at this wildlife sanctuary. It is somewhat difficult to find since it is about a mile down a stone road. The pens are a little crude but these animals were abandoned, or kept illegally in someone's house a couple were even form animal acts. All of them would probably have been put to sleep if not for the man that started this place so keep that in mind.

I love what Mike and his team have done here and they truly do care for these animals that needed it! It's a great chance to see the big cats, bears, wolves and many other animals up close and be grateful that someone devotes their time to give them the best home they can. It's not a large place but it does take a good deal of walking but the stops are often so it isn't that grueling. Definitely a must see in the Black Hills!

This sanctuary has lions, tigers, cougars, bears, wolves, parrots, and other animals who used to be pets, but were rescued from inappropriate housing situations. They live in comfortable and safe surroundings, but this is not a zoo- it is built for the animals, not tourists. This a great place to visit and learn about animals, and see the consequences of selecting a wild animal for a pet.. Make sure you call in advance to find out tour times.

We had a tour on a very hot morning. Many of the animals we didn't actually get to see because they were taking shade and cover. I appreciated they had areas where they could take shade and shelter. Also, many of the animals are nocturnal, and not very active during the day. I appreciated the mention on signs of local civic groups that helped to build cages, fences, or contributed in some way. I also appreciated that the workers are all volunteers. If you keep in mind that admission goes toward caring for the animals, you will walk away feeling good!

We took the walking tour a few summers ago. Be prepared to walk a lot up and down some hills. But you will love hearing the stories about the animals and how they came to live at the sanctuary - assuming you have a good guide. The volunteers seem to truly love what they do. It is very apparent that the caretaker does. I especially love the Living Nativity that they hold every Christmas season. Definitely worth at least one visit. Donations are used to care for the plethora of animals cared for at the sanctuary.

Great place to see exotic animals that have found a home here because folks thought they could be "house pets". The animals used in the Black Hills Passion play were also housed here previously in the winter before the play ended. The folks who work here are mostly volunteers who love animals. If you have a chance to visit, don't miss it.

This place appears small from the outside, but once you're inside you'll be surprised and the numbers and kinds of animals they house. They take in animals from stray dogs to bears, lions and tigers who are in need of a home. Mike who runs the place on donations has a heart of gold and does anything he can to keep the place running. Great opportunity to see huge tigers, lions, mountain lions, and black bears up close. A huge variety of other animals like lamas, camels, pigs, peacocks, etc.... very low-key place without pavement, just enclosures built in the forest which makes it very appealing and lots of volunteers making the place go.

I've gone here a couple different times. The first time was MUCH better because the guide wasn't rushing through and knew a lot more about the animals' backgrounds. That's one of the most interesting parts to me. We got to spend time visiting the birds the first time and I got to pet a buffalo. That was a once-in-a-lifetime experience! :)However, when I brought my in-laws there 2 or 3 years later it was made much less impressive due to the guide knowing little more than the names of the animals and generic facts about their species. He also seemed to be rushing through everything. It was a much less pleasant than our last tour. We didnt get to see the birds which was Very entertaining the fist time we went due to a cute "dancing" cockatoo. Also, I think the buffalo were off in the distance the second tour and not even mentioned. :( The guides are all volunteers so you really don't know what you're going to get. It's too bad they aren't all as knowledgeable as the guide on our first tour years back.Just a tip for people taking young children, be prepared with a stroller (I think they still allow them), cold beverages and a misting water bottle or you will be met with much complaining. It gets pretty darn hot there in the summer. It would be downright miserable without the preparations, really. All in all, I enjoyed going both times but I am more satisfied with a more knowledgeable tour guide. I'm glad that we are able to see and contribute to these animals' well-being!

Unfortunately this place was closed when we came to visit ,we could still glimpse a few animals here and there . It's so great that there are places like this for these animals to go and live out their life . We will try on another visit ,I think it will be well worth the effort.

This animal sanctuary does no purchase or breed animals for display, they only rescue animals that owners can no longer care for. You can see that the entire staff has a love of animals. Our tour guide called each animal by name and told us why they came to the sanctuary. It was a really neat way to see big cats and bears up close. Make sure you check their website before you go as they only give tours on a limited schedule.

Love seeing the big cats up close and personal! You need an appointment, but it's well worth it. Some animals get to roam free, so there is some petting involved! Love it!