Part 4: Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center - March 30, 2015

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On our third day in Montana, we visited the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center, which is a sort of miniature zoo that features bears and wolves. For $11.50, you can get a two day pass to see some of these animals up close without the risk of being attacked. If you go in the summertime, they also have different birds of prey for visitors to see.​

The center features a gift shop with many different items to choose from including shirts, hats, books, plush toys and more. There is even a couch to take a break, or for an awesome photo opportunity as the guys would demonstrate below!

As you enter the main viewing area of the different animals, there are a variety of informational boards about safety around bears, as well as a display of bear-proofed equipment like trash cans. The discovery center promotes safety and awareness when it comes to bears, whether they come to your area or you are out in the woods exploring.

They also display bear traps of both the older and newer style of bear traps utilized by researchers and animal control, whether they are used to help relocate a bear away from people, or to conduct medical examinations for the bear’s health and research purposes.

Obviously, being the bear-loving guys that we are, we had to test out the bear traps to ensure they meet bear standards. Sure looks comfortable doesn’t it?

The main draw of this facility are the animals that you can see. First, we have an Arctic Wolf that was just an absolute beauty to look at! Here she was pretty relaxed at the time while lying in the shade.

There were a few other wolves in the neighboring habitat including Grey Wolves. Some of them were in the backside of the habitat, but several were very easy to spot from the different viewing areas around it.

The other animal variety of the center is the bears. They were feeding a few Brown Bears during our visit by hiding food throughout the habitat for then to find, making it very easy to be able to view these incredibly large animals.

It was awesome to be able to see these guys in a relatively close proximity. Looking at the claws on their paws, I wouldn’t want to get into a fight with them!

Along with the exhibits that showcase the animals, there is also a small museum that discusses different topics such as the various species of bears, the research that they conduct about them, and the different dangers that bears face in the wild, as well as from human interaction.

In the end, we enjoyed the experience at the Grizzly and Wolf Discovery Center. I would recommend a visit if you happen to be in the area, especially if you want to be able to see these incredible animals up close without the need for a repellent. Next, we wrap up this visit to Montana with a hike into Yellowstone National Park!

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