SmartAlec GPS Adventure Guide

Grizzly enclosure

The last time we visited Bear Country, we had the good fortune of going during feeding time, which occurs daily at 9:00am. Sitting in the safety of our van, we watched Tim, a veteran employee of Bear Country, sling frozen hunks of meat over a 20 foot fence into the mountain lion enclosure. The back of his pickup was full of this meat, a fact well known by the black bears and timber wolves that were creeping up behind him. After a few steaks, Tim grabbed a six foot pole from the bed of the pickup, stepped aggressively towards the wolves and bears, and swung it widely. The predators leaped back, and he returned to the steaks, tossing a few more to the lions before flinging one to the nearest bear and jumping back into the cab of his pickup. With Tim gone, the animals stopped playing nice, and the steak’s recipient ended up losing his prize to a relative when he chased off the wolves. Satisfied, we drove on, thrilled that the spectacle had occurred only 20 feet from our van.

Such is the thrill of Bear Country, and while not every trip through the drive-through park is as exciting as ours, it’s always a thrill to have your way blocked by a black bear and to see an arctic wolf in person.

The quick look:

Where it is: On Hwy 16 about 12 minutes outside Rapid City, on the way to Mt. Rushmore. See the map for more.

How much time: Most people take around 2 hours to soak in the park and enjoy it thoroughly. If you are one for loitering in gift shops, add plenty more. A café is on the premises if you run into lunch.

Cost: $15 adults, $8 for kids, $12 for seniors, with a max. of $55 per vehicle (2008 price). See their website for the most current prices.

Best time to go: Mornings, when the animals are more active and the traffic in the park is lighter

Bear hiding in the grass

Works well when coupled with: It’s on the way to Mt. Rushmore, so it can go well with the big attraction. The Smart Alec takes you to Mt. Rushmore and if you’re in for a long day of driving, you could tackle the Needles and Iron Mountain Road. We’d recommend going slower, however, which is why some folks like to pair Bear Country with Reptile Gardens. Even then, though, if you like these places, it might be better to save the second round of animal watching for another day.

Highlights:

• 

  Babyland Bears climb tree

  Babyland: The walk-through area where you can watch the bear cubs up close, as well as otters, a grizzly bear, and more.

• Feeding time: if you can get there when we did, by 9:00, you could be in for a show, and even if you miss the actual feeding, the animals are still quite active around that time.
• Smart Alec: We’ve crafted a full audio tour through the park, detailing animals and explaining the history of the attraction. It’s like riding with the owner in your vehicle.

Good to know:

• Leave your road-rage tendencies at the gate, traffic can be slow in the park.
• No matter how badly you want to open them, windows need to stay closed.
• Admission to the park can add up, though the max is $55 a vehicle. We would advise looking into discount opportunities (like a discount card, which pays off if you’re planning on hitting a lot of attractions) and leaving plenty of time to soak in your money’s worth.

Posted under Attractions