Smyrna, New York

Wolf Mountain Nature Center

See wolves, coyotes, and arctic foxes in a natural environment smack in the middle of New York State.

Situated on 60 acres of land in the hills of New York state, this nonprofit conservation center is home to 24 total animals, including 14 grey wolves (including timber wolves, Alaskan tundra wolves, and other breeds), six pure arctic foxes, and four eastern coyotes.

The center offers visitors a chance to see these beautiful creatures in what is as close to their natural environment as possible. The animals are spread over a series of large enclosures (the largest is over nine acres), so the animals can avoid being seen by the public if they want to. That said, they have all been raised by humans and are almost always out by the fence happy to see who is visiting them.

The center also holds several events throughout the year, such as “wolves and watermelons” and a chance to go inside with the arctic foxes in winter to take pictures.

The center is run by volunteers, and all money raised goes toward caring for the animals. Wolf mountain is also part of a larger nationwide breeding program and sometimes will trade puppies with other facilities, most recently with Wolf Park in Indiana.

Know Before You Go

Admission is only $5 though you must bring cash for admission and gift shop purchases. During winter months, you must have a 4 wheel or all wheel drive car, since roads can be steep getting into the center. Due to the nature of the center, all pets, including service animals, are prohibited from being on grounds.

There are volunteers available to assist in the event you need help navigating the property. The center is open on Sundays between September and June (closed during January) and is open Friday through Sunday between July and August. Unlike some other similar facilities, there are no set tour times, so feel free to arrive whenever you wish during normal hours. Visitors are allowed to take as many photos as they want, and since you can be as close as four feet to the fence, just about any DSLR camera should be able to filter it out.

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