Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center: Is it Worth It?
When: June 20, 2021
Where: Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center (West Yellowstone, Montana)
Bucket List: Bears!
Cost: $15/person (the ticket is good for two days); discounts are available for veterans
Spirit smiling at us at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone
Given that the crowds at Yellowstone National Park are pretty crazy on summer weekends, we decided to skip the park and instead visit the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center (“GWDC”) on a Sunday in June. One great thing about the GWDC is that is located right around the corner from the Grizzly RV Park campground where we stayed. We arrived at 9:00 am just as the place was opening up for the day to try to beat the crowds.
At $15/person, the admission fee is a little pricey, but we were assured by another couple we met near the entrance that the not-for-profit venue was well worth it. They had visited the GWDC the day before and were making their second appearance there because the ticket was good for two days and they loved the place.
Is it worth it? Absolutely!
Upon entry to the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center, the first thing you will encounter is a very updated and informative indoor educational area. We skipped over that when we first got there so that we could see then animals before it got too crowded. We did go later and found the exhibits about the bear populations and locations to be particularly interesting. But again, we wanted to see the ANIMALS! And boy, did we!
Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center — Bear Schedule
Bears are #1!
I’m a big fan of comedian Stephen Colbert, and he has an ongoing bit about bears being the number one threat-down in America. Indeed, all of the bears at the GWDC are there because they were determined to be a “nuisance bear.” That means that the bear likely started trying to take food from people, damaged property, or otherwise displayed aggressiveness towards people. Rather than be killed, the GWDC rescued the bear.
The bears are the first thing you will see when you start your outdoor adventure at the GWDC. Each of the bears are released into a fenced habit area at designated times during the day. During our first visit, we “met” three bears. From 9:00 to 9:45, we observed Spirit, who was been at the GWDC since 2002. Her “nuisance” was that she kept roaming around the beach and golf course in Whitefish Montana. After being relocated five times without success, she ended up at the GWDC.
At the GWDC, we watched Spirt seek out food in a large outdoor habitat. She was quite docile as she lumbered around, and it was hard to believe that this happy girl was ever deemed a nuisance. That girl has some teeth though! I think she smiled at us a couple times!
After Spirit exited her play area, the animal care staff came out to hide additional food and also rearranged things in the habitat area. The GWDC says this makes the habitat more interesting for the bears and helps keep them mentally fit. While I seriously doubt that such small changes actually challenge the bears, I’m no expert and I do appreciate the GWDC’s efforts to keep things interesting for them.
Coram and Grant at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone
Grant and Coram had the next 45-minute slot. Most of the bears are released in pairs, and one slot is reserved for a threesome. They are clearly social animals.
Grant and Coram spent about 10 minutes playing with each other like two very large puppies. They flopped to the ground with audible thuds while nipping at each other’s paws. Their play escalated into literal bear hugs, with their powerful jaws delicately reaching for each other’s faces. They were so happy! As for me, I was mesmerized and was slowly falling in love with these magnificent creatures.
Other parts of the park constantly remind visitors that these bears can still be animals of destruction though. A bear-resistant container display is lined with coolers, trash bins, and other containers that have been decimated by a bear. Could sweet little Spirit do that? Apparently, yes. That container display really reinforced the message to not leave food or other items that might tempt bears at our campground.
Three wolves play at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone
Wolves (not dogs or coyotes).
“Wolf” is in the GWDC’s name, and the rescued wolves also each have names and some sort of story. Their designated roaming area contains a nice shallow small pond that some strolled around for a few minutes. Mostly, they just slept in the sun during our visit, and the wolves looked about as lazy as our own dogs.
Difference between a Wolf and a Coyote — Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone
Wolves (canis lupus), coyotes (canis latrans), and domestic dogs (canis familiaris) are indeed closely-related species. We learned the difference between a coyote and a wolf, and sadly realized that two wolves we saw in Hayden Valley were actually coyotes. Oh well.
You Otter Go to the Riparian Building.
A large indoor “Banks of the Yellowstone” riparian space is home to an otter exhibit that opened in 2019. Much like the bear area, the otters romp around a plexiglass pool filled with logs, rocks, and other flora. Staff members hid food so that the otters have to find it in different locations each time they come out to the viewing area. The water droplets on the plexiglass windows make observing (and filming) the otters a little challenging. There are some other creatures in the building, like a salamander, a spotted frog and cutthroat trout.
While we filled most of our time with the bears and wolves, we still spent another 20-30 minutes in the riparian building.
Birds of Prey.
Owl at the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center in West Yellowstone
The GWDC is home to owls, falcons, hawks, and even bald eagles. I don’t recall ever seeing the latter before so that was a big treat. Like the bears, all of the birds are named (Joran, Zack, etc), and there is usually some signage explaining why the bird ended up at the GWDC.
The main attractions are, or course, the GWDC’s namesake: the bears and wolfs. The GWDC’s website contains a Bear Cam and Wolf Cam so if you do fall in love with one or more of these creatures during your visit, you can check on them. Sure enough, as I was writing this blog, I think I spotted Spirit!
If you are in the West Yellowstone area and have some time, you won’t go wrong visiting the Grizzly & Wolf Discovery Center. You’ll likely spend a couple of hours there. And, like me, you will probably want to go back the next day and make use of your two-day ticket.
