Northwest Trek Wildlife Park will be open daily (April 2-April 10) just in time for spring breaks and there will be plenty to see and do. Both wild animals and the animals at Northwest Trek become much more active in spring as it warms up and natural food sources become more abundant.
Watch Active Bears
Both the black bears and grizzly bears seem to be getting their full energy back and will be viewable over spring breaks. The black bears at Northwest Trek are waking up from torpor, a state in which a bear’s body temperature, respiratory rate and metabolic rates all decrease to conserve energy. The bears had little activity outside of their dens over the last few months, including eating. The grizzly bears went into partial torpor this winter, slowing down but still active at times, most likely because of their young age. They are still learning how and when to create successful denning sites and are expected to take longer winter naps in future years.
Take a Wild Drive or Keeper Adventure Tour
If you’ve been wanting to get outside and go for a road trip, now’s the time! Hop in your personal vehicle and experience a Wild Drive through the park’s 435-acre Free-Roaming Area past bison, mountain goats, Roosevelt elk, black-tailed deer, swans, a moose, caribou and bighorn sheep. Or, go off-road in a Jeep on a Keeper Adventure Tour. Both experiences are educational too. You will learn from a naturalist or keeper about the species you’re seeing and what makes them special. Plus, not only will you see all of the animals enjoying the spring weather, but you will also travel through serene meadows, shady wetlands and dappled forest… ahhh, can you smell that fresh, forest spring air already?
Get the Wiggles Out at Kids’ Trek
Spring Break means it’s time to PLAY. Bring your family and reconnect with fun at our nature-inspired playground with ropes, slides, sand, play-cabins and a giant play-tree. Hang like a spider in a rope net, climb down a “tree trunk” or walk the rope bridge to hide inside the giant stump. Kids from toddlers to tweens will love Kids’ Trek, and it will inspire them to get active in nature. The playground is free with park admission and open whenever the park is open.
Come Face-to-Face with a Gray Wolf
The E.H. Baker Cabin is back open. Step inside the cozy forest cabin to get an up-close look at the gray wolf pack. Climb into a tunnel to get nose-to-nose with a gray wolf (through a window).