Reviews of Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge (Zoo)

M Walker

A neat place to visit would recommend that you go when they first open in the morning or right before they close of the evening though. We went around 11 am and none of the animals was out for us to see and was not told that they was most active right when open and before they close of the evening until we had already paid our money to take the tour.

Kristy Ernst

This place is awesome for what they do. I loved hearing all the background stories of the cats and how they have improved. I was also impressed to know they have other facilities nearby for the older animals, more of a retirement area. I would have liked to see all the different cats, but I do understand they try to not interact with them as they are wild animals. However many of the cats were in their dens and we weren't able to see them. I would definitely recommend going earlier in the day, as it's cooler. However be aware that many of these cats naturally sleep most of the day so they will probably be laying around anytime you visit. Definitely worth visiting though.

Woodkrafts FWI

Love this place and the visionary drive behind the staff working there. Was skeptical first. I don’t like animals treated as spectacular enjoyment for humans. But all animals are rescued from abuse conditions. You guys doing a great work caring for this animals. Recommend 100%. Very informative!! You have to take the walking tour.

Lynn Crosley

Educational tour. Beautiful large cats. All rescued. Camping and lodging on site. Gift shop.

Rhon Cole

This is a very nice place..My 8 year old had a great time! The walking tour was educational and enjoyable...The Big cats are so beautiful...I'd go back to watch them!

Wesley Grubb

A true refuge, very knowledgeable caring staff.

Ramandeep Singh

It’s good and the staff is very friendly.

April Jackson

My children have come to this for years with my parents...this trip was my first time with my parents and grandson! It was AMAZING to see all the work and care these animals receive. What a true treasure!

Christine Ross

Fantastic place. You can really see the love they have for the animals there.

Jonna Neihoff

Very informative. Great facility that really cares for the animals. Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

Cristen Shearin

Tour guide was very in tune with animals very knowledgeable. Healthy animals very nice place.

Cheryl Cardon

What an AWESOME place! Absolutely loved it. Staff and interns so nice & helpful. RV park was great. Just can't say enough good things!

Courtney Cole

Staff was very knowledgeable and our tour guide had a passion for the cats. Enjoyed watching the Bear gunning around his enclosure chasing the staff and children. Watching him play was the cutest part. The cats beautiful to see. For the price it’s definitely a must to see while in the area.

Ricky Haynes

It was a great place to visit. We camped for 3 nights and just loved hearing the tigers throughout the night. If you stay on the grounds overnight, you can go in the park early for morning feedings. The cats are more active then so, they are up and moving around. The staff was very friendly and made us feel welcome. There are beautiful views around the park as well

Angela Hunter

Really beautiful and you can tell everybody here really cares about the animals.

Marcelo Mensa

Great place to visit. Lots of cats to see and the tour was very interesting. Bring water bottles as they provide filling stations.

Dan George

This is a wonderful place. The facility is well maintained and very secure. The animals are taken very good care of. They even have overnight cabins inside the park.

Patti Harriman

Staff is knowledgeable about the animals, you can get pretty close to the animals, and they are all very well taken care of. This refuge exceeds my expectations - they are happy to share details about how they operate. Very educational for kids!

Maks Chorney

Wonderful place that is also doing great good. You will be entertained, enthralled, and enchanted! It is a must do for the area.

Valor Bee

Loved this place! I learned a lot about the conservation efforts. I knew a little about low numbers of these cats in the wild, but to hear actual numbers and facts was really sobering. Our guide was very knowledgeable, and we seemed to only scratch the surface of what there is to learn about these animals. I'm sure we will be back to help support their efforts, and to find out how we can be doing our part as well.

Jennie Bass

We stayed in the Treehouse and highly recommend it! The interns are very friendly and happy to answer questions. The animals are given the opportunity to not make an appearance, which I appreciate. It's a refuge, not a zoo! The picture of the forest shows the view from the Tree House, btw. No pics of the animals because the ones on the website are so much better than mine!

Auston Blakeley

It is amazing what they do for these poor abused animals. I'll happily come back over and over again to continue supporting them

Tim McQuerry

Very ethical, accredited facility. Not an"Attraction" for the sake of showing animals but to teach the need of such facility s. Very informative, well worth the trip!

April Moore

Great family activity in the Eureka Springs area. The staff was all very helpful and courteous. The walking tour was very interesting... I loved hearing all the stories about where the animals came from and how they were rescued.

Destinee B

Awesome! Very informative, up close and personal views of tigers, lions, bears....also all proceeds go back to the care of the animals! Please, come support them!

Glam By Lambeth

One of the most amazing places I have ever been! I took the walking tour and our guide was amazing

A L

This is a must see if in the Eureka Springs area. Our guide Hanna was ABSOLUTELY AMAZING!!! Her knowledge and passion was astounding. I've read some negative comments about being upset that the animals weren't very active....well that was the case but this isn't a "circus". These animals have had a rough life all due to poor human decisions. For once in their lives they actually get to just be animals which means A LOT OF SLEEP. It's definitely worth a visit.

Celeste Coberts

Amazing experience. Staff is friendly and tour guide Jennifer was very knowledgeable and friendly! The animals are well taken care of and let to be their natural wild selves. Very beautiful refuge inside and out.

Megan Posey

See the lions, tigers and bears up close! Beautiful creatures and a wonderful organization that helps these poor creatures. They are rescues from magic shows, circuses, and petting zoo's. The animals are active in the mornings. Well worth the money!

Diana Porter

It is definitely the top 3 on my bucket list I haven't been yet bug can't wait to sleep next to the big baby's it will be an amazing experience

Paula Crane

Amazing! Very knowledgeable & helpful staff. We spent one night in a lodge there & it was superb! Beautiful big cats. They are truly on a mission to help end the wild cat trade/abuse/misuse & educate the public.

Anthony Herrera

Everyone should go here. They essentially give abused / neglected animals a place to live and everyone should help them. Oh yeah, you can also see the animals up close and hear about their stories. They have lodging so you can stay right beside the animals. All their animals are rescues from breeders, circuses, petting attractions, etc. They don't breed the animals so only serve as a "safe" place for them. Would love to stay and hear the animals overnight as that is when they are more active.

Deb Griffith

Our time there was very formative. What they do there is so wonderful.

Leonelle Nash

What a wonderful place! They survive on donations and ticket sales. A awesome sanctuary for lions, tigers, and bears that otherwise would have probably been euthanized

Sarah Nichols

Amazing place!! The employees are truly passionate about what they do and care so deeply for the animals. We will definitely be back.

Katrina Bogardus

Stayed here at one of their Safari lodges. It was amazing!! The tour is also so informational. They do an amazing job taking care of these animals. I strongly suggest checking them out!!

diana H

This place is great if you have not been there you need to go. Be sure and take the tour you get a lot of information that way. Make a donation while you're there they are doing wonderful things.

Kevin Kaeser

A wonderful caring place. If you want to see the animals active, go when it is cooler.

Dao Tran

Great if you like chain link fence and donating or adopting animals. Its very expensive. Poor animals are cared for after being rescued. Hopefully they can put themselves out of business.

Marilyn Self

Camped two nights here with grandkids. Great time! Camped within easy walking distance to refuge. The experience was awesome. Area is well kept & everyone was so friendly & shared so much about all the animals. Highly recommend a trip here for kids & adults. Hearing the lions & tigers at night was a new experience for us all.

Teresa Franz

This is a great place! Lots of information about conservation and several good opportunities to be close to some beautiful big cats in a humane way. The staff was super friendly and helpful! Hannah was a great educator and made our visit amazing!

Rhonda

They really do care about giving these animals their best life!

Eugene Brast

Kaylee , our walking tour guide did a great job taking the group around the trail and the detail information for each of the animals. My wife and I had a great time and really enjoyed the visit. A great place to support and visit.

Courtney Wick

Fantastic ethical tourism option in the Eureka Springs Area, full of helpful staff who genuinely care about the animals and the sanctuary. Go on the guided tour, it'll give you more insight into the animals' past and what they do now.

Stuart Countryman

These people really care about the animals they have rescued. We took the narrated tour and got to learn some of the stories of the animals and the important work this place does.

Kylie V.

loved the experience here! Tour guide was super sweet and informative. The entire reserve is a blessing.

DJ Plumlee

The family really enjoyed our time walking the grounds and on the guided tour. The animals just seem so content. Will definitely be going back. Would love to spend a night in one of the lodges and watch the cats all evening.

Fatima Bey

I enjoyed the area where we could explore on our own. It was nice seeing the animals so close. Our guide was very informative

John Sharpless

A fantastic way to spend a couple of days. My wife and I stayed in the Siberian Suite, affording a personal view of neighboring Floyd and Tigger--two of the tigers at the refuge--from our windows and porch. The staff are friendly and very knowledgeable, eager to share the missions and goals of Turpentine Creek in a fun and very truthful and fact-filled manner. The walking tour of the refuge was easy with frequent stops to allow our guide to introduce us to the many big cats and other animals. Their stories, while sometimes heartbreaking, were enlightening and it is reassuring to know that the animals have the best place for them to call home, now. The suite was roomy and comfortable and the refuge is a great place to stay with easy access to neighboring Eureka Springs. We'll be back!

Joe Buckley

Awesome experience. Take the guided tour: although a bit of a walk, the guides are very knowledgeable and you see a different perspective of the habitats. Go during the cooler parts of the day, the animals are more active then. The next time we come to Eureka Springs, we will most likely stay here at Turpentine Creek. An awesome experience and a noble cause.

Lauren Elise

I have visited Turpentine Creek multiple times on day trips. It is such a serene and beautiful place and the work they are doing is so important for conservation and education. They have great educational programs for both children and adults and are so helpful. This past weekend, my boyfriend and I stayed in one of their cabins and I could not have asked for a better birthday trip. The cabin was beautiful and clean and the view was amazing. The hot tub and fire pit were a perfect addition to make our weekend great. We loved being able to go into the park at all times during business hours. We also love that Eureka Springs is so close so we could do an afternoon trip over there for some great shopping and food. I recommend Turpentine to anyone and everyone. Also, the animals are more active in the morning and evening when it is a bit cooler out so plan your trip accordingly!

John Thaemlitz

Friendliest staff as it always has been. Great to see the amazing advances since visiting a decade ago. Fun to stay in the bungalow's too.

Justin Moore

If you're in Eureka springs, TCWR is something to see. It's a non profit organization and everything they sell goes to the animals. They have about 100 big cats and still plan on growing. Takes about an hour to do the walking tour, and they tell you the stories of saving these cats and some of the stories are really remarkable and some very sad. If you have kids this place is a must see

Robert Rayner

Awesome work being done here. Work that is sadly needed.

Cheryl Gentry

It was a beautiful facility for these kitties. They are very lucky to have that place and all the care givers. Wished we could have seen the cats closer and awake. That was disappointing.

Adam Mulanax

Great place. Very informative, not the biggest definently take the riding tour or you will miss about 70% of the actual animals they have. Honestly if you care about the welfare of captive rescues in the US please visit and donate or buy from here. They really care about these animals and it shows. The staff are very kind and helpful.

Jap M

A sanctuary for big cats, a nice safe place for them to pass their time. A fascinating experience seeing various mixes of big cats, Ligers, White Tiger, and the Black Leopard.

MsiAK

Very interesting and educational place to visit. They do good work and it shows.

S. Robinson

Most amazing place! Stayed in the Siberian Suite for lodging and it was right next to the tigers, Floyd and Tigger. Definitely recommend this for a trip. Very worth it! Every penny well spent!

Lillian Sims

Loved it loved it oh did I mention I loved it....this refugee was beautiful it was so clean and the animals had huge grass filled cages with clean water the animals was smiling lol no joke they looked so happy and get this they had a retirement home for the older and sick animals that was on flat land not hills like the other land so it was easier for them to get around....how great is that and if u are an animal lover this is the perfect place to donate ur money to they rescue cats and bears from horrific circumstances

Annette Shifflett

These animals have been rescued from private owners and various businesses and facilities to have a better life. They cannot be returned to the wild but are given the best life possible on a large refuge totally paid for with contributions. Well worth the tour by caring and knowledgeable staff/interns.

B Hill

Great place to visit. Be aware of the temperatures because just like us the animals are less active in the heat.

Maddy Hendricks

you are great people and me and my friends did a school project on Kenny and Willie from your wild refuge. It was really interesting to learn about them. thanks you for the experience. Rip Kenny and Willie. Have a good day!

Chantal R

Very knowledgeable staff. There is mostly big cats here but there is a monkey and a bear. I would highly recommend the tour but make sure you have a cold drink as it is a walking tour. Some of the cats are very interested in people and you can see them fairly close up.

Jaime Reitz

Definitely do one of the tours! I loved seeing the cats and bears.

Tristian Green

Wonderful animal refuge that really cares for the animals! Very informative and cool to see. We went on the bus tour which I reccomended for an extra $5

J M

The staff were all nice and accommodating. The trolley is handicap accessible with a lift. It was a great family experience and we learned a lot about big cats and thoroughly enjoyed our time.

Jackie Koller

They truly care about the animals and you can definitely tell. Very well taken care of establishment. Bam Bam the bear will make your day!! Loved taking the trolley and learning all of the stories about the animals. It is so breathtaking to see them up that close. Definitely recommend for anyone!!

Destenie Thames

It was awesome! They recommend you only visit in Spring and Winter due to the animals don't like to come out in Summer. We went for Spring Break and kids loved it!

Jessica Knofflock

LOVE THIS PLACE! Extremely educational. They really care about what they're doing... And they are doing amazing work. Only been once but plan on returning.

Dana Oerman

1st time ever getting to go see all the babies!! This was AMAZING. Everything was clean and you could tell the staff care so much about all the animals. Keep up the good work! We will be back and will be staying at the very cool cabins!!

Lindsay Kovar

Highly recommend everyone support this rescue organization! They are doing amazing things for their animals. We went when it was ridiculously hot so most of the animals were sleeping or in their little buildings. But we we’re still able to see quite a bit and the guide taught us a lot about their stories.

Jacob Endres

If you're expecting a zoo that's not really what this is. They care for rescued animals, mostly tigers, and give tours filled with information about how the animals are treated before they are rescued, how and why they are cared for now. It's really interesting and informative plus whatever you spend here helps abused animals.

Donna Massey

Loved this tour of big cat refuge. So well taken care of. Lovely gift shop. Enjoyed watching the training session also.

Rheva Templeton

Loved all the wild animals. Stayed in room that was next to Montana the tigers cage.We had a good time.

Jeff Ludy

Such a great place doing great work to help exotic animals.

b l

What a great place to visit. Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is doing so many great things. A person feels so sorry for the way these animals were treated before coming here. So many of my fellow humans have no respect for wild animals. Here the animals are well taken care of and kept safe. They deserve to be in the wild but since they can’t, this is the next best thing. All the proceeds made here go back into taking care of the animals. They are starting an educational program to teach and help us learn more about these animals. Thanks for all you do.

Pey King

Staff was very knowledgeable and respectful of all their animal residents. They are doing an exceptional job caring for the rescues and I honestly cannot recommend them enough. If you go, please donate! They definitely deserve it.

Eddie Gray

We loved our tour. It was very informative and it was great to see the cats (and other animals) being treated with love and care.

Maurio Mckay

One of the most fascinating places to visit if you're in Eureka Springs. The people here have dedicated a ton of their time and money to making the lives of these animals comfortable after being rescued due to being unwanted. Lots of big cats and bears!

Laurel Fitzhugh

There animals are clearly beloved and well cared for. We stayed in a glamping tent and it was great. As a camper, you can see the animals anytime, rather than just 9-5. Many thoughtful touches: oatmeal juice and cereal in the mini fridge, a turtle living in an aquarium inside.

Crystal Selby

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge rescues big cats and some other animals! They take care of them well, and also do everything they can to keep the stress low for the animals. An example of this, is they train the big cats by positive reinforcement to tolerate being seen by a vet instead of sedating them ( which can be very stressful ) for injections or physicals. They actually show you a brief training session with the animals!

Marcia Church

This place was awesome! You van tell they love and care for every cat and bear they have there. We are planning a trip back to stay the night!

Megan Baker

A great experience. Learning about the individual animals and how they came to the sanctuary is a happy, but sometimes heartbreaking story. Their rescue efforts and level of care is amazing. Please support their work!

James Ferguson

Great place. All rescued animals housed in large areas that are well maintained. The animals are well taken care of and in great condition. They have their own animal hospital and vet on site. The people who conduct the tours and do a lot of the work are interns who are in training for work in the animal husbandry fields. Everyone was very friendly and willing to share their knowledge.

Charlotte Riddles

Beautiful, well taken care of animals, prettiest lions an tigers , an a few others animals nice people that are friendly and answers your questions an are very dedicated to there jobs with the amazing animals....

Jeanette Tackett

This is a great place, where they rescue big cats and treat them with respect. We enjoyed the walking tour and all the good information, and the gift shop. We saw beautiful lions and tigers and a bear (oh my!) and other animals too.

Clare Kujath

Turpentine Creek Refuge was amazing! It is well worth the minimal fee to get in. You get a discount if you purchase your tickets at their visitors center in Eureka Springs. You get to be close to the animals for taking great pictures and videos. Bam Bam the bear put on quite a show for us playing with his toys and one if the tigers was like a little child getting into his pool! Come early in the morning to hear the lions roar.

Ram Rodriguez

Great place to see wild animals. Come when it's cool weather

Timothy Roe

Went for a short vacation to Eureka Springs with my wife. Our visit to TCWR was by far the highlight of the trip! The guided tour was super-informative. I loved seeing all of the cats (and the other animals,too). Even though it was very hot the day we were there, the staff provided ice-water all throughout the facility. Care was taken to answer all of our questions. Although it was sad to hear some of the stories about the cats and their earlier lives, it was wonderful to learn how things have improved at TCWR.

Robert Riveira

A beautiful day to fly a kite. Although seeing the wildlife is always a must. I happen to go on kite day. It was packed with not only with children, but adults too. Unfortunately the kite festival is only once a year. I hope next year isn't as persistent with lite rain.

Alex Clark

Very cool place, great tour guide, and the location is so improved from six years ago. Well worth the entry fee. A lot of positive education too.

Bill [William] Gould

What an amazing place! Turpentine Creek is a rescue and sanctuary for Big Cats; Lions, Tigers, Leopards, and many more. They provide life-long support for these beautiful creatures, including excellent medical care! We spent a weekend in a great cabin with a view of 2 beautiful tigers right outside our window! The sheer number of animals, all within close up viewing range, is astounding! One of our best experiences was Coffee with the Curator where we had a 2+ hours long behind the scenes tour of the facility provided by one of the curators. It really gave us an understanding of what an important and wonderful job they do in caring for these beautiful cats! And we got to see a lot of these amazing animals up close! Another great time was watching the behaviour training, where we saw the staff members teaching the Tigers, Panthers and others how to interact with them up close. The rapport between the animals and their caregivers was incredible to see! After that we got to see some of the tigers playing with toys! Oh, did I mention the Grizzly and Brown Bears? All of this is right in beautiful Eureka Springs! We spent a 3 day weekend and did not get enough! We are going back soon! Highly Recommended!

Cheyenne Butler

An incredible experience! You get to see the animals close and the staff is very friendly and happy to share their knowledge with you. I am staying in the Safari lodging and it is worth it! It is pretty cool to wake up and be able to go see tigers, lions, and bears (oh my!).

Jimmy Cline

They take good care of the animals, nice big exibits for them. The trollie is well worth paying a little extra, parts art kinda hilly. Got a video of the bear playing.

Donna Ferguson

This refuge is a wonderful place. They provide the animals with excellent care, and it's obvious the staff loves working with and educating the public about exotic animals and protecting them. We bought a year's membership, and are glad to be supporters of this place. We stayed all night here a few years ago, and that was a terrific experience.

Steph-n-Al Braun

A wonderful refuge for animals in need. I recommend going early in the day. We went after lunch. We could see the animals but they were not very active. That is what happens when you go in prime napping time! ZZZZ! We will return.

Ann Courtney

If you love big cats, this is Nirvana. This organization exists to house big cats (plus a couple of bears, a macaque, and a coatimundi) who have been rescued from breeding programs or from misguided individuals who thought they could be kept as pets. I recommend the riding tour, as we learned today that several of the males will spray walkers with urine. (!) Guests may arrange to spend a night here, if desired, so that they can hear the males calling at night. We enjoyed the experience tremendously.

aaranan aron

Had less expectations when I visted. But the knowledge I inherited was unique fro the refuge. Not for everyone, but definitely a place for animal lovers.

Amber Pratt

The best place. Staff are great. What they do for the animals, is just priceless. You really must go. We stayed in the Treehouse. Right out the door you can see the tigers. Yes!!!! Come help support the Tigers.

Corinne Wills

Some of the cages seemed small with minimal shade for the animals. Walking tour was long and hot. Would of appreciated a trolley. Staff were very friendly and helpful.

Roger Dickey, Jr

Beautiful animals and friendly staff! Great cause hidden in the hills of NWA.

Audrey Walker

The care and space provided for the animals is amazing. This is a place that truly cares for the well-being of their animals and are firm believers in allowing wild animals that can no longer be in the wild live as happy and healthy a life as possible, not being used for monetary gain. I would 100% recommend going to this place as they are very focused on the animals and the tour was extremely informative as to how many other places abuse and use animals for the money.

CorvetteLover82

I wasn't looking for this place but found it by happy accident. It turned out to be one of the highlights of my trip! The staff here were friendly and knowledgeable. I took the walking tour and thoroughly enjoyed it. They had coolers of water along the way to refill water bottles. A lot of the animals were sleeping away the hot day but I didn't blame them a bit. I'll just have to come back to visit again. If I'd known ahead of time that you could stay the night there I'd have camped there, next time for sure.

Sierra Johnson

Staff was excellent, very informative. Love how much they do to help wildlife from all over! Great experience!!

Toni Phillips

Update.... I emailed the address given to me by owners in the response but have not gotten a reply.............If you are wanting to actually see the cats I wouldn't recommend going anytime during the summer my family spent $90 admission to get in, being told that we could see the cats in the middle walk area and could see more if we paid to go on the guided tour. We went at the end of June and the lady at the front did not mention as we were paying that most of the cats areas were empty with no cats to look at. We paid $90 to see 5 cats sleeping in the back.

Whitney Berg-Brown

I have visited Turpentine Creek several times over the years - independently and with my Science Club (I'm a Science Teacher). This is one of my and my students favorite trips. So much is learned in such a short amount of to - genetics, background stories of the animals, etc. Love this place!

Dan Brune

This place should not have to exist. That said, the place is wonderfully run by donation. Stop buying exotic animals people! It was painful for me to hear about the life long effects of the Big Cats inbreeding. White Tigers are not Albino, just created to separate you from your money!

Charles Gilbert

Great Staff, , very informative, family friendly not.......a peting zoo so don't expect it to be

Robin Stein

This place is amazing. Love the care that staff show the rescues.b

John Mockabee

Great place with a lot of information on cats!¡!

Dianne McAlister

Fantastic for kids and adults. The best was before they close they work with the animals. Awesome

Sabrina Tweedie

It is so wonderful to see how much these people love these animals. The animals seem happy living out the rest of their life here and it seems like the refuge is constantly trying to make all of the animals' lives better

918NEOK Community Watch

My GF and I stayed in okavango Lodge and it was a good visit and a quite place to relax and recharge. The wildlife refuge is amazing and to hear the caroling of the cats at night and in the morning is a cool experience.

Ron Easton

Was a wonderful experience they were very informative. Also a very needed facility to care for these Animals many of which were abused and neglected. Should be very proud of there work.

jim westphalen

This is the Turpentine tiger sanctuary in Eureka Springs, Ar. They have approx 90 tigers as well as mountain lions, bobcats, panthers and a bear. They are a sanctuary, not a zoo, to care for big cats that people have acquired when they were young, for either "pets" or trade. Then realized they couldn't care for them. Some in critical condition when received or rescues them. Turpentine takes these big cats and cares for them the rest of their lives. I encourage anyone that is around Eureka Springs to visit this excellent location!

Darcy Stewart

Wonderful wildlife refuge that cares for the animals wellbeing. They do a good job educating. Admission prices are reasonable. This place is non profit and every penny they get goes to caring for the animals food, habitat, care, etc.

Valerie langer

The best night out possible! Amazing cabin. Superb dinner. Giant hot tub. Oh; and big cats

Craig Mix

Very nice, animals looked as if they were cared for wonderfully. We really enjoyed our visit and will definitely visit again in the future. I would recommend a stroller if you are bringing small children since there is going to be quite a bit of walking involved.

Amber Wells

Absolutely love visiting this place when we vacation to Eureka Springs. Super cool tour, up close to the animals and the staff is awesome.

Cynthia Hayter

Such a wonderful place to visit! Friendly staff and very well taken care of animals.

Lisa Burkham

We took the 11:00 walking tour and the guide was magnificent. She is an intern and has only been there for 4 months but knew every detail about every big cat. The sanctuary is well maintained and the workers are all pleasant and personable. All of the cats look healthy and content. Only wish the older cats weren’t kept so far away and didn’t have to pay extra to see on a guided tour. Highly recommend

Ronnie Bell

Turpentine Creek is a non-profit animal rescue. As such, most of the money they makes goes to helping the animals be comfortable for the rest of their lives. However, TCRW does a good job of making the humans that visit comfortable as well. They have two house style rooms, at least one with a view of two tigers. Several tent style rooms. And at least five camping/RV spots. 10/10 would recommend. The tent style rooms feel more like 3/4 start hotel rooms.

Terry Rooker

The staff was really helpful and informative. They seem genuinely concerned about the animals and their well-being.

Sharron King

My husband and I just loved it. Its a must see. We learned so much about the wild cats. Our tour guide Hannah was so knowledgeable and knew so much about each cat. We even signed the bill to help stop animal cruelty and owning of wild cats.

Chad

Very interesting to learn about how this place came to be. And what they do. Kids love it

Diane Duffie

Just love all the care and attention these animals receive! What a great place.

Elizabeth Boone

Went here with some friends for my birthday. Lots of fun seeing the big kitties. A good forever home for them. 10/10 would recommend for all animal lovers.

Organizing Downs Family

Im in love with what this Refuge is doing for these beautiful creatures! Saving them, giving them a forever home! These animals are not pets they are predators. Bless you all for doing this!

Kyla Brunetti

Little bit of a drive to get there but our kids enjoyed it. Us adults enjoyed it as well.

Robert Panzer

Great place for refugee animals, they seemed happy and well care for. Got there late, staff gave us half off cause we missed the guided tours. Am planning on going again earlier

Caitlin Horsley

Large facility with lots of different animals to see. My favorite was the bear. It was amazing how close we could get to it. The staff were friendly and had fun activities for kids and adults alike such as finding animals on a picture. They were extremely helpful too, answering any questions we had. Verg family friendly and I'd definitely recommend visiting this place if you're in the area.

Greg Carter

This was the best place! Very educated and knowledgeable people. Friendly and helpful staff. Affordable and worth the visit. Definitely going back. Must visit.

brandy wise

Beautiful property. The Bengal Suite is comfortable, clean, and spacious. The animals are well cared for and seem to enjoy your presence. The staff is knowledgeable, accomodating, and friendly. Eureka Springs is just a few miles down the road. The kids love it - will definitely return.

J Nichol

Very cool place! Lots of big cats and even some bears! Definitely recommend coming!

Angela Barnes

This was a great experience & I learned so much. Our guide was extremely knowledgeable. Will definitely go again if we are in the area.

Kylee Black

Amazing place. The tour was 10/10. I loved the back stories to some of these animals.

Taschia Hall

Animals seemed very well cared for. Knowledgeable and friendly staff. Great place to visit!! Highly recommend!

David Walstrum

A great place to visit. The staff was excellent and very knowledgeable. The rescue work these folks do is awesome. A sad story with a happy ending!

mackenzie ammons

They show a real devotion to the animals & promote education of their cause. Amazing work!

Kayla Wostal

My husband and I had such a great time. The big cats were lounging around in the sun, and some walked up to the fence. Our guide was very knowledgable and friendly. They have other exotic animals to see besides the cats. You can also stay there overnight in the lodges. It would be a great place to stay while visiting Eureka Springs. Loved it!

Stephen Smith

An absolutely great place to visit and support. Take time to take a guided walking tour and learn about the animals and the mission of TCWR!

Tammie Olvera

Oh my gosh loved the tigers ,you could tell the trainers love their job

atticus frost

All of the staff was very friendly and seeing big cats up close was amazing. Even let us have a picnic at one of the tables near the tigers...very cool, worth the money. Also thankful for them rescuing all those cats.

Christine Fry

My grandson Cash loved it. Now he knows how big these guys are in real life

Liz Sadler

We took the walking tour. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable and clearly passionate about caring for the animals. She told us a lot about the standard of care for the animals and knew their personal histories. I wasn't sure what to expect in terms of actually getting to see the animals up close. We went in the afternoon, which is apparently a good time to go. The animals tend to be a little more active when the temperature begins to drop. (This was on a warm day in May – probably different in cold weather.) We also got to see the staff do some behavioral management training exercises with the tigers. If you are able, I recommend the walking tour. You're only ever walking for maybe 2 minutes at a time before the next stopping point. The whole tour was about an hour long. It's mostly on even terrain, except the very end is on a somewhat steep uphill (which is paved). At the beginning, our guide told us that if at any point you feel you can't go on, she could call for the riding tour to pick you up. As for shoes, there's a lot of large gravel, so I don't recommend high heels or shoes with thin soles. One of the people in our tour group had a service animal with him, so service animals are welcome. The big cats were VERY excited by the dog and a few even tried to stalk it.

Bruno Norman

I've never been here before, but i just want to say that this place is great. they saved Kenny the tiger as well as Willie, who were supposedly brothers. (it's actually a very sad story). I wish that i could give an even better review but it only lets you give 5 stars.

Randy Hutchins

Hot. Just to hot not enough shade to cool off. But really nice people doing great work

Sheila Marsh

It's amazing all the wonderful things they are doing for these majestic animals. Do not miss this place.

Alexa Corsaut

great staff inclusion of the guests. although I think they should have larger enclosures but they have a great love for these animals.

Kathleen Naylor

Wonderful experience. I reccomend that you take a guided tour to hear the individual stories about the animals

Natalie Rice

My family and I absolutely love it here! This refuge is home to many large cats and a few other animals... all rescues. The work they do is wonderful. Many of these animals came from bad situations, and now they have a permanent safe, healthy, happy home. This is a great place to take anyone who loves big cats.

Jessica Eubanks

My first time going to see big cats who have been rescued. Had a great tour guide. Made me want to return at a later time. Had an awesome time, loved it.

Dimas Melchor

Informative facility. You can tell that the staff here has a passion for what they do. It’s a great experience to take the family to visit. Make sure that you try to time your visit in comfortable weather.

Macy France

I love what they do. Only thing I would say don't go on the hottest day. The poor animals were so hot the hid from the sun so we didnt get to see them. But still fun to watch the bear play in the water then come out over to us to chomp his teeth.

Brett Howard

Great to visit for the day or stay a little while. We chose to stay in the Congo Lounge. Just Me And my son loved that you could sit on the back porch and hear the lions and tigers. Or relax in the Jacuzzi. Recommend to take the tour they do a lot of hard work and make it a great place for the animals.

Roger Foggin

Wonderful mission this facility has taken on caring for neglected big cats. If you are going on the walking tour the path is difficult. Be I fairly good shape. Recomend for the whole family.

Valerie Rodocker

Definitely worth going to! We paid $50 for my husband, myself, our 4yr old daughter and 2 yr old son. We went towards the end of summer so it was hot, had we waited until fall it would have been more enjoyable. Hannah was our tour guide and she was excellent! Great personality and very knowledgeable. We got to see a few of the animals just a few feet away, definitely closer than state zoo's we have been to..I think one of the things my family and I enjoyed the most was the new found knowledge of the abuse and mistreatment of these big cats- we will definitely do everything we can so that we do not support these places to help prevent further need for refuge. Thanks TCWR for all you do!! We will definitely be back!