Reviews of Western North Carolina Nature Center (Zoo)

Kristin

I've been here a few times now. It's absolutely beautiful. It feels like a walking trail as much as a zoo, and I love it. There is so much beautiful scenery. The animals are all loved and very well maintained. All the workers that I have encountered are very kind and knowledgeable about the animals. They don't hesitate to take time and speak about them either or answer any questions. Do yourself a favor and visit!

Carly Pierce

I loved this place. Wish I could stay longer. I kept getting dirty looks though since my toddler was screaming bloody murder in a designated quiet zone. Sorry bears. Wish I could've stayed longer, maybe next time. Very nice sized natural exhibits and I think its wonderful how they have wildlife that is from the area. Tons of activities for kids. Hopefully yours behave better than mine.

Larry Smith

Probably a nice place to go with kids. Mainly due to the petting zoo area. Zoo has a few animals but most were hiding the afternoon we made the trip. The red pandas, otters, and fox were out enjoying the sunshine, so you got to see then up close. I would recommend going there to enjoy nature, but don't go with high expectations.

Kenny Hopkins Jr.

Fun place, lots to see. Kids loved the gem mining, they are still talking about the rocks they found. Staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

michaelj0223

Renovated entrance very friendly. Perfect place for animal lovers of all ages.

Reed Johnson

Nice place to see animals living in the region. Took us about 1.5 hours to go through the whole zoo. Note that a new entrance has been constructed in a different location from where Google directs you.

Drew C

Great little place with quite a variety of well built exhibits. Animals all looked happy and healthy. Can see everything in about an hour and a half. Additionally, they have Red Pandas, and if a Zoo/Nature center has red pandas, they pretty much win by default.

Melissa Patterson

This was our second time and we loved it!!

Nicholas Dudde

The WNC Nature Center is Asheville's little "zoo." Though it only has a dozen or so exhibits, it's a great place to learn and get up close and personal with the animals that inhabit the area. You won't find any exotic beasts here, but you'll learn more about the creatures in your own backyard! There is plenty for youngsters to do, all the way from a petting zoo, to gem "mining." Well worth a visit.

nicole yvette

We've been going here for years. Very educational for adults and children. They have a nice selection of animals from the region. The staff is helpful and friendly .

Robbie Lindaman

Paved, shady path. Stroller and wheelchair accessible. Nice habitats and we'll maintained. Animals are content and we'll cared for. Good to see with children of all ages.

MOOK! theBTSG

My son loves this place. The animals are sleeping most of the time. But still a great place to see some awesome animals!

Tim Miller

Glad they finally retrained the cook on making Cuban sandwiches! It was stuffed full of meats and cheese, and that mustard is out of this world!

Brittany S.

Very cool place to visit to see animals. Nice variety to view. Nice shady paths to walk on.

Denise Miele

Took my niece and nephew here. They loved it.

Kent Buchanan

Great for family fun. Wild animals and play areas for kids.

Zane Doty

Awesome little zoo we stumbled upon a few years ago and now we try to visit as much as we can! They have recently upgraded and expanded a bit so it is even nicer! Some of the exhibits need better viewing areas but overall it is great! Lots of animals and even when it has been cold and rainy during our visits most of the residents have been out and active. Well worth the visit!

John K

Not much animals. Only they have few animals. Never expected like this. Need to improve a lot. Good luck.

Chopper Johnson

One of my favorite places on Earth, and I am genuinely excited about their expansion plans for the next few years.

jacquelyn paumier

Good amount of walking and animals. Not too big!

Kristin

I've been here a few times now. It's absolutely beautiful. It feels like a walking trail as much as a zoo, and I love it. There is so much beautiful scenery. The animals are all loved and very well maintained. All the workers that I have encountered are very kind and knowledgeable about the animals. They don't hesitate to take time and speak about them either or answer any questions. Do yourself a favor and visit!

Rich Zintner

Beautiful facility with local wildlife. Nicely shaded and animals were very visible.

Gay Young

Animals are nearly all quite visible if you arrive early in the morning. These are mostly rescued animals unsuitable for release versus typical zoo animals. Lots of cheerful and informative interns around.

Ray Adams

Fascinating natural surroundings for wildlife such as black bear, grey wolf, coyote, cougar, and very educational.

Aaron B-Z

Great to have a zoo dedicated to local wildlife. Fun for all ages. Also a small zoo so you won't spend all day (1 hour or so will do).

Paul Charbonnet

Annual pass is a great deal. combines an interesting zoo with shaded, great for young kids Elevated Walkways

Evan Monei

Encounters are closer than Asheboro Zoo without overcrowded lines. We went today when it opened at 10am and there were maybe 5 families in line when it opened. The blackbears, wolves, otters, and Red Pandas were up and about and you could see them clearly. Information was posted where you could read about each animal and gave interesting facts about where you can see them in the world. Being a North Carolinian, many of the exhibits were of animals you can see in your woods but in beautiful simulated habitats. The animals looked well nourished and happy. The staff were exceptionally friendly, saying hello at every opportunity. The otter live feeding was informational and they really captivated the audience. 100% reccomend this experience to all animal lovers. The price is reasonable and the park is well kept.

Randy Wittmann

Great place to walk around for an hour or 2

Carly Pierce

I loved this place. Wish I could stay longer. I kept getting dirty looks though since my toddler was screaming bloody murder in a designated quiet zone. Sorry bears. Wish I could've stayed longer, maybe next time. Very nice sized natural exhibits and I think its wonderful how they have wildlife that is from the area. Tons of activities for kids. Hopefully yours behave better than mine.

Victoria Woody

Great little place to.stroll around and look at the many different animals!!

John B

Very nice local nature center if you are in the nearby area. Do not expect them to have everything that a zoo would have (hense the nature center title) but everything it does have is very nice. The food they have (mostly for kids) is crazy cheap compared to what you may expect. This same concept does not apply to the gifts where are priced at a too be expected price. Well done WNC!

Dora Kinsler

Love walking through seeing all the animals. Very relaxing.

Heather Allison

LOVE THIS PLACE!! I have brought my kids here several times and we still love coming here. Very cool place to take the kids and educate them some

Derek St.Romain

Excellent attraction and the kids always love it. Bears and wolves and big Cats!

Dylan Parfitt

This was a nice place to walk around and see some of the local wildlife that you don't have the opportunity to see everyday hikes. It was sort of hot when we went, so most of the animals were sleeping in their enclosures. Overall it was a good experience.

Khalil Amin Born

My family enjoyed themselves. Keep of the great work

Brianna K

Enjoyable for all ages(even teenagers). Spent an afternoon there and was pleasant to walk around since there weren't too many guests there. Just enough to see for a couple hours.

Elecia Cox

Animals appear to be very well cared for. It is wheelchair accessible. I know a lot of homeschool kids go here and a lot of them are disabled. I wish there was just one play area in this center that was more....disabled friendly.

Alexander Dixon

Awesome place! Lots of cool animals, with play areas throughout the center to keep the kids entertained. Love going here. Definitely worth the membership if you live anywhere close by. Plus they are actively trying to make it better!

Asha Croasdaile

Amazing Staff! Very knowledgeable Interns & Volunteers. Awesome animal exhibits and overall a Great experience. My children and I are visiting from New York & we simply loved it!!!

Nicholas Splawn

The animals seem well cared for and comfortable. The park is lovely and easy to navigate. Red pandas are a great addition and I'm really looking forward to the butterfly exhibit slated to arrive in 2020.

Alexandra Owen

My kids have a blast every time we come here. Affordable and plenty of wildlife to look at

David Goldberg

Great place for the family. I come here often with my kids and they love it. We really appreciate the educational programs they have here!

Rachel B

A must see. A great time. Going in the mornings usually leads to more animal sightings. Live the amphibian exhibit! Loved that there were staff around to answer questions and give us additional interactive educational experiences. So affordable, too!

April Milam

Close to town. Small but nice enough. If I lived close by, I'd get a season pass and go walking on the shaded paths. It was hot when we went, so the animals weren't very active. But it was still nice to see and learn a little about native animals.

Kristie Strieby

This place was a delight, good for all ages, nice variety of animals, cleanly kept and lots of things to entertain children. Loved it!

Ezekiel McLeskey

This was a fun little wildlife center. It was just as advertised. I left there feeling like I had encountered all of the local animals you wouldn't likely see in the wild--but it would be cool if you did (safely). The cougar was active and the red panda was adorable. It's mostly geared toward little ones, but I had fun with my 10/11 year old boys. It helped there was basketball courts nextdoor afterwards. I also went ahead and signed up for my local museum pass which could be used here. This makes the cost seem like it's less of a big deal.

Iva Fitzgerald

Love the nature center. Very educational nland family friendly

Taleaha Monks

We hardly saw any animals. We did alot more walking than seeing animals.

SHANE TOLA

Lots to keep a kid busy/entertained. There are farm animals to pet, and enclosed spaces for viewing animals like bear, deer and wolves. There is a nice walking trail leading by a river we walked on an earlier visit, but was closed on our most recent visit. Lots of benches and some picnic tables to stop and rest if needed.

DanjA zonE

Such a sweet place for folks of all ages. PLEASE RESCUE THE RACOON. HE IS SHOWING SIGNS OF MENTAL ANGUISH...PACING BACK AND FORTH. PLEASE LET HIM GO AND GET ANOTHER. ROTATION WOULD BE HUMANE

Lisa Sparks

Great park. Animals appeared healthy and happy. Animal enclosures were well thought out with enrichment items

Kaitlyn Moody

It's a great place to go with family, lots of animals, playground areas for older kids and younger kids. Older like me (11). We come often here.

Randy Garcia

WNC Nature Center was a great experience. Very economical for a family of 4. Everybody had a blast seeing the animals and learning about them and the native trees/forestry. Highly recommend.

Dalton Echols

Enjoyed our time there. Would have been better if animals were awake

B B

I really enjoyed it here, seeing all of the animals was great. The only thing that I would suggest is a bit more signage since there’s so many different paths you can take. Also, some acknowledgement as to why some of the animals were missing.

Todd Rademacher

What a great surprise to come across on our trip to Asheville. Did not know what to expect but the entire experience exceeded my expectations. The exhibits were very well organized and the friendly interactions with staff were a breath of fresh air. We will be back.

Carrie Beard

They have recently updated the entrance and several exhibits. They are now featuring red pandas! Can see the animals very clearly. Wonderful place to take kids. Stroller friendly. Several places for children to play with jungle gyms, musical instruments, interactive setups, and slides.

Ruben R.

It was ADORABLE!!!! Clean, fun, something the whole family can enjoy! I personally would smoke a bowl before just to enjoy it even more! Lovely place!

ItsRissaRoo

The animals look well taken care of and seems like a well kept nature center will visit if I come back.

Rachel B

A must see. A great time. Going in the mornings usually leads to more animal sightings. Live the amphibian exhibit! Loved that there were staff around to answer questions and give us additional interactive educational experiences. So affordable, too!

Kirk Lung

Love it. year pass best deal in town. Gets you astc and aza all for free or half off, all over world.Great for traveling cheap stuff. Here fun and slow no rush. On a hill but not steep. People there great. Still own by city..

Josh Fraser

Always a good place to walk around and see the native animals of Western North Carolina.

Kyle V

Small nature center near Biltmore that offers quite a bit! Several different types of animals and you can get much closer than a traditional zoo. It's a fun experience, bears, coyotes, hawks, snakes otters. There's not otter choice but to visit at least once! See you on the otter side!

andrew snyder

Great adventure for us Ohioans! Very clean and cool exhibits!

Kitty Russell Mende

Very nice little zoo but perfect for littles and for getting to know the animals of Western North Carolina! Very nice walks and a good amount of shade.

Travis Zell

Some of the viewing areas are a little over grown in front. It makes it hard for little ones to see through. Over than that it's a great nature center. Very good way to spend the day with kids.

April Milam

Close to town. Small but nice enough. If I lived close by, I'd get a season pass and go walking on the shaded paths. It was hot when we went, so the animals weren't very active. But it was still nice to see and learn a little about native animals.

Rebecca Herrin

This was a great place for kids. A small farm animal petting area and we'll maintained grounds with bears, foxes and wolves, mountain lions and a variety of other wildlife. Lots of kid friendly activities as well.

Shawn Obrien

Cool little nature center. Good variety of critters and well maintained facilities. Reasonable priced. Our group ranged in age from 2 to 60 and we all enjoyed it.

Jamie Greene

It was OK and the animals are close so you can see them good, but there wasn't a lot of animals to see. Also, I wish there would have been more area to picnic! Close alternative to the Asheboro Zoo.

Julie Ryan

Great day for the family. The staff was super informative, and the kids loved it. We all had a wonderful day I would definitely take them back for another visit.

Lael Beach

Great experience! Definitely worth getting a membership because of the extent of other zoos and nature centers using this membership!

jeremy talbert

Great new upgrades and still adding more! We got the family season pass for only 70$. Comes with free and discounted admission to over 200 zoo's, aquariums, since centers and more....

Elizabeth Kelly

We had a wonderful visit at the Nature Center. We enjoyed walking around and seeing all the animals. Would be really fun with little kids or grandkids with you. Loved Petunia the possum show!!

m100ke

Nice place for all ages

Jenny Letchworth

Fun, especially if you can spot all the sleeping animals

Angel Wheeler

Happy animals :) staff was friendly and fostered an educational environment

A Caplette

We loved the exhibits and learning sections. Very clean and maintained. Great for families to learn about animals in a quiet and intimate location.

Jacob Little

Animals are well cared for and the experience is great, especially for the price.

Amanda Walker

Had a lot of fun here with my 10 and 13 year olds. Great price and very friendly staff. We especially enjoyed watching the otters be fed, the reptile house, and the walking trail.

Renee Burk

Always love going here when in WNC. Kids enjoyed seeing the animals and playing on the playground.

Travis West

We had a great visit. Inexpensive and very nicely kept animals.

Joshua Harris Vlogs

Weve gone several time. And everytime is better than the last. The new red panda exhibit is a great add on.

henri johnson

One of the best nature centers I have been to. Beautiful enclosures and some great activities for children. Make sure to look up what time they have shows!

Ami Bailey

Family friendly A lot to see Fun for everyone

Zack Maestas

Excellent adventure great scenery. The price was low and there was plenty to do and see. Great for kids and adults alike.

Jeff Sorrell

Great place, and prices can't be beat. Took my 2 year old daughter there and we had the perfect time. Lots of animals, some hands on, interesting and educational shows but not boring. Safe environment.

maxjr758

Easy access for folks in wheelchairs! Although here are a couple of steep sections

Nikki Thomson

An amazing experience. We enjoyed the walk thru the park and had a really good time viewing the exhibits.

JeanPaul Formby

Good time where had with the family! If i had to nitpick i would like to have seen a more diverse animal selection.

Michael Taylor

A beautiful and great educational facility for our youth.

Ethan Sam

Really fun way to spend 2 hours. The space is utilized well, the animals seem really happy, and there’s places to stop along the way for kids to play and explore. Staff was extremely friendly, price was reasonable. The only downside was that the petting zoo didn’t have an attendant and the kids were hoping to go in and get a bit closer to the goats/sheep/donkeys etc.

Charity Bonapfel

Small local zoo with emphasis on local creatures and habitats. There is a lot of walking/ hills, but strollers are allowed. Price was reasonable, and petting zoo was a bonus. Absolutely loved seeing the otters playing around and we wanted to see a bear the whole trip and they were quite active. Great, affordable afternoon with the kids.

Jennifer Cohen

We stumbled upon this place using Siri on my son’s iPad and we couldn’t have been more happy. The prices are extremely reasonable and the enclosures are incorporated into the landscape. The animals seemed happy and had a good amount of room. They did a great job of integrating kid’s activities into the park keeping the whole family entertained. We spent about 2 hours here and really enjoyed it. It’s a great family activity that won’t break the bank.

Amanda Miller

Took my daughter here and she loved it. All the animals and little critters. We had a great time and will definitely be back.

Westley Hollamon

One of my favorite things to do in Asheville. The nature center is great for children and adults. The updated entrance looks so nice and inviting. It is fun to walk amongst animals that are native to Western NC. Some of the animals have been rescued, giving them a comfortable place to live. The walkways are nice and paved and the enclosures come with interesting information on all the animals. My favorites include the otters, red pandas, black bears, and sassy the raccoon. They have fun events like pints with bears that happen after the park is closed and are super cool. Don't miss the otter feeding and owl experience, both are informative and fun. Always a top pick for a sunny day in Asheville!

suzie que

Great nature center, very relaxing and the displays for the animals are well placed with nice walking trails along the way. The best part was seeing the red pandas!!♡♡♡ Definitely make this place a stop if you visit Asheville. It's a nice gateway from the hustle and bustle of downtown.

Cathy Lanigan

Quaint and clean. The animals seem to be well taken care of and are so much fun to see. My children love this place because they feel like they can get up close and personal with the animals. We have been several times and plan to continue going.

Joey Gibson

Small, but very fun!!! We visited the Nature Center today with our small child and other family members. Our little boy loved everything. The new Red Panda exhibit was perfect. You could see the two Pandas perfectly. The otters were very active and super fun to watch. So of the park could use a little updating but it does take away from your visit. It is somewhat difficult to navigate with a stroller and would also be hard in a wheelchair. All in all we loved our visit. It is also very affordable.

Jennessa Jarschke

Wonderful family friendly easy walk way, wonderful staff and we were able to see all of the animals!!

Srika Gopal

Amazing little place! So many different animals to see, and most of the animals are visible during the day. My absolute favorite were the black bears- sooo cute!!!! Lots of trails to walk, and so much wildlife to see, it's so nice to see nature. A place for the whole family!!!!

Morgan B

I had seen a review about the some of the animals not having water and they ALL have water in the exhibit's. Sometimes you cant make people happy no matter what but it was such a wonderful experience for both my son, me and my family. They are very hands on with the animals and they take such good care of all of them. I highly recommend!!

Ethan Sam

Really fun way to spend 2 hours. The space is utilized well, the animals seem really happy, and there’s places to stop along the way for kids to play and explore. Staff was extremely friendly, price was reasonable. The only downside was that the petting zoo didn’t have an attendant and the kids were hoping to go in and get a bit closer to the goats/sheep/donkeys etc.

Bonnie Robinson

This is a great space with a lot of outdoor walking. Some of the animal enclosures are fairly small, which is good for viewers but questionable for animals. I really enjoyed the multiple play areas for children, with a variety of creative play spaces and natural materials. We happened to visit on the day they were celebrating twin goats' birthday. The staff was so friendly, knowledgeable, and passionate.

Bobbi Mcclenny

Nice walk. Love the animals. Go at your own pace. Nice place to keep entertained for a couple hours.

Charity Bonapfel

Small local zoo with emphasis on local creatures and habitats. There is a lot of walking/ hills, but strollers are allowed. Price was reasonable, and petting zoo was a bonus. Absolutely loved seeing the otters playing around and we wanted to see a bear the whole trip and they were quite active. Great, affordable afternoon with the kids.

Darlene Miller

Smaller scale was very nice a lot to do for the children activities climbing thinking hands ons

Lens Honey

Super friendly staff. The enclosures for the animals are large and look well kept after. And They have Red Pandas!!!

Avid Garcia II

Awesome park with local wildlife, that is well taken care of by staff

Francisco Owle

Very fun and educational my kids loved it all. Gotta say those sheep need to be sheered in this heat they looked to be breathing heavy and not enjoying it.

Steven Cramer

Great fun great place for the whole family.

Zachary Zivic

It's not very big but for the price it's well worth it. A lot of cool animals from WNC! Also it's great for little kids

Vanessa Wiles

Such beautiful scenery and animals! I have actually been here twice and it's the best thing to do with kids. The staff is always so nice and explain things thoroughly to the kids. The walks through the woods to the animals are absolutely gorgeous and you are so close to them!!

Stephen Goss

Fun little place. The nature trail was closed when we went but we still had fun.

Haley Dameron Tazioli

It was fun, but I didn't feel like it was worth the money we paid as a family of 6.

Brianna Miller

This is the saddest excuse for a "zoo" with signs everywhere stating save the animals. These animals have 0 enrichment and very small enclosures. I couldn't believe they had no toys for any of the animals to play with and the wolf's didn't even have water in there enclosures like the rest of the animals. It's a pathetic excuse for somewhere that claims to be helping these animals. You can see the anxiety as they repeat their movements and pace. The prey birds have the smallest enclosures compared to what should be suitable and they are taunted by the squirrels just outside their reach. If you want to see a bunch of depressed animals in small enclosures then this is the place to go. I was completely disappointed in the lack of enrichment every single animal had only the turtles had the right amount of space, graze and water. Not even the farm animals have room to roam they are all in small stalls and mostly singled out alone without a partner to even play with. Every single animal has unkempt fur that was dingy and even patches missing! Highly disappointed these animals need to be in a real sanctuary where they can live out the remainder of their lives since they refuse to rehabilitate them back into the wild.

Kirby Hawking

There was more here than i expected. There were some activities for kids to do at different stations. We were here for 90 min. It was worth it.

Ragan Morrow

Worth getting the family membership. Its 70$ 2 adults upto 4 kids and it also gets you and your family into zoo all over America! MOST FOR FREE.

Ethan Ramsey

Very fun zoo. They have many animals native to the area, featuring large exhibits and a layout that feels more like a forest than a tourist site. They also have incredible activities for kids to interact with.

View R

I love the Nature Center! You can see so much in stitch a small area. Sometimes the lack of activity by the animals is disappointing but that is nature.

Chris Lyles

Good nature center, fun for the whole family. They mostly have local animals, with a few exceptions. The donkeys and other farm animals at the beginning can be pet. The kids enjoyed this. The have several play areas for the kids to climb and do other things. The red pandas were by far the coolest animals they had.

Rosemary Fischer

Worth it! Great place for a cute date or for families. The bobcat is sneaky (and sleepy), but the cougars are very visible and!! As of February 2019 they have TWO red pandas! Also otters-- very fun to watch.

Christina Mosier

This is a great place to take your children and get out and walk. The red panda exhibit they just put in is amazing and the little guys are super cute. If you live in buncombe county then you get a discount but the tickets are reasonably priced.

Michelle Nichols

All the animals were amazing to look at and most of the trail is shaded.

Hans Caspary

Great day trip, the size is perfect for little ones. The animals are well cared for.

Brittany Mitchell

Absolutely amazing. Great stop for a family adventure or some solo exploring. Knowledgeable staff and great information with the animals. Very educational. Beautiful place.

Heather Johnson

This is a treasure of a zoo. The exhibits are focused around western North Carolina, as the name implies, and range from native species, to livestock, to animals related to those from prehistoric Appalachia. It's AZA accredited, and clearly prides itself on both education and great animal care. They have a breeding population of endangered red wolves, helping to boost their numbers and save the species. While we were there, we had the chance to hear the gray and red wolves calling back and forth. As with any zoo, there's a good chance that the animals will be sleeping, but if you go in the morning, everyone tends to be more active. We make a point to visit just about every time we're in Asheville and have never been disappointed.

HighAF Cat

We loved it! Drove from Spartanburg, SC and it was worth the drive. Everything was really clean, the animals are well taken care of and everyone working was super nice. Our favorite part were the donkeys and the red pandas. All the animals were taking a little mid-day snooze and that was really cute. :)

A. S. Cole

This is an amazing zoo considering it's size and location. It's not a big city zoo, but one of my absolute favorites. You can leisurely see all the animals and exhibits in an hour or 2. However, the variety of animals, the views of the enclosures and the natural atmosphere makes it worth the trip. Seems like mornings and evenings are the best times to see the animals up and about. As with most zoos, feeding times are best. The animals tend to be sleeping in the heat of the day. Our favorites are always the otters, they are so playful. Kids of all age will enjoy it.

Clyde Ramey

Love this place! The animals look very healthy and happy! The staff is super nice!

Faith Allen

Great place for kids and adults! Lovely trails to walk and see the animals, nature play areas when the kids need a break. Restrooms spaced throughout, nice opportunities to interact with farm animals. Gem mining also available. Overall fantastic experience!

Jackie Lynch

It is a wonderful place. AND Should be supported.

Fluff Ball

Most of the animals where just chilling out on the sun, but they have the cutest animals ever! I was so excited to see the red pandas since they came out recently. Just wish they had more activities for the bears to do cause during my visit, both bears where pacing back and forth as if they where bored.

HighAF Cat

We loved it! Drove from Spartanburg, SC and it was worth the drive. Everything was really clean, the animals are well taken care of and everyone working was super nice. Our favorite part were the donkeys and the red pandas. All the animals were taking a little mid-day snooze and that was really cute. :)

Gabby Beam

This place was really fun. The animals looked healthy and had a good bit of space to live in and run around! They even brought some of the reptiles out for everyone to look at and "pet".

Delania Ball

Love the WNC Nature Center!!! Have visited several time a year since I was very young and will continue to visit with my little girl now!! What they do to help and care for their Animals is amazing!!!

Sue Williford

Beautiful location and a good way to spend a couple of hours.

Alex Deckard

One of the best spots for a family friendly Saturday. Get the season pass, it pays for itself almost immediately.

Kayla Hobbs

Lots of fun. Easy to tell the people really care about what they are doing. Really wish there was more shade but still a,great few hours with the kids.

Sarah R

Loved taking my daughter. We went during fallfest. The weather was cool and animals were active. Great reptile and aquarium display. Employees were friendly.

Gary Geer

Great stop for children and adults. Petting area. Plenty to see and experience.

Adrienne Nightingale

One of our most favorite places. The folks at WNCNC are amazing. They create a happy and educational setting while caring for the resident animals exceptionally well. There are enough play areas and interactive exhibits to keep even the most restless children entertained.

Duke DeLano

Fun place, very clean, well maintained, saw cougar up close, saw big black bears, coyote, grey wolf & red wolf & watched them feed the otters above & below water. Kids loved it!

Hilary Fry

Wonderful shaded paths to see a great variety of animals. My 4 kids especially enjoyed the "Nature Play" areas sprinkled throughout the park. Well thought and planned out for maximum enjoyment of wildlife & play! We are out of state visitors otherwise I would definitely have plans to return! Fantastic wildlife park experience!

Elizabeth Willett

This is a place I really wanted to visit but was a little disappointed because I expected more. We get spoiled with our fancy zoos. Some of the animals are nocturnal so they are sleeping during the day. The cougar was up and moving and we were able to get some pictures of it and a black bear. We also got to watch the otters being fed. (It would be nice if the viewing area could be enlarged. My husband is a veteran and we were pleasantly surprised to find his admission was free. It is educational and a good size for small children. I support what they are doing and wish I could donate to help them improve and expand the facility.

Noah Sanders

A true staple of WNC. I've personally had the pleasure of growing up with the Nature Center, having first visited when I was young, and visiting several times every year I've watched the Nature Center evolve over the years. In its current state, I'd say they've lost track of simpler times and easier days, vying to be "new and exciting" they slipped out of the feel of a small family friendly environment. However. I simply cannot recommend the Nature Center enough as a learning environment for small nature savvy children, this establishment single handedly lead to a life long love of animals big and small for myself and many others.

matthewp82

Wonderful place. Great fun for the kids. Just minutes from downtown.

Shields McManus

Nice little zoo of native species. Good for kids.

A. S. Cole

This is an amazing zoo considering it's size and location. It's not a big city zoo, but one of my absolute favorites. You can leisurely see all the animals and exhibits in an hour or 2. However, the variety of animals, the views of the …

Joanna Alena Calhoun previously Hammond

Fun but Enclosures so small i felt for the creatures. Also the paths were not marked well on the flow to see everything. We missed the snakes and sloth apparently

Nicole W

Great nature center for kids and families! We came here two days in a row, so we decided to purchase a membership, which was cheaper than paying for admission for 2 days! Most of the center was shaded, which was really nice. There are little play areas for kids spread throughout the park! The otter feeding program was neat and informative! Definitely glad we stopped here!

Kristie Riley

This is one of the best "zoo" Or animal reserves around. The view or access to the animals is really spectacular. It is not like an animal in a cage and you are very up close to the animals. Make sure you go gem mining. They have the biggest and best mineral content. The price is extremely reasonable. You will not be disappointed. A family favorite.

Rebbeca Stevens

Excellent visit. A must for children of all ages.

Michele Echols

Arrived around 1pm. Most animals were sleeping so hard to see much more than fur of their backs. Ok snake exhibit. Lots of shade on the trail. Small petting zoo. No frills but fun.

Chevy Mize

So much fun! Very family friendly! Would like to see the bears with some type of water feature in their enclosure though.

J B

The entrance and barn are really nice. The enclosures are a little dumpy. I dont think we saw a staff member on the entire site besides at the entrance. This place could be great. Educational information on the animals is really lacking. I took my two children here, I probably would never return. The animals all seemed pretty sad.

Nickki Robinson

Beautiful zoo tucked away in the woods. The animals are way less active in the summer than in cooler seasons. Keep in kind when planning a visit.

Toure Dunnon

This is a great place to take kids looking to see NC/Southeastern animals. It is apart of the NC Zoo and Aquarium system so membership gets you in free. The staff is very nice and the exhibits are very well kept, they also have plans to expand a few of their large animal exhibits.

Tugas Lehigh

A nice collection of NC native wildlife, most in natural settings. Interspersed are fun things for young kids to do.

Cindy Harbor

This is a great place to take the kids! They love the bears!

Becky SM

So impressed with this zoo and amazed that it is part of the local park system. Well done Ashville!

SOME GUY on the INTERNET

A bit cautious about this place at first, didn't know if it was just for kids or families. Can confirm that it definitely is not! Lions, (little) Tigers, and Bears. Oh my goodness! They are obviously stressed a bit from the human presense, but it is a necessary evil. People would never otherwise appreciate these elusive animals nor seek to preserve them. Would recommend to any outdoors person!

Angela Floyd

The animals were not very active but it was hot. However got my son to let me take a picture with a turtle.

Kate Dempsey

Gotta love those otters! Enjoyable walk.

Ray Hawkins

Neat little place tucked away. Beautiful black bears. Friendly staff.

Jon Orbach

While on the small side, there's a lot to see and do here! There's quite a few awesome exhibits for animals native to the region including the incredibly rare red wolf. There's plenty of stops for kids to play and even a petting zoo at the beginning!

Cherie Miller

This is a great place to visit in Asheville. It has species native to Western North Carolina. It's a great size for younger kids too. My 5 year old loves this place.

Chris Rathbone

Love the fact of seeing wild animals that are native to our area up close

Jason Villafranca

Animals were snoozy and cute in the middle of the day.

Brian Smothers

Really cool place to chill ax look at the animals staff very knowledgeable nice to see the animals and then began a decent habitat instead of locked up in cages

Joshua Sims

Lots of animals to see and such a fun, peaceful, and beautiful layout.

Kyle R.

Really cool place and fun atmosphere. The trails are kinda small which can cause traffic jams when viewing areas. There's a lot of overgrowth on some exhibits which makes the viewing of the animals kind of limited. Nice little area, great for children of all ages. Takes about an hour to an hour and a half to see everything.

Harrison Henke

I love this place! Go and howl with the wolves (no, really! Do it!)

Jeanie Knox

This is an awesome place for the whole family. The new renovations to the entrance and barn area are gorgeous, the animals are all well cared for and healthy and it's a great way to get up close to some local wildlife. Educational programs are informative and fun for kids and adults. Don't miss the otter feedings!

scott tolley

This was a great place to bring my 2 year old son who loves animals. Not expensive either and the otters are very entertaining!

Jack Wilcox

Lots of fun and it was really cool to see alot of animals I had never seen before in that setting

Tara Struzinski

Cute place, good pricing. There was a decent amount of different animals we got to see up close. Great place to go if you have children.

Kathleen Koechling

Red pandas! Grey and red wolves and other animals in nice habitats. Clean and cheery with many play areas for kids. Great nature trail, 3/4 of a mile.

Samarth Brahmbhatt

Great place for a weekend morning trip. They have an interesting Otter feeding and information session at 11.30 am, which is great fun! I particularly enjoyed the "birds of prey" section, but would have liked the Otter pen to have a larger water-body.

Jennifer Saddoris

The animals look happy. Great way to spend some time.

Tommy Norton

Awesome experience with my all my grand children. All the animals looked well taken care of and well fed.

Tasha Harrison

I chaperoned with my daughters 2nd grade class here. It was absolutely adorable. The kids seemed to love it as well. All the fun of seeing the different animals like a normal zoo, without all the walking that tires the kids out. The gift shop is too cute. We will most definitely be returning.

Hugh Lowe

Great place to visit. Really impressed by the lay out. Kid friendly and some animals one does not see at other zoos.