Reviews of Bear Country USA (Zoo)

13820 US-16, Rapid City, SD 57702, United States

Average Rating:

DESCRIPTION

Here you will see all the reviews of real people who bought the services of Bear Country USA (Zoo) near South Dakota.

At the moment the business receives a rating of 4.6 stars over 5 and this rating is based on 4155 reviews.

You must have seen that its rating is basically the highest, and it is based on a high number of scores, so we may be quite sure that the rating is quite faithful. If people have bothered to evaluate when they've done well with the business, it works.

You know that we do not usually stop to write evaluations when these are good and we usually do it only if we have had a problem or issue...

This Zoo is classified in the category of Wildlife park.

Where is Bear Country USA?

REVIEWS OF Bear Country USA IN South Dakota

Scott Stoltenberg

Well worth the time to stop. We prefer first thing in the morning as the animals seem more active. We have four kids and all enjoyed the stop. Bear Country was a fun stop all ages in our family. We've seen bears in zoos before, but this was much better. Would stop here again.

Alex Currie

Great place to visit and enjoy some furry friends. Its always been our one stop that MUST see before leave SD. Staff and facility is well kept and more open. Animals don't act or give impression that it's a captive environment. Great job guys.

Skyler Selle

Super cool experience! Tons of bears and other animals close up! Took us about one hour total with driving and walking through animal exhibits. Definitely worth the money.

Jennifer Spude

They have a good variety of animals. We had group ranging from 68 to 5, it was a great family outing. The enclosures are such that the animals are easily spotted, everyone loved being in right in the middle of so many bears.

Robert Hogan

Loads of animals to see and photograph on the drive through. Probably close to fifty bears roaming, playing and snoozing in the open area. Black, brown and grizzly bears in abundance. Lots of baby bears playing and climbing trees. The best animal park we have ever visited. If you are in the Deadwood/Rapid City area, do not miss Bear Country USA.

D Murphy

Had such a fun time visiting Bear Country with the family. Watching the bears play in the water was the best part of the visit!

Stewart Gregerson

Drive through and see bears and many other cool animals feet away from your car!

Lisa Griffin

What a beautiful venue, The animals are amazing and up close. Well cared for and in natural habitat. It is very obvious a whole lot of love went in to this preserve You are missing out if you drive past this wildlife drive thru, the open spacious exhibits after the drive thru of the babies is so adorable

Chad Reickard

1000% DO NOT MISS THIS! It's a small drive (maybe 45 min) through the park, but you get to see SO MUCH! They have wolves, reindeer, and hundreds of bears! We got to see tons of them walking around and sometimes they would cut through the cars. You have to keep your windows closed, but it was still awesome. After you are done driving, you can hit the LARGE gift shop, and walk around their outdoor animal viewing area. Here's where they keep the cubs! Tons of bear cubs playing around in their holding pen. It was great to see! Great place to visit.

Duane Johnson

Love this place, I've been there 3 times now and have a great time always.

Tammi Greenough

This was so fun. The bear and buffalo got so close to the car. The kids said it was scary and so cool at the same time. The baby bear were adorable ❤️

Sheila Mussman

This is something everybody suggest you need to do when you're in the Black Hills. Because of that I did not look up the pricing for it. It was $60 for four people / car. You do get to see a lot of Wildlife. The bears were the best. Take your time...its only a couple mile drive. At the end it was raining so we didn't get to visit the discovery area. It was fun. Feeding the animals are is completely restricted.

connie tarbah

We visited the park yesterday and were really surprised about the cost considering the size of the park but we were there so decided to go forward. Several enclosures were empty but the bears didn't disappoint. In the end there is a walk about to see more local animals. We paid $36. to see the local animals - was it worth it? Not sure...

Christie

Awesome! A bit expensive, however not so bad if you really take your time going through it. Everyone in our group of 6, ages 4-48, really enjoyed it! All the animals were so beautiful & there were lots, all around. After the part that you drive through, there is also a part to walk through. It was a very enjoyable day!

Brandi RedCloud

We are locals, we love Bear Country. This time, the lines were very long and there didn't seem to be very many bears out. We did see the buffalo which is pretty awesome. They aren't always around. We will return again.

Cindy Lisk

Fun place to see wildlife up close. They are free roaming in large areas and not afraid of vehicles. Nice gift shop with lots of goodies and staff was very pleasant.

Janette McDaniel

We went for Cub Fest 2019, and it was a (mostly) great experience! I don't recommend going first thing in the morning during Cub Fest though. We arrived half an hour before it opened (9:30) in the hope the line would be shorter, but it was over a mile long! It was at least an hour and a half (11 am) before we got to the entrance gate! Friends told us later that the line was much shorter by 1 or 2 pm. We had believed the opposite would be true, which was why we went so early. They didn't block off traffic into the parking lot from the other direction, which was infuriating because after waiting 1.5 hours you could see people who didn't wait pass by on the highway and pull a u-turn up ahead, pull in, and cut everyone in line off. A few cones blocking the left turn lane on the highway could have deterred this, but they didn't have anything there. This is the only reason I'm not giving five stars! Everything else was amazing! We went again the next day because my husband couldn't go the first day, this time we arrived around 1:30. No wait at all! Much better experience! In addition to petting the black bear cubs, we saw many other black bears, a bunch of big horned sheep, reindeer, bison, elk, deer, mountain lions, arctic wolves, arctic foxes, a red fox, porcupines, bobcats, a lynx, a beaver... I can't think of what else, but it was a lot! For Cub Fest they also had a little train and bounce houses for the kids. We were there for 6 hours the first day (including the line) and 2.5 hours the second. It was a great time! I look forward to going back with our season pass to see the baby bears playing in their section when they're big enough this May!

Michael Kemp

Great way to spend a couple of hours. We'll worth the time to visit. I thought back in the 50's I saw lots of bears in Yellowstone N.P. Well Bear Country USA tops it. Adults and kids will enjoy it. I would come back again!

George & Meg Mar

You will definitely see bears rain or shine as they appear extremely overpopulated. Poor animals are in enclosures too small for them. It is a lot of fun to see them all up so close but it made me feel guilty. You can tell they are making their money off the $~60/carload by the fancy gift shop where they make even more money.

Jeremy Easley

WOW!! This place is incredible! Seeing all of these beautiful animals up close was amazing. The kids had a great time, and loved getting so close to the animals. I highly recommend you stop here on your way back from Mount Rushmore. A little expensive, but they offered military discount.

Laci Fitch

So. Many. Bears! Was a fun activity for the kids to spot everything. I would advise going on a cooler day. A few of the critters were hiding/napping in the shade where you could see them. Our favorites included the playful bear cubs, the otter and the wolves.

Melissa Clark

Best wildlife park!! Driving through animals right next to your car. Animals walking across the street. The walking area was also amazing. We had a great time.

madison kennedy

Such a beautiful place! Its a wonderful way to see wildlife! We had a bear and wolf come out on the road right in front of us! I highly recommend this for people of all ages.

ben Sullivan

Family had a great time. 14, 12, and 9 year old were fully engrossed in the animal experience. Tip: go first thing in the morning. That's when they feed the animals and are most active.

Jodi Moss

Wildlife I love and at this place the animals are everywhere.. so cool. It was so awesome I went back the next day and would keep going if I could

Ilona Williams

great place to save wildlife and to see it all from your car! tons black bears but only one wolf in open area. definitely worth of visit. take it very slow and enjoy.

JMPJOSE

A must for the family. Drive true Zoo. First time here and glad I made the extra trip here. We got to see all the animals up close. At the end we got to see the smaller animals and visit the gift shop. Beware of the bears.

Betty Leonhard

Better than your normal zoo. A more natural way to see the animals. We got there first thing in the morning, so they just fed many of the animals so they were up and about. This one little sheep really was curious about our car. And we saw some wolves wrestling. And another wolf very intent on walking in front of our car to make sure we didn't go too fast and miss anything. The bear cubs were so adorable and loved to show off their standing skills and tree climbing expertise.

Sean House

One of the best drive through and walking habitats I've been to. Very clean and the animals are well taken care of!! A must see when travelling through or to the Black Hills SD

Bill Schroeder

Such a cool experience. I would highly recommend making the time to come here. You get to see the animals so close.

Stauney Segle

Some of the other animals weren’t as active as we hoped but the bears were incredible! They were everywhere and were pacing back in front of the gates at the entrances and exits. Amazing time and we all got a little thrill from having a bear that close! So cool! Perfect for kids and family, just don’t terrify the car behind you by rolling down your windows despite all the warning signs like the car in front of us did!

Amanda Larson

My kids enjoyed seeing the animals. The wolves came right up by our car so it was pretty cool.

Scott Stoltenberg

Well worth the time to stop. We prefer first thing in the morning as the animals seem more active. We have four kids and all enjoyed the stop. Bear Country was a fun stop all ages in our family. We've seen bears in zoos before, but this was much better. Would stop here again.

Doug Perry

Bear Country USA was the highlight of our family trip. There are tons of animals to drive through and look at. It's not often you get to be that close to so many bears. The real highlight for us was after the driving part when you get to walk through the smaller animal exhibits. We were able to toss food to younger bears that had been born only a few months before. They were amazingly cute! We highly recommend Bear Country USA if you are in or visiting the area.

Erin Johnson

We drove through Bear Country USA this morning. So worth the money paid to get in. I just wish we had the grandkids along. They would have loved it. I would definitely do it again.

Brian Eldridge

Fun and lots to do. Its nice to get out at the end and walk a bit. The transition at the end from car to visitor center is confusing and not well marked. Incredible number of bears.

Patricia Strub

I was reluctant to go to a place that keeps animals in pens but found that I really enjoyed it. Loved seeing all the bears.

Scott Johnson

Loved it. Not to busy today so it was easy to take our time. My wife took tons of photos to show the grand kids

Janet Frost

My family loves this place kids ages 15, 13, 11, 9 lots of great close encounters with animals. There were a ton of bears and pretty active. They also have a smaller zoo area with wonderful displays that let you feel like you are close to the animals. Gift shop was reasonable. We paid $65 max car fee. So very reasonable experience for a large family. It's a super cool place, a must see really

Nick Mueller

Price was pretty high but it was a good experience. We came through at feeding time for the bears, so cars stacked up and we had to wait for a while, but it also got us a great view of the bears! The walk through area was very nice and helped justify the admission price a bit.

Schyler Lemaire

Before deciding to go to bear country USA I was under the impression that going in was more “like” a national park than a zoo. I was hoping that it was going to be animals in their natural habitat. The first part, while driving around was more of that idea than it was a zoo. However, some of those animals even, were pretty confined in a small enclosed area. The second half, walking around, was what actually upset me. The biggest animal in the park (the grizzly bear) had no trees to lay under and no place to run or be a bear. The smaller animals like the beavers and porcupines and raccoons, etc. were in enclosures maybe the size of a babies playpen. The beavers were chomping away on the metal bars because there was nothing else in their enclosure. The coyotes and wolves and foxes were stuffed in pens the size of a big living room. It was just upsetting to see and it made me feel terrible to know I spent money supporting the captivity of animals away from their natural environment

John Boettcher

One of the coolest places to visit in The Black Hills!! I personally consider this a must see!! Starts with a driving tour through virtually any animal you can name over 50lbs. They come right up to your car and the experience is incredible!! At the end of the tour, go and feed some baby bears!! Great staff, great place to visit, fun will be had by all! 5 stars!!

Cody Divens

One of my top favorite spots we visited. The animals get right up to your vehicle. My entire family really enjoyed it. I'd recommend going if you have a chance. Beats any zoo I've ever been too!

lourdes Guailacela

Upsetting. Thought it would be more of a wild and free environment. More of a drive thru zoo. All animals were enclosed except the beginning/entrance where the reindeers were... the wolves and mountain lions had the smallest cages... bears had the most space but also overcrowded. Some of the baby sheep were limping (probably got hurt by the ground that seems to be electric that separates the enclosures). I wish i had done more research before coming here, I was fooled by the 4.6 reviews. And yes maybe I’m being over dramatic, but the idea of being a safari is false. My husband who isn’t so ‘free the animals’ didn’t like it as most of the animals on the map the worker gave us, weren’t there. The ‘cool’ animals he wanted to see were enclosed far from the car road. He thought it was a waste of 18$per person as essentially all we saw were deers and sheep which you can see easily see on a road trip for free. The ride through the ‘open’ enclosures took us only 20mins with not much to see and we didn’t even do the last part (where you can go see the baby bears in a building at the end) because at that point my husband was like “I’m not getting out of the car to be more disappointed” so we just left. We’ve gone to Colorado Cheyenne zoo (which is expensive ) and he enjoyed that way more for the variety and bigger space for each animals . I guess this state doesn’t have much to offer which is why people praise this place so much when there is really NOTHING to hype about. Seriously Cheyenne Zoo (in Colorado) is way better then this “safari”.

Wendy Couillard

Was very fun!! Loved all the bears running around and the bird annoying the wolf and playing chase with him. Highly recommend. Went to Custer park and didn’t see even an 1/8 of what we saw at Bear Country. And the bear cubs are so hilarious!!

Steve Williams

The perfect place to spend a few hours while visiting South Dakota! My family loved the close interaction with various animals as well as the beauty of the property. Drive through the park and see bears, elk, bison, wolves, rams, and more. Every employee was kind and helpful. A must-see when visiting Keystone, Mt Rushmore, Rapid City, or Sturgis.

Mark Riddle

We have always seen this place from the road but never though it would be worth stopping. Boy were we wrong. The grounds are really well kept, the staff is very nice, and the attractions are top notch. The animals are all viewable and lively. They also have a walking area that is like a miniature zoo. I would recommend this for a family to enjoy.

Hannah Borden

Such a fun place to visit. We've been coming since we were kids and it never disappoints. It's so neat to see a variety of bears and wolves up close. I love seeing the little bear cubs, they are so rambunctious and cute. A tourist stop that is well worth the money.

Drew Erin

It's really cool to see all the animals and bears!!! The gift shop is great as well. I only recommend though to go right when it opens in the summer when it's cool and not so hot and busy. Cars can be lined up and you can be sitting in one spot for a long time. But it's worth it to take nice pictures

Ashley Bates

Bear Country USA is such an awesome experience! We needed to do something that was dog friendly. LOTS of bears. They walk right next to your car. The wolves are beautiful. There was 1 wolf that was laying in the middle of the road just taking a nap. I thought the price was fair. At the end of the drive you can walk through and look at more animals. It was a blast!

Timothy Alloway

This place is so cool. There agree so many different animals here. Didn't post the pictures of the bears. Have to go yourself to see how amazing the views are of these majestic animals. I would recommend this place to everyone. Never seen a place like this in my life. ONE OF A KIND.

Ben Foote

Had a great time! Let's you get right up close to the animals. A great attraction to add to your list on vacation.

sammot00

Definitely worth a visit if you are in the area. I was amazed at the overall number of bears they had.

Gillian Holder

Can't wait to go back. Fantastic what they do there so well looked after animals. Gift shop worth going to.

Karen Buland

It was a great to see all the animals treated so well. We cant wait to come back

Pritisha Kumar

I went today and felt deceived. I didn't realise this was a zoo. I was initially impressed with the Safari portion where most animals had a good amount of space, except for the poor mountain lions. Their enclosure was smaller than my tiny apartment. Then the walk through portion broke my heart further to see more intelligent animals trapped in tiny enclosures. The animals were showing signs of psychosis. All I could think of is, if someone locked in my bedroom for the rest of my life (not to mention strangers staring at me through my bedroom window for prolonged periods).. Left hoping that humanity can be forgiven for it's heartlessness.

Mike Kinsella

Amazing park and zoo!! This experience is second to none. I've hiked days and camped for weeks on end to try and see this type of wildlife. Great opportunity to see it all. One of the best stops in the entire area hands down!

Mindy Reese

Worth the money. Kids and adults loved our experience here.

Carlos Montanez

Really an exciting place to visit. We got there at feeding time. Which was perfect to see all of them moving and chasing the food truck. Lol

Misty Filer

We had a blast here. Had my youngest sit on my lap to see better. Speed limit is 10mph sooooo.......it works. Made it just in time to see them for feeding time. Very quiet and peaceful area, even walking through. Worth the price of a carload. Bathrooms are right behind where u get your admission. They have window wash stations so your pictures aren't fiddled by a dirt spots. Must keep windows up at all times. Dont let anyone make you feel like you should go faster. Slow down and enjoy they can pass on the left in most areas.

Matt Duckworth

We happened to show up as they were changing out the trees and feeding time. Most of the animals were out and active, especially the baby bears! They were extremely entertaining climbing and breaking in the new trees. Had a fantastic time, is a must see!

Hannah Borden

Such a fun place to visit. We've been coming since we were kids and it never disappoints. It's so neat to see a variety of bears and wolves up close. I love seeing the little bear cubs, they are so rambunctious and cute. A tourist stop that is well worth the money.

Jessica Ayer

Cool seeing all the bears! Love the walkthrough area..the bobcats were mewing, it was adorable!

Jennifer Celia

It's not badly priced for what you get to see. The animals walk right in front of your car it's very cool to see. I enjoyed it!

Derik Chidester

Amazing adventure with the family! Great place to view wild animals in your own vehicle

terry richardson

As close as you ever want to be. The bear Cubs were entertaining the Children. Great!

Megan Edwards

What a wonderful experience! My children (11, 3 and 1) absolutely loved the up close experience. They have a wide variety of animals. They come right up to the door or walk in front of the car. My 3 year old thought that it was the coolest thing ever. We'll definitely be back.

Gale Lopez

This place is awesome. You travel in your car and the animals are all around you. A big horn sheep crossed the road right in front of our car and we had to wait for reindeer to get out of the road for us to pass. Anyone would love this place

Courtney Salmon

Amazing! My kids and I loved everything about it! The animals seemed happy and healthy and the baby bears where so cute! Loved it! Cost around $65 for our whole vehicle to get in.worth every penny

Camalia McMunn

Such a cool place with over 150 bears! One grizzly though which stinks but makes sense too. The Arctic wolves have some serious personality! Then of course the bear cubs were just too freaking cute!

Ivry Morseth

So much fun lots of animals coming right by ur car a neat walk through zoo and tons of fun facts great place to take the kids

Chris Otavol

Nice place cool animals it's like a drive thru zoo. Then a nice walking area around wild life loop. The Zoologist there is helpful & she is very knowledgeable she answered all questions we had about the animals in the loop. In early April they have cub feast were you can see and pet the new baby bears.

Jiss Jacob Sebastian

Wow Wow Wow Wow. I have no idea how I can express the happiness I had there in words. Such a beautiful and relaxing place it is. The weather was pleasant when I visited this place. Not only bears, but you can see grey wolves, mountain goats, elks, reindeers etc. also. When you see the bears passing by your car, I bet you will say nothing but Wow!!!

Keith Folkert

Bear County was a lot of fun. The park is clean. The animals were lively and close. The bears were the best! As an added bonus, lunch was very affordable there.

Kyle Scranton

Go on a cloudy day. The wildlife hates hot days and is more active in an overcast climate. Worth the cost and time. ALSO DONT BE STUPID! KEEP YOUR WINDOWS ROLLED UP. THESE ARE WILD ANIMALS MUCH LIKE A REAL JURASSIC PARK. A total gem of the black hills tourism industry.

Julie Phillips

Loved seeing so many different kinds of animals, up close and personal. There were animals at every turn of the car and we were impressed by the animals in the walk through area. Seeing the baby animals was especially cool. This was one of our favorite attractions so far on our lengthy trip. I liked it better than Lion Country Safari in southern Florida. Don't miss it. And look online about who owns it now...

Tiffany Prejean

This place was amazing. You really wouldn't expect to see so many bears up close in person, but they really are right next to you. The wolves were even eating with the bears. Awesome!

Shelly Avery

Yes it is cool to drive through and see the bears, but the North American mammals on display are awesome. These animals are familiar to us, but rarely can you see them this close. The baby bears are a day's worth of entertainment on their own.

Jane Gorecki

Loved it. Kind of spendy for 2 people, but a good price for a family. It's priced per car. The zoo is great

Erica Heddy

Seriously one of the coolest places we've ever been!!! The wolves were active, which was super cool to have them running around our vehicle, and the bears were of course, awesome! There isn't a way to go through the park again without paying, so take your time and enjoy!

Jenna Orlikowski

This place ended up being better than we thought. It was cool to see the bears so close up. The animals were impressive and very close. After the driving part, there is a zoo like walking area with otters, foxes, badgers and a few smaller animals that the kids enjoyed. Theres ample parking, a gift shop and a spot to grab some food.

Eric Johnson

Cool exhibits, up front and personal experiences with animals that most never see and those that do are only at a distance. Worth seeing.

Pierre Dahl

Nice park. Way too many visitors the day I visited. They should consider limiting attendance so you get a better experience

Matt Hubert

This was a fun way for my kids to get to see animals up close. It was interesting watching the bears/wolves interact in the same enclosure and we were able to see elk closer up than we were in Custer State Park

Cassi Wright

This was the coolest experience ever.... We had a full grown wild bear walk right up to our car window. They have an area where you can pet baby bear cubs, a gift shop, and even bouncy castles for little ones. Fun for the whole family. Definitely a must do if your in the area

Jessica Oates

Bear Country is a must see when in the Black Hills. It took us a couple hours to drive through and see the bears, wolves, mountain lions, big horn sheep and Mountain goats. We walked around the baby bear loop and went to the gift shop. The animals were all out and visible. We even saw the bears get a bread treat. They walked over and moved around a lot for that. The baby bear Cubs were a delight! It doesn't feel like a zoo since it's all open and the animals are loved. You stay in your car and drive through except the walking loop. There are restrooms and vending machines in the gift shop walking loop area. The gift shop has some unique items. The kids got bear shaped sweeties and about $100 worth of other stuff. The admission cost was $65 for the car load- 6 of us. Go to Bear country then Keystone to get taffy from Rushmore taffy. It's a great day trip.

Julie M

Seemed a bit cheesy at first, but it was an awesome and unforgettable experience. Able to view animals up close!! Would definitely go again and again. Price was good as well!!

Drew Erin

It's really cool to see all the animals and bears!!! The gift shop is great as well. I only recommend though to go right when it opens in the summer when it's cool and not so hot and busy. Cars can be lined up and you can be sitting in one spot for a long time. But it's worth it to take nice pictures

Joanne Mcginnis

AWESOME, THE ANIMALS WERE ALL OUT AND PLAYING. IF YOU ARE IT IT IS WELL WORTH THE VISIT.

Veronica Peters

Wonderful place for kids and adults who love to see animals! We enjoyed the drive-thru portion and getting out to look at the smaller bears, foxes, coyotes, badgers, etc. Huge gift shop too!

Scott Flamholtz

A very nice drive thru safari. The bears are the best. All animals looked happy and healthy and the walk thru part was great also. My wife and I really enjoyed this place. It is well done.

Ashley Bates

Bear Country USA is such an awesome experience! We needed to do something that was dog friendly. LOTS of bears. They walk right next to your car. The wolves are beautiful. There was 1 wolf that was laying in the middle of the road just taking a nap. I thought the price was fair. At the end of the drive you can walk through and look at more animals. It was a blast!

Ranae Gear

What an exciting experience! The animals appear to be well cared for! Very expansive & spacious area. It was pretty busy, so the drive through is slow going, but that just aloud for longer chances of viewing the animals. It’s not just bears, tons of different animals to see! Be sure to park and walk the end exhibits so you see the precious baby cubs, sooo cute!!

Gerald Eklund

One of my favorite places in the Black Hills. Thank you for the Veteran's discount, saved us $6 between the 3 of us. Loved the baby animals...especially the bear cubs.

Shiv Ganesh

Nice place if you want to get kind of close with bears. You basically drive slowly through a wildlife park where animals roam freely. You can see rams, bison, bears, elk and a couple of others. Plenty of opportunities for photos, though your time here and ability to get good photos depends on traffic. In terms of value, I am not sure it is a great value due to not all types of animals being present and the short duration to complete the circuit (as little as 30 min and no option to go again). Also note that you cannot get out of your vehicle at any time.

Reed H

4 stars instead of 5, just for the cost of admission. The driving loop features a lot of animals, starting with elk and ending with a lot of black bear. From the driving loop, you can park at the visitor center/gift shop and continue on foot on a paved walking path. The walking path features smaller animals. You can see beaver, porcupine, raccoon, lynx, coyote, timberwolf pups, baby bears, and a couple more. This path provides an up close look at many different animals. It is set up like most zoo's with good views, and general information about the species. The gift shop is large and has a wide selection of souvenirs. The location is great, as it is easily accessible from Mount Rushmore Road (US Hwy 16).

Atticus Li

Sadly, I did not get to see the grizzly bear. However, it was an enjoy drive through this park. There are a lot of animals that you wouldn't normally get to see, such as the timberwolves.

John McJilton

We were able to see bears, wolves, nand many other animals up close. We really enjoyed seeing the baby animals, too.. highly enjoyable@

Cody Stanton-Bridges

I was amazed and in awe of all the different species of animals that are living here at Bear Country USA. From mountain lion, to wolves, to black bears, and even a grizzly bear, this amazing place, filled with not your every day type of scenery, is a spectacular experience and one that I would recommend to anyone at any age of life. Cost of admission is a little spendy, though.

Timothy Alloway

This place is so cool. There agree so many different animals here. Didn't post the pictures of the bears. Have to go yourself to see how amazing the views are of these majestic animals. I would recommend this place to everyone. Never seen a place like this in my life. ONE OF A KIND.

Lisa Necastro

I highly recommend visiting Bear Country USA! What an amazing experience! Bear, wolves, and elk walk right next to your car. The bears are very entertaining to watch. At the end of the driving trail, you have to take the walking path to see the baby animals! The bear Cubs are adorable and so hilarious as they play together and climb trees and swim.

Bob Koby

We had a great experience here. Way more than just bears. Was initially concerned we wouldn't get to see all the animals but the path is good and you get to see the whole space. All of the animals were amazing and right by your vehicle. Thought a reindeer was going to challenge my truck! Nice zoo area afterwards to walk around and learn and see more. This is great, especially with kids or if you were not lucky in seeing wildlife in the area.

Dave Purscell

Bit pricey. First half of driving loop was lame. Loved the Black Bear exhibit! Don't skip the walking part of the zoo. It was worth it.

Ritika Shekhar

My first experience with animals so close sitting in my car. A mountain sheep came to car and bumped its horn on the side I was sitting. I got petrified,the sheep was cool and allowed us to move forward.

Theresa Mariman

Awesome place! Would highly recommend going. Totally cool to have Bears walking next to you. Great, great, great!!!! Also walk through afterwards is nice. Would definitely return!!

Amber Hendershot-Nordin

Brought my Sister & niece here from Colorado & we must've stayed here for 4-5 hours in our own little worlds. Got amazing pictures & the staff was great @ waiting as we were the last ones out that day so they could go home. Amazing place as my family had never seen such a thing or been that close to any of those animals! A must do & see...

Duffee Family

Great place for adults and kids. So many large animals to see that we haven't seen up close before. Well worth it.

Dawn Contreras

Would recommend going here seen lots of animals but best part was the bears very well kept and friendly employee's I will be going back price is fair for all that you see and you can drive slow to take pics and videos and the gift shop is decent prices also and very friendly employee's the walking area to see the other animals is great also. If you haven't been here please go will will not regret it

Lucas Matsamas

Pretty cool place! Although we seen a pretty big variety of animals it was too warm out, will be going back when it cools off a bit.

Kristina Ennis

So many bears! Love the Safari ride in our own car. Perfect for an easy afternoon with our toddler grandchild.

Paige Jones

It was a very cool sight to see. You drive through different parts that held different animals such as bear, buffalo, mountain lions, and more. Definitely worth the trip here!

Cory Kennedy

It was okay as the heat kept most of the wildlife seeking shade. The walk through portion was excellent. The employee who greeted us at the entrance was unenthusiastic, so improvements can be made on that end.

Amber Meyer

So beautiful ❤️ !! The price is well worth it! Staff at the gate was a little rude but the animals made up for it! It's a great place to stop

Asensio Lorenzo Sempere

Went early on the morning and saw almost no animals... Half of the zones had missing/hidden animals, and by the 3rd zone a queue of cars was awfully long, and the first cars would get the best pictures while the rest of the cars would not see very much. I enjoyed the Badlands a lot more and for a much lower price.

Steve Irwin

We were heading to Mount Rushmore and saw the sign so we decided to stop and check it out. We are so glad that we did! We were in a motor home and it was easy and plenty of room to maneuver through each area of the park. It was a great adventure. We saw white wolves, some mountain sheep, and a lot of bear. All of the animals came close to us and we got to take some great pictures! When we were through driving through, we pulled into the gift shop and walk-through area. In there we saw an otter, baby bear cubs, fox, and other animals. The gift shop was well stocked with a variety of souvenirs. Overall everything was awesome! Great job Bear Country USA!!!

Dianne Dash

Loved it !! The baby bears played like little boys, running, wrestling, climbing the trees....ate and immediately cuddled and fell slept ....they were adorable !!

BRANDIN diaz

Beautiful place absolutely wonderful. Animals health and happy. Great natural interaction.

Vicki Riddle

After driving through Custer State Park last year and seeing nothing, we were cautiously optimistic. Wow! So worth it. Loved seeing the wolves play and the black bear monitoring the movement of the cars leaving his enclosure. The walking tour at the end was fantastic. Loved to see the bearcubs play, dance and climb too.

Angela Schreifels

I love this place. When you drive in and pay there is a spot you can stop and they have squeegee's to clean off windshields for better view, never even thought of that before going in! We almost always see all the animals while driving through and the walkway is clean and well set up to see the rest of the animals. Also has a wonderfully huge gift shop, which I love because I'm a big fan of Bears!

Talli Linnabery

Bear Country was probably my family's favorite part of our vacation. While the cost is a tad pricey, we thoroughly enjoyed ourselves. The drive through was eventful with bears, wolves, and rams walking right beside the car. Our very favorite part was babyland though! I could've sat and watched the bear cubs all day, they're so ornery and cute! Good variety of animals with most looking healthy. The Arctic foxes looked rough but I think they must be mid-shed for summer. The facilities were clean. We'd definitely come back if in the area again ** tip, wash your windows beforehand if you plan to take pictures! You won't be able to roll your windows down on the drive through

Paul Haushalter

This was an amazing additional place for our family to see natural wildlife. This is a must place to go. The park has a great Jurassic park like drive thur adventure that you will love. You definitely will get to see bears and many other animals. Start your driving tour off with massive elk 6-7 point Elk. Next you will see reindeer and 3 types of sheep including the big horn sheep. The you will see arctic wolves, as you drive ten miles an hour you will see black and brown bears with mt lions and timber wolves. Finishing your driving adventure with pronghorn and Buffalo and mule deer. After you are finished driving park and you can view the grizzly bear and baby cubs. They had ten baby cubs we got to view.

Lisa Necastro

I highly recommend visiting Bear Country USA! What an amazing experience! Bear, wolves, and elk walk right next to your car. The bears are very entertaining to watch. At the end of the driving trail, you have to take the walking path to see the baby animals! The bear Cubs are adorable and so hilarious as they play together and climb trees and swim.

Bob Koby

We had a great experience here. Way more than just bears. Was initially concerned we wouldn't get to see all the animals but the path is good and you get to see the whole space. All of the animals were amazing and right by your vehicle. Thought a reindeer was going to challenge my truck! Nice zoo area afterwards to walk around and learn and see more. This is great, especially with kids or if you were not lucky in seeing wildlife in the area.

Sheila

Love this! The white wolf walked alongside the car and even made eye contact with my passenger. Had to wait for a black bear to cross the road in front of us. It was feeding time just after open for the big horned sheep and boy, did they come a-running. Even after the driving portion, the walking portion had young bears and other cute fuzzy animals! We went first thing in the morning on a Tuesday in September. There were a couple of other cars in the park with us. Perfect time to visit!

Evan Carmichael

Great place, went off season no lines! Animals were great and the bears wow, one blocked the road and caused a bear nececties! Best experience ever!

Richard McCandless

Great place! It was cold weather so it was nice just to drive through it with the family and see all the animals

James Kane

We really enjoyed our trip to Bear Country. This park is very well maintained, and the animals look very healthy. Great variety and good length. We aren't sure who enjoyed the tour more--us or our 2 boys! The bears are more active in the morning but there were still many moving about when we toured near lunch time. Bring a decent camera, and be patient with the other cars. Totally worth it!

Tiffany Sharp

A great place to see a ton of wildlife upfront. Probably the most bears I've ever seen. They had no problem with all the vehicles driving around. We were able to watch them play, eat and soak in the water. I would also highly recommend stopping into the gift shop, as they have so many cute items. Make sure to walk around and see the baby bears climbing the trees.

Ilia Passabet

Fabulous! Great to go with children and family. Must go place when you go to Mount Rushmore

A. Jordan

Fun stop with the kids. A little pricey, but everyone had a blast! Our favorite part was the bears roaming, the timber wolves playing, and feeding the baby cubs (absolutely adorable!!). We debated whether or not to visit and our last day in town decided to go and are happy we did. Nice gift shop too.

Dheepak Guruswamy

Kids will love this place. They can see the animals up-close. No danger whatsoever. Convenient for kids to see and learn. Will recommend this place to all. Loved it.

Tom Klemm

Was fun driving thru the place, lots of bears wondering around, the elks were really interesting. It's rutting season for them and one big boy with about fourteen points on his antlers didn't like us there, so he charged us a bit lol. Lot of animals there like Fox's, Timberwolves, Deer, Ram, and others. Was definitely worth the stop.

Debbie Jacobsen

Really enjoyed! Would love to see it again.

Chino Ortiz

We are simply in love with this place because the experience that we had was simply breathtaking. I will never forget this place and yes i would definitely come back here again. Their animals are so taken care so well way better than omaha wild safari.

S P

Entry fees per adult is $18. But it is worth for it as the animals food and maintenance this is must. See all kind of animal. Just do the drive through and you will see good animal at the end there are small walk through park which we love it.

Bailey Faye

This is a great place to go, so many animals! Cute bears. Love going here on a family outing

Mike Mestas

Great place to see the wild up close. Plenty of animals. Wolves were active and moving around. The Elk had massive racks.... impressive. Worth the cost of admission. Nice gift shop. Walking tour was worthwhile. If you're in the area then you need to stop here. Buy the way the bears were walking right up to the car.

King Tanner Avre

So much fun and a great time!! Love the drive through to see the animals and the zoo area!

Chrissy Illg

Drive right through wildlife! Lots to see! It was the most enjoyable part of my trip. Definitely will want to do it again soon

Michelle Mabry

This was a highlight of our trip! Bears, wolves, and bison came right up to the car; it's great to be able to stop and take as many pictures and videos as we want. We loved seeing the baby bears playing and the big cats sunning themselves.

Lisa Ward

This was one of the highlights of our trip. The animals were up and active. It was really neat to be so close to the bears and wolves as they roam, yet we were safe in our van.

Diana Smith

What a beautiful way to see bear, elk, reindeer, wolves, etc. Up close and personal while driving through the park. Then you can walk through an area similar to a zoo. Such a very nice place and clean with friendly staff.

Ken Kubischta

I always wondered why Rapid City did not have a zoo. Now I know. I love the drive Through and walk through experiencing both worlds. Gift shop is very well stocked and priced fair. A must stop.

Valentin Nolmans

It has been a while since I was there the last time. Its a good but small nature park. Kinda like a safari as animals walk free in their designated sections but the do seem to have plenty of space. Impressive collection of bears

Damon L

So cool to see the animals up close! They were all very active the day we drove through and would walk right by the car. Really cool!

Andy Yang

Amazing and totally worth it! Up close to a lot of Bears and other animals. After driving through the animal area where they roam free, go on a zoo-like experience to see the other animals in the exhibits. I loved the experience of seeing so many bears up close and personal. Unlike anything you get from a zoo!

Andria Cheever

This place is worth every penny you pay! We loved it and got lots of pictures. You see animals up close and personal and the babies at the end are precious. Even all of the babies you could see almost as up close. Highly recommend if you're in the area!

Glenda Bautista

They have lots of polar bear, black & grizzly bear here, big horned sheep, wolves, elk and other animals! It's a drive through seasonal wildlife park. Very enjoyable! Great visit!

Rhoda Stauffer

Nice for a School trip. Or for a family outing, But I wouldn't drive out of my way for it, I can get excited seeing a wild bear in the great woods. But hot in a pen??? Nah for get it..

kellee carroll

It was amazing. Right off the bat, elk just relaxing. Then a wolf, mountain goats, reindeer (relaxing by the sprinkler because it was warm out), then the bears. We watched bears for 30 minutes hanging out, playing in a pool, climbing on stuff. It was great. Then all the other little animals you don’t normally see out and about. Bob Cats, baby bears aka cubs, badgers, beavers, a porcupine, even some kind of wild hog. My family loved it. Even the curmudgeonly teenagers got into it. It was worth every penny. We will definitely be coming back next year.

Louise Malouff

It wasn't very crowded. The weather was nice. The snack shop prices were very reasonable. Food was great. We saw plenty of animals out and about. My family enjoyed this very much!

Brian B

My kids loved it. Bears and other wildlife walk right by your car window. A little pricey but such a good time.

Chris Becker

This place was such a fun experience!!! Tue bears and all animals got super close to the car. It was a really cool thing to watch how excited the kids got.

Jacob Jones

Super fun place to visit on our way home from Mount Rushmore. Tons of real live animals, "loose". Not like a zoo with cages, but there are partitioned areas the animals can wander around freely in while you drive through. You'll never be closer to 30+ bears! Totally worth it.

Jude Fernando

#1 TOP PLACE IN THE BLACK HILLS! NOT A TOURIST TRAP FOR THE WHOLE FAMILY Definitely the highlight in the blackhills. Worth the money for the entire family. You get to drive at your own pace right next to bears, wolves, goats, sheep and many other animals. Total time takes about 30 to 60 min depending on how you drive. A definite place to visit.

Aaron Galuzzi

Most definitely a unique experience. The other animals are all pretty boring, but there are lots of bears, and they are awesome! Be sure to check out the little bear cubs after you drive through. We had fun feeding them, as they stand up right in front of you and whine for for treats.

Joelle Morgan

This was so much fun. Worth the 30$/car entrance fee. Saw lots of animals. Loved the bear cubs.

Dani Dee

Way too over-priced. I get that it was hot so all the animals we're under the shade and sleeping, but paying over 60 dollars was not it. The drive is about 15 minutes long and I feel like it could be ran better.

Derek Hentges

Must see place when you’re near Rapid City! Worth the cost and check on discounts for Veterans and such. Way more to see than just bears!

Norma Mejia

Well is to much traffic to go through the park, if to took to long time driving we can't saw most of the animals. We be able to see the Bears if was a great experience seeing them.

MNP Construction & Consultants

Very cool place to visit. The Cubs are worth the entire visit. My kids thoroughly enjoy it!

Varjavand Ariaban

Great drive through wild life park that allows you to see big horn sheep, reindeer, moose, elk, bears, mountain lions, bison and more up close. It is definitely worth the stop, especially if you're already on your way to Mt Rushmore.

Ashleigh VanBoening

Absolutely would recommend to anyone in the Black Hills area! We saw so many different animals and the babies were the best! Loved it!

Kari Clement

This wad an AMAZING experience. The animals are in a very natural environment and are allowed to act as they would in the wild. And yet... as you drive through they are RIGHT next to your car! The staff is knowledgeable and available to answer any questions. They care very much about the animals and the park. A GREAT day for the whole family!

simms990

My kids absolutely loved this place. We had a blast driving threw here and Looking at the bears. Definitely something to go do if you are in the area

Jeff Myers

Super cool experience for the whole family. We had bears walking around our car

Jonathon Austin

This place is amazing. Lived in SD all my life and never went. So glad I did and the kids had a blast. The animals come right beside the cars.

David Heizer

Great animals. Best suggestion, TAKE the bus. You get closer to animals and the driver knows the animals and how get the best experience.

Marlo L

The family loved the park be patient as driving lines are long and people will stop taking pictures. You will get close up pictures so no need to rush. Just enjoy!

Michael Sefranek

A great visit, much more than I imagined, this is more like a drive through zoo. I was antsy about the bears at first, having seen videos of bears approaching vehicles, but this is not the case at all at bear country. Amazing display of wildlife, well managed and maintained. The walkthrough portion at the end could use some more exhibits, but was still well done.

Luke Wiley

This is a must see for anyone vacationing in the Black Hills. There's a HUGE amount of bears here, it had to be 50 or more. They're everywhere. The cubs are adorable! They also sell the best teddy bears ever.

Deanna Swanson

Love love love this place visited with my grandchildren and my daughter and the baby bears inside the enclosure were so darling and entertaining I wish we'd gotten there in time to feed them if you go try to be there before 4 p.m. so you can feed these beautiful little bears

B Zylstra

My family had a great time here! We loved all the bears. It was difficult to remember how dangerous they are because they were so cute. After the driving part, we also enjoyed the walking part where we could sew adorable bear Cubs! The gift shop was also fun, and we bought t-shirts to remember our fun time there.

G W

A spectacular park with numerous animals shown to live in the area. From the numerous black bears exhibit, Elk and many other animals. Take a tour of the animal park and be amazed at how close you can get to the animals. A place to take wonderful photography of the animals! Highly recommend!

Tina Vasquez

This place was so much fun. Getting to see the animals up close was so much fun. It was worth the trip.

Valentin Nolmans

It has been a while since I was there the last time. Its a good but small nature park. Kinda like a safari as animals walk free in their designated sections but the do seem to have plenty of space. Impressive collection of bears

Esther Overfors

It is a little pricey, but worth every single penny. I have never been so close to animals like that. I got some incredible pictures and it was fun for the whole family!

Cindy Kellar

We decided to take the family through the park. It was so much fun! The animals were gorgeous, & we LOVED the bears! My favorite was the big grizzly hanging out in his pool! Our nephews really enjoyed it, & it was well worth the money spent!

Leslie Mahler

Its was great the animals that were advertised we there. I was able to take a ton on pictures

John Wilber

Must must must see! I was hesitant being an avid hunter ive seen most of the animals in the wild. Went for the kids and was not at all disappointed. Must have been 100 bears! So worth the visit even though expensive. Walk around exhibits well kept and interesting. Gift shop was nice. Went during an off peak time and glad we did. Great job bear country! If you do anything during your visit to the area, do this!!

Malina P

An absolute must if you are in South Dakota! We loved driving through the park and seeing all the animals. They also have a lovely gift shop and more animals to see in the walking area at the end of the drive. Highly recommend it!

Chris C

Very cool experience. So glad we made this stop on our family vacation. You see tons of bears and other wild life. Snacks are priced fairly and a great selection at the gift shop to remember you visit. Enjoyed everything!

Ron Jenko

This is so cool! You get to drive through the property and see the animals from your car. The bears walk casually right up to your car as if you are just part of nature. We saw the elk males battle a little bit which was neat.

James L

You definitely get to see many different animals from inside your car. Very neat place for a good view of animals for the kids in your vehicle.

dylan wallskog

All in all a nice place to stop if you have children. Be prepared to sit in the car for an extended period of time as you are usually bumper to bumper with the rest of the people visiting because nobody follows the rule of pulling off to the side while taking pictures and letting people drive around them. Our 2 year old fell asleep before we could even reach the bears, missing the whole thing. Made it a little disappointing since it costed us over $54 to get in. Took over an hour and a half to drive through, so we didn't bother stopping inside at the end.

Ramon Barajas

This was an awesome place to visit. Busy as heck. But well worth the trip.

Business Hours of Bear Country USA in South Dakota

SUNDAY
9AM–4PM
MONDAY
(NATIVE AMERICAN DAY) 9AM–4PM HOURS MIGHT DIFFER
TUESDAY
9AM–4PM
WEDNESDAY
9AM–4PM
THURSDAY
9AM–4PM
FRIDAY
9AM–4PM
SATURDAY
9AM–4PM

PHONE & WEBPAGE

Bear Country USA en South Dakota
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