Located in Columbia NJ a few miles off the Delaware Water Gap is the Lakota Wolf Preserve. While being named the Lakota Wolf Preserve it is not just home to packs of wolves. It is home to two native NJ species and two non-native species. Fox and Bobcats are the two native species. While wolves and Lynx are non-native to NJ.
Established in 1998 by James Stein and Becky Mace it has always been a non-profit organization. Stein and Mace had the idea to give people an up and close view of these endangered animals while also teaching them the importance of preservation in wildlife. Since established, Stein and Mace have cared for and raised every animal that has roamed on the preservation while giving educational and guided photography tours. Their mission is simple: “Give animals born in captivity and unable to return to the wild, the best home imaginable.”
The park allows guided tours and private photography sessions. Guided tours can be taken on foot or in a shuttle bus. While on either tour you will be surrounded by 4 packs of wolves in the observation center and then brought to another area to see and learn about the preserves fox, bobcats, and lynxes. On these tours you will be educated on the structure of wolf packs, the eating habits of the animals, interactions and fun facts.
The park is kept as natural as possible so you will be in uneven and natural wooded habitats. Each tour is roughly 75 minutes long and must be booked in advance. The park is not open to the public all day and you must have a reservation to visit. While the park is open rain or shine, sometimes they will not be able to accommodate guests during harsh weather conditions and the park reminds you that during their tours there is no protection from the elements so dress accordingly. The price is $16 for adults and $7 for children up to 7 years old.
Photography tours are a little different: it is $300 per photographer and may be a $50 charge if you choose to add a non-photographer guest. These tours are much longer at approximately 2 hours long with access to portal holes in the fence to get unobstructed view of the wolves. Photographers of any level are allowed as long as they are willing to pay. These special sessions usually run from September – April when the wolves look the best and have the best possible opportunity to photograph and video these spectacular animals.
In all visiting the Lakota Wolf Preserve could be a fun day trip for people in the area and being a non-profit your money is headed towards a great cause. Your funds help feed the animals and upkeep the park. One plus is that since wolves are a non-native species to NJ this is one of the only places you can see them in the area. The park is a great visit and the preserve relies on visitors to continue to fund the park. Please visit their website for more information. Lakota Wolf Preserve