Since having children, and acquiring an inordinate amount of stuff, we have come to appreciate ‘experience gifts’. No one wants more stuff. That is why, for our little friend’s birthday, we decided to take him and his mom to The Wolf Sanctuary of PA. We know that he, and his parents, love animals and learning. We also had an insider tip that this was a place they had wanted to visit. Win win.
It also happened to fall on my father’s birthday. Since he has recently passed, the day was extra meaningful to me –because he would have absolutely loved to visit the Speedwell Wolves. I’m not sure if he ever visited, but I like to think that he was there with me during this visit.
Good news – it was a big hit with our little buddy! I don’t know how the volunteers would have felt about it, but aside from pure joy at just being there, he was also amusing himself conducting an active hunt for the big bad wolf. I think said wolf was located somewhere within the sanctuary. But don’t be alarmed, there is plenty of fence between visitors and wolves!
With four children in tow, two of them only three years old, we opted for the general tour. There are private tours that you can take, which would probably be very informative and interesting. We took more of a ‘chase a toddler’ approach. Running from section to section, and stopping for light saber battles, chases around benches, and playing in the dirt. It was great for our crew!
The Wolf Sanctuary is run by mostly volunteers. It is a well-oiled machine with a strict admission routine. Before general tours, the gates to the parking lot are opened. When the tour is about to start, or the parking lot is full, the gates close. When we were there, there were multiple people directing traffic.
We hadn’t realized prior to our visit that the wolves are less active (and visible) in the warmer weather, and others must not have realized that either. There was an impressive crowd for a very warm, and rather early Sunday morning.
We had planned our visit months in advance, to coordinate with our friends. Given the very limited tour availability, this took some forethought. We drove about an hour and a half from just outside of Philadelphia, to the sanctuary in Lititz, PA. Since we were visiting on a Sunday morning, we figured that we would be one of a few other families. But we were wrong! When we pulled up, we were surprised to find a line of cars waiting to getting in. Consider this if you are planning a visit. It does fill up!
As I said, ours was a general tour. We gathered at the entrance until the gates were closed, and were probably one of about 80-100 people. While we waited for the tour to begin, our guide gave us some information about the wolves and the volunteers. He also informed us that a bed and breakfast was run on the property, and guests of the B and B could visit the sanctuary when tours were not in session, as part of their stay. This looks like a beautiful place to escape reality for a while.
The tour was well suited for our crew, as it was more of a self-guided experience. There were several volunteers stationed throughout the property, and visitors could move about and listen at their own pace. Of course, when you are running around after small children, there isn’t much listening going on.
We were able to catch a glimpse of a few wolves, but realized that fall and winter would probably be the ideal time to visit the sanctuary. In the colder months, there are less obstructed views, and more active wolves. In the 100 degree heat, we saw a lot of lazy wolves!
Here are some takeaways from our experience:
Don’t underestimate the popularity of this sanctuary. Plan ahead, and get to the sanctuary in time to make it in before they close the gates!
May of the wolves are hybrids, and most are about 50% wolf.
Go in the colder months, when it will be easier to see the wolves, and they will be more active.
Talk to the volunteers, they are a wealth of knowledge!
If you are very interested in wolves, consider a private tour.
Know that there are hills, and the paths are unpaved. Wear sneakers.
Bring a water bottle, but if you don’t – they have coolers set up along the paths.
If you want to make a weekend out of your experience, check out the Speedwell Forge B&B, it looks amazing!
Have you visited the Speedwell Wolves or the bed and breakfast? Let us know about your experience!
