WILD ARIZONA When families visit Sedona, it’s not always easy to find kid-friendly activities. (We have yet to meet a 10-year-old interested in a day of gallery shopping or spa treatments.) Lucky for all of us, three distinctly different wildlife parks within a 90-minute drive of Red Rock Country offer plenty of fun for all ages. Out of Africa Wildlife Park is located in Sedona’s backyard – you can see the red rocks from the grounds. The park features exotic big cats, giraffes, zebras, a rhino and other animals more likely found in Africa and Asia than North America. The Grand Canyon Deer Farm, located just west of Flagstaff, gives visitors a truly interactive experience where they can hand-feed deer and other small animals. Finally, our area’s newest park, Bearizona in Williams, features a three-mile road where you drive among black bear, wolf and buffalo habitats (the park has a walk-through component, too). Just think, within a short drive you can experience wildlife from six continents, and you don’t even need a passport, so plan your spring break and summer vacation itineraries accordingly. Who says there’s a shortage of family fun in northern Arizona? Out of Africa Wildlife Park As Survivor’s 1982 hit “Eye of the Tiger” plays over the loudspeakers, two tigers, Liberty and Akasha, begin pacing around a swimming pool filled with 75-degree water. Four trainers, jokingly referred to as “the prey,” are stretching nearby. Several hundred spectators sit outside the arena, their eyes glued to the scene in front of them. “These animals are not trained,” says Dean Harrison, the afternoon’s emcee. “We are triggering their instincts. Training would be like making them human, wouldn’t it? We operate in their mind rather than ours.”
When the show finishes, Dean sits at a picnic table above the arena and talks about Out of Africa’s early days. In the 1980s, Dean and Prayeri began researching big cats at their home in Oregon. They designed and built a house where they could live with the cats and study the animals’ behavior. They moved the project to Fountain Hills near Phoenix in 1988 and opened to the public as Tigerville USA. After outgrowing their space, Dean and Prayeri relocated to Camp Verde and opened Out of Africa in May 2005. The park expanded to include more than lions and tigers; today visitors can view grizzly bears, wolves, a white rhino named Boom Boom, javelinas, reptiles and lemurs (don’t miss these guys – we could have spent hours watching their monkey-like antics). While they were waiting to be fed, we had the opportunity to hear a herd of hyenas emit the laughing noise that makes the African mammals famous. All of the animals come to Out of Africa from other parks and zoos as well as through rescue organizations, private parties, and federal and state government agencies. Dean says Out of Africa is a wildlife park rather than a zoo. “When one comes here, one experiences a sense of the wild,” he says. “When you see the tigers hunt us but not hurt us, when you see the zebra come as a herd to enjoy people, when the anaconda allows you to pet her, one realizes the wild has made a choice to be one with us. This is not a zoological concept. It’s a relationship concept. You leave with a sense of that oneness, and it finally becomes real, not prescribed.” After Tiger Splash, it was on to the Giant Snake Show where a 12.5-foot-long, 109-pound Burmese python by the name of Gracie sunbathed while children of all ages stroke her skin. Gracie was a “guard snake” in a drug house, and her eyes are permanently cloudy after being exposed to meth. Then it was time for the predator feed, which takes place every Sunday, Wednesday and Friday at 3 p.m. A flatbed truck filled with 800 pounds of raw meat circles the park, and the animals come to life as feeding time approaches. Jaguars and black panthers pace their enclosures and lions become vocal. It’s the best time to photograph the animals up close and in action if you can stomach some of the raw food tossed into the enclosures. (Many of the enclosures at Out of Africa have been designed with platforms that allow you to photograph the animals without obstruction – a bonus.) For access to the African Bush areas, you’ll board one of the safari trucks, which depart several times throughout the day. The safari lasts about 45 minutes. You’ll traverse 44 acres and see giraffes, zebras, ostriches and other animals (you might even get a kiss from a giraffe). From their homes on hills surrounding the bush areas, lions look down on the action. Other shows and attractions include the Creature Feature where guests can touch small mammals, reptiles and birds, and Wonders of Wildlife in which caretakers interact with animals. The park is easily walked but hilly, so there are free trams that make multiple stops for those who’d rather not walk. Out of Africa has a wild feel. Unlike landmarks such as the San Diego Zoo or even the San Diego Zoo’s Wild Animal Park, the surroundings are not landscaped and have been left in a natural, chaparral-covered state. Sedona’s red rocks and Flagstaff’s San Francisco Peaks are visible from the park, and the blue sky stretches endlessly. And don’t expect lavish restaurants or a plethora of themed gift shops at every turn. There’s a gift shop, and stands where you can grab a bite to eat are scattered throughout the park, but while Dean and Prayeri have made Out of Africa comfortable for visitors, it’s a habitat for the hundreds of animals that call the park home. Out of Africa Wildlife Park is located on Cherry Road off SR 260 in Camp Verde. Open daily, 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. (The admission office closes at 4 p.m.) Closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Admission is $36 for adults, $34 for seniors, $20 for children 12 and younger, and free for children 2 and younger. For more information and a schedule of shows, call 928-567-2840 or visit www.outofafricapark.com. Grand Canyon Deer Farm & Petting Zoo Randy says the farm’s original owner had owned a zoo in northern California before opening up the northern Arizona attraction. Randy and his wife, Pat, had visited the farm several times, including on their honeymoon. When they heard the farm was for sale, they moved north from Phoenix and purchased it in March 1987, though they had no experience running a zoo. Randy’s background was in computer manufacturing and Pat worked for UPS. (The Georges are the farm’s third owners.) Since then, the farm has expanded to include much more than just deer. During our visit, fallow, sika and axis deer greeted us at the farm’s entrance, located behind a large and well-stocked gift shop. The deer patiently followed us around the farm during our entire visit. Most of the deer are born and raised at the farm while other animals are purchased from breeders. We were introduced to reindeer, elk, pygmy goats, camels, buffalo, miniature donkeys and horses, and llamas. Randy says in addition to the 100 deer (60 greet you when you first walk into the farm), the farm is home to 40 other animals. It’s not surprising to meet a potbellied pig or even the miniature zebu cow, but we did a double take at the coatimundi – members of the raccoon family – and the baby wallabies (Bindy and Chloe). The tiny South American marmoset, a monkey that weighs less than one pound, might have been the most unique resident, though Randy says Mozart and Sparky, a cockatoo and a parrot, receive the most attention. Perhaps that’s because Mozart gamely asks, “Polly want a cracker?” when prompted. Pat says Mozart was the first animal she purchased after taking over the farm in 1987. It took an entire year to get him to talk. “He’s been adding words ever since,” she says. The Grand Canyon Deer Farm is the only one of its kind in Arizona, says Randy. The deer live to be in their late teens and early 20s, and the farm is home to a 23-year-old reindeer affectionately referred to as “Grandma.” Visitors (about 40,000 each year) walk along a paved path and can purchase pellets to feed to some – but not all – of the animals. Randy and Pat take care of their brood with the help of only one other caretaker. “We have visitors who came here when they were kids and now they return with their kids and grandkids,” says Randy. “People love it out here.” Grand Canyon Deer Farm & Petting Zoo is located 25 miles west of Flagstaff and eight miles east of Williams at Deer Farm Road on I-40. Open Oct. 16 – March 15, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.; March 16 – Oct. 15, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.; the park is closed Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Admission is $8.50 for adults, $7.50 for seniors, $5 for children ages 3-13, free children 2 and younger. For more information, call 1-800-926-DEER or visit www.deerfarm.com. Bearizona It’s one thing to observe black bears when there’s a sturdy fence between you and the bear, but it’s another thing altogether when the bears are casually wandering around your vehicle while you’re inside of it. That’s what you will experience at Bearizona, Williams’ newest attraction. The vision of Sean and Dennis Casey, two brothers whose father opened Bear Country USA in South Dakota in 1972, the 160-acre wildlife park opened May 22, 2010, says Vanessa Stoffel, the park’s chief operating officer. Bearizona has two distinct components: a three-mile drive through the Kaibab National Forest where you will observe animals from your car, and a 20-acre walk-through area.
At the time of our visit, Bearizona was home to 74 animals (67 were on exhibit); half the animals come from sanctuaries or rescue organizations and the other half come from breeders. As you pull onto the compacted dirt road that winds its way around the drive-through portion of the park you’ll pass through areas of burro, buffalo, snow-white Alaskan tundra wolves, Dall sheep, white bison, bighorn sheep and, the grand finale, North American black bears. We were skeptical about the chances of seeing all of these animals from our car but, with the exception of the Dall sheep, we got an up-close look at every animal. The black bear, fat from packing on 20,000 calories per day during the summer, strolled in front of our car, scarcely paying us any attention. Park keepers distribute food throughout the black bear enclosure to mimic a bear’s natural habitat; they have to roam to find their next meal. (Note to photographers: You are require to keep your car windows rolled up in the wolf and bear areas, so make sure your windows are clean before you head into the park.) The buffalo and burros are fed along the side of the road, so there’s no chance of missing these animals. Fences and metal “cattle guards” separate the habitats. The walk-through area was a real treat during our visit. Ten-month-old bear cubs were playing high up in the pine trees while 6-month-old bobcats and red foxes slept peacefully. Javelina foraged for food and Sassy the skunk wandered the perimeter of her home. Benches are strategically placed, so visitors can sit a spell and watch the animals in action. Vanessa says late this winter, raccoon and lynx exhibits will be added to the walk-through area and a mountain goat habitat is planned for the drive-through portion of the park. Future plans also include a juvenile bear exhibit where visitors can peer through glass windows and see into a bear cave. A nocturnal building is also in the works; expect to see opossums, flying squirrels and bats in that exhibit. Within five years, Bearizona will boast a restaurant, hotel and 3,000-square-foot gift shop. Currently, a stand serving snacks as well as a temporary gift shop are located near the walk-through area. Vanessa says Bearizona strives to connect visitors (more than 100,000 in the park’s first six months) to the land that supports the animals as well as the animals themselves. The park collects 120,000 gallons of rainwater annually and produces 20,000 kilowatts of solar energy each day thanks to solar photovoltaic cells. Fifty tons of recycled scrap material helped create waterfalls and rock sculptures in the habitats. And for the throngs of motorcyclists that drive through Williams each year, Bearizona can accomodate those travelers, too. Tour buses can be reserved for an additional fee since the dirt roads are not conducive to bikes. Groups can also reserve the buses. Vanessa says people spend as little as 30 minutes or as much as six hours exploring the park. Once you pay your admission fee, you can drive through the park as many times as you want. If you visit in the summer, you’ll see more activity before 11 a.m. and after 3 p.m. The park wasn’t expecting all the bears to hibernate during the winter, but since this was Bearizona’s first winter, hibernation activity won’t be known until this spring. Bearizona’s location makes it ideal for the carloads of families who head to the Grand Canyon each year and spend the night in Williams. We love the fact that the park includes many animals that are native to northern Arizona – animals that you otherwise might not have the chance to see without backpacking into the forest. The drive-through portion of the park with its obscured fences and free-roaming animals makes you feel like you’re on a safari in the middle of the forest, and even the walk-through area doesn’t feel like a zoo with traditional cages; the habitats are surrounded by rock walls and trenches but no fences. The whole park lends itself to a truly unique wildlife experience. Bearizona is located off Route 66 in Williams. |
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SEEDONA | |
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This Month's Cover Story |
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Sedona Gone Hollywood | |
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Sedona Activities | |
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Sedona Snapshots | |
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Dear Diary | |
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SEDONA GUIDE | |
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Lodging | |
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HAPPENINGS | |
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Calendar of Events | |
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DIRECTORY | |
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Maps and Directions | |
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It’s just another afternoon of the Tiger Splash performance at Out of Africa, the 104-acre wildlife park Dean owns and operates with his wife of 30 years, Prayeri. For the next 30 minutes, the 400-plus-pound tigers chase inflatable toys, stuffed animals and balls around the enclosure, bouncing off the wire fence that keeps spectators out of harm’s way. The tigers gamely jumped into a pool of water in pursuit of a favorite toy. It’s an awesome display of the tiger’s prowess and definitely one of the park’s must-see attractions. Afterward, for $5 anyone can feed the tigers with a set of long tongs through the wire fence. 
For more than 41 years, travelers along Interstate 40 have been pulling off at exit 171 to visit the unassuming Grand Canyon Deer Farm & Petting Zoo. For the past 23 years, Randy and Pat George have owned the farm. We admit it: After traveling and living in northern Arizona for more than 10 years, we’d never visited the farm, though the highway signs always elicited curious comments in 
“We’re different from a zoo,” says Vanessa. “We have a regional collection of North American wildlife, and we focus on conservation success stories – black bears in the wild are at pre-settlement numbers. We’ve also built our enclosures around the existing forest. Everything is natural and oversized compared to other institutions.”
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