In New York, there’s a unique program that offers an unforgettable experience for wildlife enthusiasts and adventure seekers alike. The Wolf Conservation Center’s “Sleeping with Wolves” program invites guests to spend a night camping out with the majestic wolves that reside at the center.
This nocturnal adventure provides a rare opportunity to observe these incredible animals in a safe and controlled environment, while also enjoying the natural beauty of the night sky. The program includes a pizza party with ambassador wolves, an evening movie under the stars, and the thrilling sounds of wolves howling in the night. It’s a perfect blend of education, conservation, and a touch of the wild, all rolled into one extraordinary camping trip.
The Wolf Conservation Center is in South Salem, New York, a less-than two-hour drive north from the city. The center helps raise and release endangered wolves to live in the wild, and holds programs like “Sleeping with Wolves” to inspire people to want to protect the animals.
The center has offered “Sleeping with Wolves” since 2012, and its Director of Education Regan Downey says the idea behind the program is to expand the time people could be around wolves at dawn and dusk, when they’re at their most active.
The close encounters with the Center’s wolves come with a few cautions. Dana Goin, the program coordinator and wildlife educator with the Center, explains the importance of keeping your hands away from them. If a wolf were to injure someone, even with an accidental nip, the Center would be required to kill it.
Each enclosure is about an acre or two and holds several wolves. The underbrush is thick, and the shy wolves can be hard to spot.
The Center has 25 wolves. There are two gray “ambassador” wolves, who reside at the center and help teach visitors through programs like this one and via a live web cam. The other wolves are members of two critically endangered species: Mexican gray wolves and red wolves.
The wolves exhibit behavior similar to that in their natural habitat, they howl through the night, which can be a thrill for nature lovers who have sought out the experience. But Downey, the center’s director of education, acknowledged that the space doesn’t make for the most restful night.
“We get a lot of comments that, from some folks, it was not the best sleep of their life, but it was certainly the most memorable and exciting,” she said. “You don’t come here to sleep. You come here to camp out, but lay [sic] awake in your tent and hear the wolves.”
An enthusiastic visitor wrote: “Wow! Besides getting an education on some of the most beautiful animals on the planet and being in ‘their environment’ it truly was one of the top 10 trips I have taken. The staff are FANTASTIC!”
The program runs from May through October. It sells out, so you might want to plan ahead. It’s $340 for a pretty cozy tent for up to four people, or $150 for one person, but solo visitors have to bring their own tent.
