Group Tours & Day Activities

Big Spaces, Big Animals, Big Learning Experience! Where else can you find large expanses of wetland, prairie and woodland habitat? Where else can you get close enough to feel a rhino’s breath? Where else can you learn by doing, involve your hands, heart, and mind, and have fun while doing it? The Wilds offers group day adventures of many kinds that will make wildlife conservation a life-long learning experience.

GROUP DAY VENTURE - Tour of the Range Pastures with a Field Program

Spend a day on the Wilds with our Education Naturalist staff and tour the expanses on a bus through herds of Bison, Rhino, Camels, Giraffe, and many other species. Choose from many other Education Programs or Interpretive Hikes that suit your school curriculum or your group’s interests.

Sample Itinerary

For more intensive programming see our Overnight Safari Camps. If you are interested in only a tour see Tour Options and Prices.

Cost for School Groups: $15/participant (note: 1 adult per 8 students is free)
Cost for Adult Groups: $20/participant
Cost for lunches: $5/ participant (optional)
Dates: April - May & September - October (also during summer months as available)
Capacity: 12-120 unless special request

HANDS ON THE LAND DAY - Restoration Ecology Mini-Project for Groups

Hands on the Land is for those classes or groups that are interested in making ecology practical in the modern world. Join the Wilds Naturalists in doing wildlife and habitat improvements on the impacted surface mine areas of southeast Ohio. Hands on the Land has in-class components for before your trip and community involvement activities for when you return home. Please note that Safari Tours are not conducted for Hands on the Land Day Events due to the time needed to invest in restoration projects.

Development of Hands on the Land was funded by the Ohio Environmental Education Fund and the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium.

Cost for School Groups: $15/participant (note: 1 adult/8 students is free)
Cost for Adult Groups: $20/participant
Dates: April - May & September - October
Capacity: 12-60 unless special request

WINTER WILDLIFE - Off-season Group Tours of the Range Pastures

Even though the Wilds officially closes its doors for tours on October 31, you can still participate in tours of the range pastures and facilities in the winter. See how tropical animals survive the Ohio winters and how our animal management personnel work with them. Please note that we cannot always guarantee viewing all of the animals in their winter quarters because of the work schedules of our veterinary staff. This is also a great way to see the Wilds in the winter season – restoration areas, great winter raptor watching, snow tracking, and much more.

Cost: $20/Adult; $15/Student
Dates: November - March
Capacity: 8-20

WILD HANDS - Community Service Projects for Groups

Here’s a great way to get your class, club, or group involved in helping the Wilds grow as a conservation facility. Our Naturalist and Restoration Ecology staff have many projects that need additional hands. If you believe in the mission of the Wilds then this is the day event for you. Past groups have helped us construct osprey hacking towers, repair fences, build trails, plant forest and prairie areas, landscape, develop teaching materials, eliminate alien invaders, and construct trails. Community Service projects are one way that your group can give back to the earth.

Cost: $5/participant
Dates: year round (depending on staff availability)
Capacity:10-20

COMMUNITY PRESENTATIONS – The Wilds Comes to Your School or Group

Are you interested in one of our Education staff doing a program at your school, club, or organization? You can have in-class presentations of the interpretation of antlers & skulls, the importance of dung in biology, or a field trip on your grounds to survey habitats. The Wilds can also do power point presentations of Conservation in Action, Reclaiming the Birds, and Raptors on the Wilds.

Cost:$70 & $10 for each additional presentation in SE Ohio area (price determined by distance traveled otherwise)
Dates: November - March
Capacity: dependent on your meeting space

SCOUT GROUP DAY - Scout Merit Badges or Naturalist Trips

Scouts can now come to the Wilds to do Wildlife Management, Reptiles & Amphibians, and Bird Study Merit Badges. Our Naturalists can be available for other Cub Scout and Girl Scout badges as well. Naturalists can be rented for a themed interpretive hike of your choosing as well. See North Country Camp for more options for Scouts.

Merit Badge Cost: $10/scout
Rent a Naturalist: $4/scout
Dates: year round (depending on staff availability)
Capacity: 10-20

Prices and availability are effective as of January 1, 2008, and are subject to change. Advance reservations are required. Call 740-638-5030 or e-mail reservations@thewilds.org.