Bear Country USA

Pros: Lots of fun for kids
Cons: A little pricey if you don't have a full car

Bear Country is wonderful! That is really all there is to say on the park.

We try to go at least once a year to this drive through park in near Mt. Rushmore. Here you can see bears, of course, and mountain goats and buffalo and all kinds of...

Pros: Wolves, bears, and buffalo up close and personal! Baby animal area fun.
Cons: Animals can be hiding, admission is a bit high.

Bear Country USA is a sort of drive through zoo covering 250 acres of a not too hilly terrain of pine trees and grassy meadows. It's location, just eight miles south of Rapid City, makes it within the vicinity of most of the other tourist attractions ...

Pros: Visit was over in an hour.
Cons: Cheesy tourist trap, cruel to animals

I did not enjoy my experience at all. It was not even remotely worth the time nor the money. I was appalled at how small the enclosures were for many of the animals. Mountain lions have a natural home range of tens to hundreds of miles. At this facility, several of them are being kept in an enclosure that can be measured in feet. Similar fates face the majestic elk, bison, wolves, caribou, etc. These beautiful wild creatures are being confined in unreasonably small enclosures simply for the enjoyment of humans who want to be able to see "nature" from a paved road while in the comfort of their air-conditioned vehicles. What a shame. Many of these same animals can be seen in nearby Custer State Park. If you want a real experience, go visit the park.

Pros: Top quality - would expect to find this in a major metro area.
Cons: Pricey - but worth it.

My family thought this was the best attraction on our vacation. We traveled from Chicago to Yellowstone and we all agreed that we had the most fun and best memories at this exciting attraction. The 3 mile drive took us about an hour and the babyland walk-through area took another hour. My 3 and 7 year olds could have stayed there all day! My wife thought the gift shop was top notch and spent the cash to prove it. Don't miss this attraction when heading to Mt. Rushmore.

Pros: Close up views of adult bears and cubs.
Cons: Drive through doesn't have as many varieties of animals as they could.

Bear Country has two features, the drive through and the walk through areas. The drive thought varies from year to year as to what animals they have, but there are always LOTS of bears. There is usually a nice mountain goat exhibit as well. You will be quite close to the animals and can stop for as long as you want to look and take photos. The walk through area is wonderful for viewing baby animals, especially the bear cubs. They usually have 10-15 cubs in a wonderful setting with a pond and waterfall. The cubs are quite active and a pleasure to watch up close. In recent years Bear Country has redone the walk through area making it very pleasant and attractive for both people and animals. They have a great gift shop with a variety of bear items at fair prices. We always spend an hour just watching the bear cubs.