lee g. simmons conservation park and wildlife safari

The animals can be a little hit or miss, but you are pretty much guaranteed to see something if you go through. There are some areas to pull over to see habitats such as wolves or eagles. I was partial to the small animal center near the entrance/exit. It is really nice to see the animals in a more natural setting. Right off the interstate too!

First a word of warning; don't go in the dead of summer in the middle of the afternoon. All the animals will be in shaded areas or near water trying to stay cool and you will see nothing. Spring and fall are the best time. We hadn't been here for several years (even though we only live 8 miles away!) Brought a group of foreign exchange students on a day trip. Everyone enjoyed themselves and all had different favorite parts. There have been several additions and changes to the park since my last visit (all for the better). This place is well worth the trip out. Don't try to pack a big group in one car; they charge per person, a little high in my opinion.

On googling, this safari came up. The directions are easy: take I-80 west, then exit 426. Surprised to see they charge per head and not per car: adult $6.50 each, kids (3-11 yrs) $4.50 each. Elk, white-tailed deer, pelican, turkey, crane, bald eagle, bison roam about; bear and wolve in enclosures. Right at the entrance there are cages for eagle, swift fox, bobcat, owl. You have to drive at 7 mph on gravel road (I was apprehensive that my Altima may have a puncture!). For the bear and wolve, you need to take the hiking trail. That is nice, but, if you go past these to the Frog pond, that part is quite badly maintained. The steep incline is risky with kids, being cracked in many places with hardly room for toehold. Pelicans ans cranes waded in water thick with green slime, could these not be cleaned? A staff member fed the pelicans, thrilling for our kid to watch it. We went on a weekend and spent 3.5 hours. The gents toilet did not have water, not expected! However, we have been to Custer State Park (bisons) and Bear Country (bears) in South Dakota: both are much better value for money and have much more to offer. If you compare with those, this is not worth it. As this was managed by the Omaha zoo, we expected much better, was disappointed.

This is great if you are from city. If you are from Nebraska and have been to SD or CO, then probably nothing new to see. It was definitely worth the price. I was actually hoping to see some of the elephants who were missing in the zoo this past weekend. The Henry Doorly Zoo is remodeling to make a grasslands of Africa so I was hoping they had moved the elephants here.There is a similar experience to this that I have been to in NC where you can actually feed giraffes out of your car. That was a bit more of an interactive experience. This is just seeing the buffalo and elk. We got lucky in that the bears were close to the viewing platform. Not so much with the wolves as no one in the time frame we were there spotted any of them. It is so close to the interstate that it is a nice break from driving 80 miles per hour. It refreshed me:)

Very nice and lots of fun for kids. Got to see the black bears and wolves get feed. Animals were all very close and active. Bald eagle

We stopped here on our way through Nebraska and it was worth it. We spend an hour and 20 minutes here. I consider this short just because it was on and off raining. You drive through a majority of the park but there is an area to walk and around and an area to pet goats that the kids loved. Very neat place to be able to see elk deer and bison up close. The deer and bison were in velvet yet and had full large racks. Our kids loved seeing the animals so close up. Glad to know there are places like this for experiences that are unforgettable. Take the time to see this! Bring a camera!

We decided to do this, after seeing a sign in the Space Museum down the road. They do charge per person, in the car, which is odd, but whatever...It was alot of fun and the animals do get pretty close to you...we would recommend this to anyone. The buffalo are really cool to see....we did skip the wolf part, because you have to get our of your car and it was over 100 that day....but the deer, buffalo and other animals were cool-

We've been through thisSafari park 3 times now. I like how close the animals are to your car - especially the elk. Getting out to see the wolf area is also cool. Hidden gem just outside of Omaha!

We have been there twice in the last month, as we are members of the zoo in Omaha. Both times, we have seen a lot of animals. The elk herd is large and awesome, as is the buffalo herd. Of course, the wolves are a bit harder to find, but we saw a couple. Only negative is that the road needs grading badly. The gravel is rough and terribly bumpy. I am sure that to some extent it is intended to keep traffic running slowly, but it is a bit extreme right now.

Our cabin growing up is right next to the Conservation Park and Wildlife Safari and it took me moving away to visit! What a great stop on our trip to Omaha. We really enjoyed the intern feeding the beers and wolves along with the hike to see all the animals. This is a must see stop along with the famous Omaha Zoo & Aquarium.

This is my second time coming to this safari and it is always fun to drive through to see the animals.I would recommend this to anyone who is visiting NE and has the time to drive through the park. It takes roughly two hours, depending on if you have kids, might be longer. The park was busy when I was there over the July 4 weekend.They now have a new overlook tower where you can look at Cranes and other birds. When I was visiting, the Bison were real cool as they walked in front and back of my car. Depending on the day, they could be hiding and might not be walking close the car path.The only thing I would suggest is driving a SUV vehicle or truck because the rock/gravel path is rough on the tires and some of the hills are steep. I made it through with a Dodge Avenger but it is a rough ride. The fee for an adult if 6.50 each.

The visitor center was friendly and helpful. There were animals on display near the entrance, but the highlight were the animals left to roam. Go during the cool time of the day to see more activity. The roads are a little rough, but the speeds keep you from noticing. A nice surprise was the petting zoo, eagles, bear, and wolves on display in the park center. There are also some trails to hike. The habitat areas are beautifully displayed and it was fund for the whole family.

We have been here twice. It is my all time favorite drive through park location. There are so many fun animals to see. Everyone has always enjoyed going. Some animals get right up by your car, picture taking is the best. The pricing is reasonable. The gift shop has fun goodies. It's just a wonderful place to get to see the wildlife. Even the trails are fun to get out and explore on. This place is magnificent.

Great family park. Lots to see, relaxing drive thru park with 1/4 mile hike if you like to hike. Great for all ages. Petting zoo too. Enjoy Nature.

We loved this adventure! Whether it was seeing the herd of elk or the herd of bison it was all worth the admission. We even saw a group of pelicans working together to eat a snake in the wetlands. I think it was also our first time seeing cardinals up close. A great time for the whole family!