Northwest Trek Wildlife Park

Written by Scott Messmore

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is a unique way to get up close and personal with the native wildlife of the Pacific Northwest. Northwest Trek Wildlife Park was formed in 1975 with the land that Dr. David and Connie Hellyer donated to Metro Parks Tacoma. It's an extremely large park, more than 600 acres where moose, grizzly bears, rams, wolves and elk roam in their natural habitats. The Hellyer's wanted a place that was more than a zoo, a place where visitors could see the animals up close. In fact, 435 acres of the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park are free roaming areas where animals, wander as they please. Tram rides last for 50 minutes and show the wildlife that live in the free roaming area. Visitors can hike on five miles of nature trails or stop by the Cheney Discovery Center with its exhibits, animals, puzzles and games.

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Animals

The Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is home to many rare animals that aren't kept in cages for visitors to gawk at. Visitors can see Snowy Owls, Great Horned Owls,

© Dick Milligan

bobcats, a lynx, wolves and Barn Owls. The kings of the Pacific Northwest wildlife scene, Grizzlies and Black Bears also live at the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park. Depending on which name you assign to it (cougars, panthers, pumas, mountain lions or American lions) cougars are well represented in the park. Badgers and Big Horn Sheep, bison, Blacktail deer, caribou, Mountain Goats, Sandhill Cranes, River Otters, beavers, wolverines, raccoons and porcupines, they're all at the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park.

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park Programs

The Northwest Trek Wildlife Park offers several special programs to promote wildlife awareness and understanding. Free Roaming Area Keeper Tours offer you the chance to literally ride on the back of a keeper's truck as wild animals are fed. The two-hour tour is $30 for adults and $20 for children 12 and younger. Photo Tours are available for photographers who can board trams for a two-hour ride among the elk and buffalo. Animal Care Camp will teach you how to prepare diets for park animals. You can choose to work with predators or prey. The four-hour program is $60. Children under 14 years need to be accompanied by an adult.

Hours of Operation and Location

Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is located at 11610 Trek Drive East in Eatonville, Washington, less than an hours drive south of Seattle, along Highway 161. The park is open every day at 9:30 a.m. from April through October. From November to March

© Dick Milligan

the park opens at 9:30 a.m. only from Friday to Sunday and certain holidays. The park closes at different times throughout the year, anywhere from 3 p.m. on weekdays to 6 p.m. during the summer months. Call for closing times during your stay. Tram tours of the park depart throughout the day. For group rates of 15 people or more, call for advance reservations at 360-832-7182.

For more information about the Northwest Trek Wildlife Park, call 360-832-6117.