A Drive Through Beautiful Bearizona Wildlife Park
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Bearizona is a drive-thru wildlife park located in small town Williams. It’s one of the many great attractions which I have added to my Northern Arizona best of tourist guide since relocating to the area. This park is located just an hour or so from the Grand Canyon’s South rim, so it’s the perfect add on activity while you are in the vicinity looking for more to do.
There are 3 main sections of the park to explore:
- a drive-thru area housing larger animals like black bears and bison (you can drive or take a bus tour)
- a walk through area featuring babies & smaller species
- daily Rapture shows operating from March-December
Birds of Prey show
The free flight Birds of Prey show, which runs 3 times a day, features free flying hawks, falcons, and owls. It’s a pretty interesting educational show. I loved the excitement of raptors soaring right above my head. For a few guests, they got so close that they ruffled up their hair. Definitely make some room for this as you are paying for it with your ticket!
Fort Bearizona Walk-Thru
A nice zoo-like walk through area allows you to take a leisurely stroll while you view babies and smaller animals such as Black Bears, Bobcats, foxes, and more!
I loved seeing the baby black bears as this is something you don’t see everyday at a typical zoo. They were super active running around playing with each other which kept things interesting.
The drive-thru park
The beautiful drive through section featuring black bears, wolves, bison, and mountain goats is what has earned this park its’ many awards. As you drive along, you will notice that the animals inhabit large wooded spaces. The enclosures are not at all like a zoo, but rather resemble a more natural environment. I love the beautiful ponderosa pine scenery.
The animals seem much happier to be living in their natural habitat, opposed to typically small zoo cages. All animals were out and about, with the exception of the wolves, seen sleeping due to the unusually warm temperatures.
Enjoy a few pics we took of buffalo, black bears, and bighorn sheep in action.
Tour buses
If you don’t feel like driving yourself, you have the option of purchasing an extra ticket for the Wild Ride bus tour. This is nice for anyone who drove a long way for their vacation and prefers to sit back and let someone else do the driving. Plus, you will learn a lot of cool facts along the way. In the hour or so journey, you will learn more about the animals which inhabit the park.
The staff will also feed the animals, so you will get a nice up close view of many of the major species like the bison and mountain goats. It’s a bit pricey of an add on, however, you do receive a free drink coupon and a discount at the gift shop.
Best time to visit
During the spring season, you will likely see lots of baby black bear, sheep, and bison. This is a great time to plan your visit as the temperatures are pretty mild and it’s not yet as crowded as the busy summer season.
Overall, I would say the park is a great overall experience and definitely worth the rather hefty admission fee. Then again, it’s really not much more than a zoo ticket today as everything is so expensive. You will see many animals, the shows are great, and the natural setting compliments the area perfectly. It’s a great half day activity for anyone living in or traveling around the Williams or Flagstaff area.
Helpful tips for your visit:
- Bring with plenty of sunblock and water for the walk through section. It can get pretty hot in the afternoons.
- Plan at least 2 hours for your visit to give you enough time to see all exhibits, take the bus ride, and see the raptor show.
- Know that the last car is admitted an hour before closure.
- Pack your own lunch, save some money, and enjoy lunch in the quiet, wooded picnic area.
- The warmer months are the best time to visit as more animals will be out, getting to Williams will be much easier without hefty snowfall, and walking around will be much more comfortable.
- Take some time to explore downtown Williams. It’s the last town to be bypassed by Rt 66 and there are a lot of fun quirky Rt 66 shops and memorabilia to enjoy.
- Arrive early in the day when animals are most active. If you arrive too late, the bobcats and wolves will likely be sleeping/avoiding the sun.
Admission, Address, & Hours
Ticket prices: Ranges from $25-35, depending on age and weekday/weekend. Visit the park website for special promotions and updated pricing. Pricing is current as of 2025 and subject to change at any point.
Location: 1500 Historic Rte 66, Williams, AZ 86046
The park is open year-round enabling you to take in different views based on the changing seasons. Don’t worry you will still see bears during the winter season as we were told that they do not hibernate due to the constant supply of food.
Normal hours are 9am-4pm. The park closes early on Christmas Eve and Thanksgiving (last car is let in at 2) and is closed on Christmas Day.
