Visiting WolfWood Refuge:

WolfWood is first and foremost a working, active animal rescue site. All tours and educational programs are scheduled in advance to accommodate the animals. We want you to have a positive experience so please read the information below.

WolfWood is located at a high elevation, over 7,000 feet. All visitors must be able to walk over hilly terrain, gravel and uneven ground. There are no paved areas at the Refuge. The elevation change from the parking area to the top of the Refuge is 175 vertical feet.

A visit to WolfWood Refuge is a unique and wonderful educational experience. Some of our visitors have called it a life-changing event. We hope you enjoy your time at the Refuge.

2024 Public Tour Schedule

No Pets are Allowed on the Refuge Grounds - Please leave pets at home.  Leaving them in your vehicle is not sufficient as our pack members will still know they are near.  If that happens, the Refuge pack members will get anxious and territorial.  This will mean that visiting the animals will not be possible.

Directions - For the safety of our animals, we do not publish directions to the Refuge. Directions will be given to you when you arrange your tour. Do not follow GPS directions, a GPS will NOT guide you to the refuge! The Refuge is 30 minutes outside of Durango. Please let Paula know if you are coming from a location other than Durango to ensure you get the most accurate directions.

Parking - When you arrive at the Refuge, we ask that you park at the bottom of the hill. Please do not attempt to drive up the hill. After parking, please walk 1/2 way up the hill and you will see a short path to your left leading to the WolfWood Visitor's Center.  (See the picture of it at the top of this page.)  All tours will start from here.

Facilities/Bathrooms - The Refuge has no standard running water toilets. Visitors, and volunteers, must use the port-a-pot located near the parking area at the bottom of the hill. If you need to use the facility, please do so before walking up the hill. It is a very long walk from the top of the Refuge back down to the toilet.

Tour admission cost - We do not charge for tours at the Refuge. However, donations are most appreciated. No one at the Refuge is compensated in any way except with wolf kisses and lots of wolf fur. We exist solely on the support and kindness of our volunteers and donations.

Merchandise - We do have WolfWood merchandise for sale (t-shirts, stuffed animals, mugs, bags and more).  100% of the proceeds support the Refuge. We accept cash, checks and credit cards.  Your support is deeply appreciated.

Firearms - Guns are prohibited at WolfWood Refuge. For the animals well being, you will not be able to take them in while visiting the wolves. Please leave them at home or be prepared to store them safely them in your car.

Visiting the Animals

WolfWood has over 50 animals consisting mostly of wolves and wolfdogs. We also have several dogs in residence. Tour members will get an opportunity to meet and interact with some of the animals. 

The activity of the animals depends on many factors including: season, weather, time of day, feeding schedule and number of visitors. Even the most active wolf will get tired after meeting a number of people. When that happens we leave the animal alone. We never force an animal to continue to see people.  All the animals are individuals and all interactions will be up to your tour guide. 

Have patience and have fun. Our top priority is our animals. We want to help educate you and allow you to interact with the wolves but their moods and preferences take priority. We try to match the interactions based on temperament, size and age.

We have some basic rules for visiting with the animals:

• The tour guide's instructions must be followed for both the animals' well being and visitors' safety.
  
  
• Please arrive on time and plan on staying for the entire tour.  Guests who arrive more than 15 minutes late will not be allowed to join the tour.  The tour takes approximately 2 hours from the time we start. You must stay with the tour.  It is disruptive to the animals and the other guests if the tour does not stay together.
  
  
• Children and adults must be respectful of the animals and able to follow these rules or return to the Visitor Center.
  
  
• Photographs are allowed but we ask that no videos be taken.
  
  
• Bring water and wear sunscreen. Colorado sun at 7,000 feet is intense.
  
  
• Food - There can be no food near the pens, like granola bars in your pockets or gum in your mouth. We have areas to leave backpacks etc. No food or water is sold at the Refuge.
  
  
• Clothing - You will get dirty, covered in fur and clothing may get torn. The wolves are playful and have no sense of fashion.
  • No open toe shoes (i.e. sandals)
  • Wear long pants. Wolf paws are big and sharp.
  • Do not wear loose fitting clothes. The animals will try to grab and run with it. Many a sweater, scarf and sundress have fallen victim to our playful inhabitants.
  • Do not wear clothing with fur (real or fake) or other "fuzzy" trim.
  • If you have a large hat, we ask that you leave it in the car or truck. Some animals get scared when they see large hats.  Baseball caps and sun hats are fine.
    
    
• Jewelry - Do not wear earrings or exposed body piercing. The wolves may grab at these and it will hurt when they do. You can feel free to keep them on and not enter an enclosure or remove them before you do enter.
  
  
• Electronics - The wolves do not know the difference between an iPhone and a toy. You should not bring these into the enclosures. Most of the wolves are used to cameras but the best pictures are often taken from outside the enclosures as most of the pictures on our website and Facebook pages attest to.