Nebraska has one of the best-rated drive-thru parks in the country, a 4-mile North American wildlife loop between Omaha and Lincoln. Up in the Sandhills, a free refuge drive takes you through bison and elk country.
- Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park (Ashland)
- Fort Niobrara National Wildlife Refuge (Valentine)
LEE G. SIMMONS WILDLIFE SAFARI PARK
Type: AZA-accredited self-drive North American wildlife park, owned and operated by Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo & Aquarium. It was voted the #1 Safari Park in the Nation by USA Today 10Best readers.
Location: 16406 N. 292nd St, Ashland, NE 68003 (I-80 Exit 426, between Omaha and Lincoln)
Phone: (402) 944-WILD (9453)
Website: wildlifesafaripark.com · Hours & Admission · Buy Tickets · Download a Map · Visitor Experiences · Policies
Social Media:
Size: 440 acres, with a 4-mile drive-through loop
Animals: American elk (60+ in Elk Meadows), bison (Bison Plains), gray wolves (Wolf Canyon), black bears, white-tailed deer, pronghorn, sandhill cranes, trumpeter swans, American white pelicans, bald eagles (Eagle Aviary), prairie dogs, and a Hands-On Corral with pygmy goats
General Admission:
- Adults (12+): $14
- Seniors (65+): $13
- Children (3–11): $12
- Ages 2 & under: Free
- Military Adult: $13
- Military Child: $11
- Members get unlimited visits with no timed arrival ticket needed. Non-members should book online ahead of time.
Hours:
- Daily 9 AM – 5 PM in season
- The season runs late March through October. In past years the park has stayed open daily into early November, then weekends only (9 AM – 4 PM) as weather allows.
- ⚠️ The park has posted a delayed opening due to flash flooding. Check the website or Facebook before you go.
Included Extras:
- Dinosaurs Unearthed: A Trek Through Time: A walk-through experience with life-size animatronic dinosaurs
- Visitor Center exhibits and the Wolf Canyon overlook walk
Other Experiences:
- Behind-the-scenes conservation tours of the cheetah and Amur tiger breeding programs (separate registration)
- Narrated tram rides for groups of 20+ (book 2 weeks ahead)
- Campouts, day camps, and field trips
Tips:
- Fall is a great time to visit, since the elk rut brings bugling bulls.
- The park is about 30 miles from the Omaha Zoo, so you may not want to do both in one day.
FORT NIOBRARA NATIONAL WILDLIFE REFUGE
Type: USFWS national wildlife refuge with a free self-guided wildlife drive through bison and elk pastures
Location: 39983 Refuge Rd, Valentine, NE 69201 (about 5 miles east of Valentine on US-12, north-central Nebraska Sandhills)
Phone: (402) 376-3789
Website: fws.gov/refuge/fort-niobrara · Visit Us
Social Media: No dedicated accounts
Size: The refuge covers 19,131 acres along the Niobrara River. The wildlife drive is about 3.5 miles, starting near the Visitor Center about 1.5 miles inside the entrance.
Animals:
- About 350 bison and about 100 elk
- White-tailed and mule deer, a prairie dog town, coyotes, badgers, and eagles
- 230+ bird species, including prairie chickens and sharp-tailed grouse
Admission: FREE. River floaters pay a $2 per-watercraft access fee.
Hours:
- Refuge and wildlife drive: Sunrise to sunset, every day, year-round
- Visitor Center: Monday – Friday, about 8 or 9 AM – 4 PM. It’s closed weekends and federal holidays outside summer.
Rules & Tips:
- Daylight use only.
- Stay in or near your vehicle in the bison and elk pastures. Bison and elk are dangerous to hikers.
- The herds move between pastures, so sightings aren’t guaranteed.
- The Visitor Center has frontier fort history and fossils of mastodons, giant bison, and three-toed horses.
- Pair the drive with the short hike to Fort Falls. Smith Falls State Park, Nebraska’s tallest waterfall, is 15 miles east.
Explore Drive-Thru Wildlife Parks in Neighboring States:
South Dakota · Iowa · Missouri · Kansas · Colorado · Wyoming