Drive-Thru-Safari-Wildlife-Parks-in-Oklahoma

Drive-Thru Safari Wildlife Parks in Oklahoma

Oklahoma has two commercial drive-thru safaris, one in the Arbuckle Mountains and one in the Hochatown cabin country. It also has two of the best free bison drives in the country: the world’s largest tallgrass prairie, and a historic refuge with bison, longhorns, and elk.

ARBUCKLE WILDERNESS PARK

Type: Self-drive exotic animal safari with a seasonal walk-thru zoo, House of Reptiles, and petting zoo
Location: 6132 Kay Starr Trl, Davis, OK 73030 (I-35 Exit 51 across from Turner Falls, about 1 hour from Oklahoma City and 90 minutes from North Dallas)
Phone: (580) 369-3383 · 1-800-PET-PARK
Website: arbucklewildernesspark.com · Specials
Social Media: No dedicated accounts

Size: 200+ acres of gravel safari roads in the Arbuckle Mountains
Animals: Hundreds of animals from 5 continents, including camels, llamas, zebras, giraffes, bison, yaks, deer, emus, rhinos, and a white tiger

Drive-Thru Admission (most recent posted rates):

  • Adults: $16.99
  • Children (3–11): $14.99
  • Seniors: $14.99
  • Separate prices apply when the walk-thru is open.
  • Group rates are available for 25+, and bus tours for 20+.
  • Feed cups are sold before you start your drive.

Hours:

  • The drive-thru is open every day, year-round, weather permitting. It’s closed only on Thanksgiving and Christmas.
  • Call for current fall hours.
  • Rides are currently under construction.

Rules:

  • 5 mph or less on the bumpy gravel roads.
  • Stay in your car at all times.
  • The park isn’t responsible for vehicle damage.

Tip: Combine the visit with Turner Falls Park across the highway.

BEAVERS BEND SAFARI PARK

Type: Self-drive safari plus an Animal Walkabout, opened in 2017 by a family from Texas
Location: 589 Old Hochatown Rd, Broken Bow, OK 74728 (Hochatown, southeast Oklahoma, near Beavers Bend State Park)
Phone: (580) 494-3222
Email: hello@beaversbendsafaripark.com
Website: beaversbendsafaripark.com · Contact
Social Media: Tripadvisor

Size: 90 acres. The 1.8-mile safari road winds through forest and streams and takes about 1 hour.
Animals: 350+ animals of 55+ species, including a southern white rhino (Rhonnie), bison (King George), elk, zebras, ostriches, kudu, wildebeest, red stag, and antelope. The Walkabout has kangaroos, lemurs, capybaras, otters, and hyenas.

Admission:

  • General admission includes both the drive-thru and the Walkabout. Recent visitors report about $35 per adult.
  • Feed cups and guided animal encounters (otter and capybara, booked in the gift shop) cost extra.
  • A 4% card fee and local sales tax apply.
  • Check the website for current rates.

Hours:

  • Open daily from 9:30 AM, final entry 4:30 PM, grounds close 5:30 PM
  • The Animal Walkabout and gift shop close at 4:30 PM.
  • Open year-round. Hours vary with season and holidays.

Tips:

  • Feeding happens at designated stations along the drive rather than through your car window.
  • Encounters run at 10 AM, 11:30 AM, 1 PM, and 2:30 PM. Booking opens 30 minutes before each, and spots are limited.

TALLGRASS PRAIRIE PRESERVE

Type: Nature Conservancy preserve with a free self-drive bison loop. It’s the largest protected tallgrass prairie in the world.
Location: Joseph H. Williams Tallgrass Prairie Preserve, 15316 County Road 4201, Pawhuska, OK 74056 (about 17 miles north of Pawhuska, in Osage County)
Phone: (918) 287-4803
Website: The Nature Conservancy – Tallgrass Prairie Preserve

Size: About 40,000 acres. The 15-mile Bison Loop is a gravel road. The full scenic route from Pawhuska and back is 35–50 miles and takes about 2–3 hours.
Animals: About 2,500 free-roaming bison, plus white-tailed deer, coyotes, bobcats, badgers, armadillos, and 300+ bird species

Admission: FREE

Hours:

  • Preserve and Bison Loop: Daily, dawn to dusk, year-round
  • Visitor Center: About 10 AM – 4 PM, March – mid-December. It’s volunteer-staffed, so call to confirm.

Rules & Tips:

  • Stay in your vehicle in the bison unit, and drive slowly. Bison often stand in the road.
  • An SUV or truck handles the gravel best.
  • Fill your gas tank in Pawhuska first. There are no services on the preserve.
  • Hiking trails are in a separate area away from the bison.
  • Pair the trip with The Pioneer Woman Mercantile in Pawhuska.

WICHITA MOUNTAINS WILDLIFE REFUGE

Type: USFWS national wildlife refuge with free scenic roads through bison, longhorn, and elk range. It was established in 1901 and is one of the oldest managed wildlife preserves in the U.S.
Location: Visitor Center, 32 Refuge Headquarters, Indiahoma, OK 73552 (about 20 minutes northwest of Lawton)
Phone: (580) 429-3222
Website: fws.gov/refuge/wichita-mountains
Social Media: Facebook

Size: About 59,000 acres of granite mountains and mixed-grass prairie, with paved roads including the drive up Mount Scott
Animals: About 650 American bison, Texas longhorn cattle, Rocky Mountain elk, white-tailed deer, prairie dogs, wild turkeys, and 240+ bird species

Admission: FREE

Hours: Public-use areas are open daily during daylight hours. Check the refuge website for visitor center hours and any road closures.

Rules & Tips:

  • The elk rut is late September – October, when bulls bugle at dawn and dusk.
  • Stay at least 25 yards from bison and longhorns, and never feed them.
  • Bison often walk on or beside the roads, so drive slowly.
  • The prairie dog town along Hwy 49 is a family favorite.
  • Grab burgers at Meers Store just outside the refuge.

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