Wilmington, N.Y. — When an animal gets injured in the Adirondacks, where does it go?
Many wounded animals won’t survive in the wilderness, unable to fight predators or hunt for food. Some will heal on their own. But a small number of animals will arrive at the Adirondack Wildlife Refuge, a nonprofit organization and education center dedicated to wildlife rescue.
Wildlife rehabilitators Steve and Wendy Hall run the refuge along the Ausable River, with wolves, bears and coyotes among their varied collection of wildlife.
Often the rehabbed animals are released back into nature, but some find their way back to the refuge to stay, where food and shelter are plentiful. Those animals become part of the Halls’ education program.
Gray wolves are the stars of the show, with a central location for their enclosure. Steve Hall gives a daily 10 a.m. talk about the history and cultural impact of the gray wolf.
Visitors can also see coyotes, a red fox, a bobcat, a variety of hawks and owls, falcons, turkey vultures and two black bears (one of which escaped in June, but was found a week later).
Shmendrick the porcupine was a particularly popular choice among young guests on my last visit, especially as he crawled up the wall of his enclosure, exposing his soft belly under all those porcupine quills.
The Halls offer self-guided tours and educational programs throughout the year. The refuge center includes two miles of educational hiking trails and a public fishing access trail.
A new offering this year at Adirondack Wildlife Refuge is a glamping den called the Wolf Dome, which sits about 100 feet away from the gray wolf enclosure. Visitors can hear the wolves howling at night.
The glamping dome (for two guests) has a TV, wi-fi, a coffee maker and mini fridge. A short walk away, guests can use the rest room, shower, washer and dryer in the welcome center.
“It’s a great place to get away from it all,” said Steve Hall. “Be out in nature, without being out in the weather.”
Guests also have access to a nearby sauna and hot tub, and several kayaks on Lake Everest, which is open for fishing or swimming.
Interested in staying overnight? Call 855-WOLF-MAN (855-965-3626) or email Steve@AdirondackWildlife.org.
Seven minutes from the refuge, you can include the High Falls Gorge as part of your visit. The beautiful waterfall walks offer gorgeous scenery for photographs, with none of the effort required for a mountain hike. The walking trails also include partial wheelchair access. Admission is $13.10 for adults and $10.10 for kids.
Adirondack Wildlife Refuge
Where: 977 Springfield Rd., Wilmington.
When: Open 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Thursday through Monday. Closed Tuesdays and Wednesdays.
How much: Donations to the refuge are tax-deductible. There are donation boxes throughout the property.
More adventures in Upstate New York
• Explore Adirondack treetops at Wild Center (video)
• Zip-line through the forest at Greek Peak (video)
• Kick up mud in the Adirondacks with this ATV tour
• Swing like Tarzan through trees at Bristol Mountain Aerial Adventures (video)
• Glamping feels magical at this Finger Lakes farm (video below)