Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge - Eureka Springs, Arkansas

Rocky Hamilton

Took the tram tour around the facility before walking down the bear tunnel and seeing all the beautiful big cats and the bears. The tour guide was wonderful and very passionate about the rescue and treatment of these animals and it was nice to see how much of an effort this facility makes to make all the animals here as happy as they can. They have some super cool merch in the gift store as well. Wonderful place.

Jeff Dart

We had a great time at Turpentine Creek. We spent the night in one of their glamping tents. It was a nice and comfortable accommodation. Be warned it can be loud. There was a heavy rain in the night that woke us up, then after the rain we were awoken again by the lions....which was amazing. They talk so much overnight and staying there you get to experience that. As an overnight guest you also get to walk around the outside of some of the cages while the rest of the park is closed, so you can spend time near the tigers at night. Everything about this place was great. And you can tell they care about their animals and are there for the right reasons. Highly recommend.

Eureka Springs was also better than I expected. A little touristy city in the mountains, we found multiple places we could eat. Pleasantly surprised

Michelle Moorehead

This place is amazing! The information you are given is highly educational for the preservation of such beautiful animals. We thoroughly enjoyed seeing the animals that were out.
As with all wild animals they are unpredictable and we are just happy we got to see as many as we did.

Thank you to the staff here for running such a clean and awesome facility giving these animals a true sanctuary to spend the rest of their lives.

We will be back to visit and bring friends!

Kelvin Laffoon

This was our first time visiting Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. While I had know about it since it started operation over 30 years ago, I had never really known what it was all about. I guess I had assumed that it was more or less just another "safari park" attraction. That is far from the truth.
TCWR is a non-profit, true sanctuary for big cats. They have rescued over 500 animals from private owners, roadside zoos, and situations of abuse and neglect. And that is just the beginning. They provide these animals with a lifelong home and care, rehabilitating them physically and mentally in a life of sanctuary. To hear some of the stories of the conditions these animals came from and the shape they were in is heartbreaking. To see the care that is given to them and their rehabilitation is heartwarming. This is an organization worth supporting.
The cats (as well as two black bears, and one grizzly bear) are allowed to live their best life as naturally as possible. They are never forced to be "on display" for visitors. Therefore, some may be in their nighthouses or other places out of view at times.
PRO TIP: The animals will usually be more active in the morning (especially during warmer weather) so plan to visit when they first open at 9:00 AM. Also, buying your ticket online (even from the parking lot) will save you a few bucks.

Walker Robinett

Terpentine Creek is an actual RESCUE, not some Tiger King roadside show (though they do actually have some of his cats). All of the animals have huge enclosures and are well cared for. They're awesome people with a noble mission.

Brittany Nicole

We had a spur of the moment trip there Saturday and we had a blast!!!! Bathrooms and grounds were clean staff was very very nice had a great time on the self tour and on the tram with the tour guide! Overall it was a wonderful place to visit with family. We really enjoyed and plan to be back to do more in depth tours ?

Nicole Hood

Wonderful non-profit big cat rescue in Eureka Springs. They have a 45 min tram tour, wildlife talk, self guided walk to see the animals, along with a gift shop and small outdoor food stand and benches throughout with shade. This is a no contact sanctuary and you can tell they truly care for and help these animals. They have a bigger area below called Rescue Ridge that has acres and acres of fenced areas for the big cats to roam and relax in the quiet, away from the people and noise. They also have a on site vet center, which is great. Pricing is high, it is not a huge place like a zoo, but the regular adult price is $32! But they do have military, senior, and child pricing. They also have cabins and camping sites along with a tree house to stay overnight on site. I love all the info boards and stories they tell about cats and rescues. It's a very cool place to check out!

Nikole Mauldin

I ❤️ this place. I visited Turpentine Creek for the first time about 15 years ago and was hooked. I have now been going about twice a year since then. I stay in the (adult only) safari cabins. To hear the majestic roars of the lions throughout the night is an amazing experience. All the rescued animals have a story, some very heartbreaking, but their stories need to be told. They have a great campsite, hot tub, fire pit and private decks overlooking the Ozarks. The gifts shop is not lacking for variety. The tours and caregivers are very informative. I learn something new everything I go. I can't say enough about this place. An overnight stay is a MUST!!