Columbia, New Jersey - Lakota Wolf Preserve

This preserve is located on Camp Taylor, a campground in the mountains of north Jersey. There are about 20 wolves, plus some bobcats and foxes in a large area in the back of the camp. They only let you in twice a day and they are closed on mondays, so you can't just randomly show up. They do a really interesting guided talk about the preserve and the wolves come up close enough to see and take pictures.

Make sure you dress for the weather, as it is outside. We took the shuttle bus up to the preserve and walked back the 1/2 mile to the parking area. Glad we walked back because the trail was really steep. Very pretty though. We had a great time. And it was pretty random to see wolves in New Jersey. [JT, 11/18/2006]

[RA: This is only an oddity -- and barely so -- because it's in NJ (though this northwest part of Jersey is mostly forested hills). Further east, the only wildlife you'll see are deer tumbling onto the highways and the occasional mangy fox or groundhog eyeing you from the shoulder.]