Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park

Drive Through Wildlife Park Run By Omaha'S Henry Doorly Zoo And Aquarium · Ashland, Nebraska

The Lee G. Simmons Wildlife Safari Park is a drive-through wildlife park beside Interstate 80 near Ashland, roughly halfway between Omaha and Lincoln, run by Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium and named after the zoo's long-time director. Visitors drive their own car along a loop of a few miles through prairie, woods and wetland in the Platte River valley, past large enclosures of North American animals such as bison, elk, pronghorn and deer, wetlands used by cranes and waterfowl, and fenced areas for wolves and black bears. Around the entrance a walking area with a hands-on corral and overlooks has been expanded in recent years. It is not an African safari and not a second zoo: the animals are native or near-native species, many enclosures are large enough that animals are far off or hidden, and the whole visit takes about one to three hours. It is seasonal, closed through the winter, and ticketed separately from the Omaha zoo. Its real value is as a relaxed family stop combined with the SAC Museum and Mahoney State Park at the same exit.

16406 North 292nd Street, Ashland, Nebraska, 68003, United States

NO OPENING TIME HERE WAS CHECKED. The typical pattern: open daily in season, roughly early April to mid or late October, from about 9 am to 5 pm, with the last cars allowed onto the drive-through loop roughly an hour before closing; closed completely through the winter. Hours may be shorter at the start and end of the season and the walking area can close earlier than the loop. The traps that ruin a day are arriving between November and March when the gate is shut, reaching the loop after the last-entry time, and visiting at midday in July when the animals are hiding in shade. Severe weather can close outdoor areas. Confirm current dates and times before relying on them.

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