Visit the Amazing Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg, Idaho
Are you thinking of going to the Yellowstone Bear World in Rexburg, Idaho? Or maybe this is the first time you have ever heard of it. Don’t worry we are going to learn all about it!
This is one attraction to add to your Yellowstone National Park itinerary.
Yellowstone Bear World is actually located in Rexburg, ID which is a little over an hour and a half from Yellowstone National Park’s west entrance.
In this post, we are going to tell you all the fun things to do at this bear world Idaho attraction. This complete guide will include bear world prices, bear world hours, more information on the bear world petting zoo, and entertainment options.
Let’s explore all about Yellowstone Bear World so that you can plan your trip.
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What is Yellowstone Bear World?
Yellowstone Bear World is not Yellowstone National Park but is actually 80 miles away from the west entrance of Yellowstone National Park. It is located five miles south of Rexburg, Idaho.
Yellowstone Bear World is a drive-thru wildlife preserve. There are over 60 bears at this preserve. Bear World Idaho also offers a petting zoo with farm animals as well as elk and deer. There are also kiddie rides as well. Bear World Idaho is awesome!
Park Hours for Yellowstone Bear World
Yellowstone Bear World operates seasonally. It is open from April 22nd – to October 22nd.
Bear World Hours of Operations
2023 Season Dates:
April 22-23th, April 29-30 May 6-7
Open Weekends Only 9 am – 5 pm
May 13th – May 26th
Open 7 days/week 9am – 5pm
May 26th – September 4th
Open 7 days/week 9 am – 6 pm
September 5th – October 22nd
Open 7 days/week 9am – 5pm
October 22nd
Last Day of the Season
Tickets to Yellowstone Bear World Idaho
The Bear World prices vary depending on age but you can also pay by the carload (up to seven people).
Bear World Prices and Admission
Adults: $25
Children: $13
Toddlers are free
Bottle Feedings
$55 per person
You can save money by purchasing your tickets online.
Parking at Yellowstone Bear World
The parking is located at the gift shop. It is free to park. From the parking lot, you can access the wildlife park by driving in or taking the tour bus. You can also access the rest of the amenities by walking through the gift shop.
Top Things to See and Do at Yellowstone Bear World Idaho
There are a few activities you will want to do when you visit Yellowstone Bear World.
- Drive-thru Wildlife Preserve
- Petting Zoo
- Museum
- Gift Shop
1. Drive-Thru Wildlife Park – for Yellowstone Bear World Idaho
Going to a drive-thru wildlife venue was a first-time experience for my family. It was awesome! We got so excited every time we saw a bear! Bear World is filled with lots of bears everywhere you look.
This experience was well worth the admission price. What was really nice is that you could drive through as many times as you wanted. We went through it two times.
Best Way to Experience Yellowstone Bear World Rexburg
There are two ways to experience the wildlife park. One is to drive through on your own. The other way is to pay to go on a tour bus.
There are two perks to the bus. If I remember correctly, you need to constantly be in motion when driving. The tour bus, on the other hand, makes stops.
Idaho Bear World Tour Bus
The other perk of the tour bus, and this is the big one, is that you get to feed the bears. The bears surround the bus, get up on their hind legs, and you get lots of pics! The bear cubs are so cute!
We did not do the tour bus, but the second time through, we were right behind one. And so we got the perk of seeing all the bears close by without having to be on the bus. It was very exciting!
The park is also full of wildlife. They have black bears, grizzly bears, rocky mountain elk, mule deer, white-tail deer, American bison, mountain goats, and moose
2. Petting Zoo at Yellowstone Bear World Rexburg Idaho
The petting zoo is included with the price of admission and is easily accessible from the gift shop. There is 1 acre of deer, goats, pigs. ducks, and more. We had a really fun time petting the animals and enjoying this part of the park.
Let me just tell you, it is so nice to get out of the car after a long road trip to Yellowstone. Petting all the different animals and walking around on a beautiful day was pretty wonderful.
3. Amusement Park Rides at Yellowstone Bear World Rexburg Okay, Idaho
This isn’t Six Flags, but for the little ones, it does the trick. The rides are adjacent to the petting zoo. There are five rides that all littles will love!
Bear World Idaho Rides
One ride is a big bear that spins. It is really cute. My youngest loves trains and they have a really cute train ride. My kids also loved riding the Log Roller-coaster. The best part is this is all included in your admission. This was a great surprise for us!
More than Bears
We had thought all there was to do here was to drive and see the bears. Walking through the gift shop and discovering all the extras was fantastic!
It is definitely an added bonus on top of the wildlife drive-thru; to be able to get the kids out of the car and then go to a petting zoo, and have rides to ride on! The place is awesome!
4. Museum at Yellowstone Bear World Rexburg Idaho
There is also a little museum with interesting facts about the wildlife that live in the park. We enjoyed walking around and learning all about the animals and the habitats they live in.
The museum is right next to the petting zoo. It is small but had some interesting facts.
5. Gift Shop at Yellowstone Bear World Rexburg Idaho
Of course, to enter the facility, you need to walk through the gift shop! This is always a challenge for us.
On one hand, it is really cool to see all of the items that a gift shop has. On the other hand, we always worry about our littles rummaging through all of the goods, knocking something over, trying on hats, or otherwise displacing things (and of course begging for us to buy them something). There are cool items, the gift shop did not disappoint.
Three Bears Gift Shop
The Three Bear Gift Shop has quite a bit of bear-themed items. They also have a wide variety of fudge. We had to try some! There are 20 different flavors to choose from.
My kids really wanted to build a bear with their animal stuffing machine but we told them maybe another time, but it is an option to stuff your own bear.
Is Yellowstone Bear World Idaho Worth the Stop? 
We totally thought Yellowstone Bear World Idaho was worth a visit! If you are on your way to Yellowstone National Park or driving from it. I highly recommend stopping at Yellowstone Bear World.
Our Experience at Yellowstone Bear World
For us, it was a great break from the long drive and the kids loved seeing all the animals and getting out of the car to ride some rides. My kids had a great time and want to return!
Nearby Sites to See
You may want to try other places in Rexburg while traveling from Idaho Falls to Yellowstone National Park there is a Mesa Falls, Legacy Flight Museum, Rexburg Rapids (a water park for the family), and trails and parks.
Since our focus was traveling to one of the best West Coast national parks, Yellowstone, we didn’t have much time, we didn’t get to try these places. But they may be worth taking a look at while you are in the area.
Hopefully, this gives you an overview of what to expect when you visit Yellowstone Bear World!
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What a cool place! I’ve never heard of it before. The bear pictures are adorable.
We were so excited to see the bears so close!
Looks and sounds like a fun family experience.
It was really fun!
The chicken is so beautiful!
Wow!! the bears are so close. What a neat experience.
Ive driven by and wondered what this was. Thanks for the share. Interesting place.
There’s always something to do in that Yellowstone area. Never heard of this place but looks like a safer way to encounter a bear, ha!
Love it and I pinned it for later! We will be visiting Yellowstone for the first time in September!
That is awesome! Have so much fun!
What a fun park! This is something I would like to do one day so I’m bookmarking for future reference.
For Sure! If it is one your way to Yellowstone, Grand Teton area, it is worth a stop!
I remember seeing bears at Yellowstone when I was little. They would come right up to our car. But those days are gone, so it is exciting to have a place close by where people can have the bear experience!
When we went, I did not see any bears at Yellowstone, I think that is why I like Bear World!
I haven’t heard of this before! This looks so cool!!
Its a fun place!
Cool, I was not aware of this place.
It is really fun!
Wow, what an amazing experience. I never would have guessed that the bears were so close! That sounds both exciting and a little nerve wracking. Great pictures!
The bears did not seem aggressive, but they were very cute to watch!
I did not know such place exists. Perfect for weekend getaway! I assume the bears are corralled in a safe environment.
They seemed safe and I believe it is a refuge.
Looks interesting! I’m terrified of running into a bear when I’m out on a walk with my girls…we just saw one a couple nights ago when leaving my parents’ house! :o) It went running across the road in their neighborhood. Thankfully, we were in the car.
That is scary! I liked it in a controlled environment!
This is pretty cool! I would love to see the bears!
I loved it!
I’m putting this on my travel bucket list. Thank you for sharing.
Oh good!
When our daughter was 3-1/2 we went to Yellowstone, but visited, I am pretty sure, the same place, Bear World. They had a photo both area, green room with a saddle, we had our daughter sit on the saddle, they took a photo and the photoshop finished product is of her sitting on the very huge grizzly bear that was there at the park. (My sister really thought we sat our 3 year old on the bear. LOL. I agree, wonderful place to stop in at if you ever are in that area.
That is so funny!
I had no idea about this place and my son lived in Idaho Falls for 5 years! After I shared this on fb I learned that my niece in Rexburg lives just a few miles from here. This is now on my have to visit list. Thanks!
I didn’t know this place existed! Looks really cool. And it seems to be a much safer way to see bears, rather than in the wild.
I haven’t been up that way yet in life, but I do hope to explore that area at some point. Sounds like such a beautiful and exciting place to visit.
This seems like such a fun place to visit. Is the bus option an open air bus or your traditional charter bus? Thanks for sharing. I’d love to go here!
The bus is open at the top, it was so fun!