the encounter is a fun and informative experience. I would recommend whole heartedly.

Must visit! One bear is typically in the enclosure at a time. Max the bear was so fun! He was never sleeping, he played with his ball in the pool, sticks, ran around, quite the showman! A guide gave us a quick spiel and some safety advice for encounters in the wild. There was a gift store and it wasn't overcrowded on Monday/holiday. Absolutely worth the $12 for about an hour of watching! read more

We were kind of warned this was considered a tourist trap by locals. I could see where they would think that, but it's really cool how they've rescued these grizzlies. We saw a bear in Yellowstone's Lamar Valley, but it took off before I could get a photo of it, so at least we have this to say we saw a bear! It was quite warm when we visited, and they were just putting their oldest grizzly, Maggie, out for us to observe. It wasn't terribly crowded. The bears apparently don't get along, so a ticket is good for two days if you want the opportunity to see all three of their current bears. Maggie put on quite a show for us and she even looked at us when we said her name. Wasn't expecting to experience eye contact with a grizzly bear, but I'm glad it was in a controlled environment! The staff is super friendly and informative. We found it was worth the stop! read more

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I was hesitant to visit but did because family wanted to. I'm a big animal guy, who does not care for zoos or anything where animals seem to be in captivity. With that said, I will say, this place seems to be necessary to protect bears unable to survive on their own. We saw Max, who was orphaned when he was a few months old. He looked to be well taken care of and generally happy as he was playing in the pond. I wish the area for the bears was larger. If I had to guess I'd say their open area is around 1 acre. Other than watching the bear for about 15-20 minutes, there wasn't anything else to do. They have a gift shop and two goats in a pin but that's it, which makes this spot feel like a tourist trap considering it's $13.50/person as of July 2026. Overall, an OK experience but no need to return. I'd rather just donate money or food toward their mission. read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Max cooling off on a hot day. - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

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This is a must do stop! It's $13.50 per adult to see the bear. There is only one out at a time, as they don't really get along with each other. Bella was the bear that was out for me and she was playing in the water and giving a little show. The bears are allowed to go into their habitat whenever they want, so they choose. If one goes in, one comes out. I was hoping to be able to see Max (he's the largest in the state of Montana), but Bella was having a ball. Hunter, such a cutie, was very knowledgeable and his presentation of bear facts was really cool. The ice cream truck was a super cool addition and the warm summer day definitely warranted a treat! Salted Caramel was YUMMY! All proceeds from all sales go back to the bears! read more

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Such a close up and personal experience with a massive grizzly! We had no idea what to expect but it was a great time read more

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I probably could have just kept driving by this and been fine. It was a bit underwhelming. The one bear didn't seem all that interested in putting on a show and almost seemed to not want to be close enough to see. It's something different but definitely not worth making a special trip to see. Perhaps if you stick around an hour or more the bear might start to do something cool like break out a unicycle and start juggling balls........ read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - bear -- - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

Loved this experience. We were in awe of Max and Bella the grizzlys who we were able to see so close and watch play in their habitat. Worth visiting and supporting for sure! read more

Watching the amazing bears was fascinating! The guides were very knowledgeable and patient with everyone participating in this educational and amazing experience! read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Max snacking on some tasty tidbits! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

Absolutely worth every penny and more. The staff are wonderful and super informative. Such an incredible experience!! read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Max and Bella - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

Nope, not for us. I felt sad for the one bear, Bella, who is a gorgeous beautiful bear but this did not seem like a sanctuary to us. It made us sad because there's not enough room to roam for a bear. I think Bella's story was that she was in someone's tree (in Canada) but she wouldn't come down. Her mother never came back for her so they think she was killed. So fish and game rescued her and she was brought here. There's three bears in total but you can only see one at a time because they don't get along. We paid 27 dollars for this tourist trap. With the money they are making from this racket, they can make a better place for these creatures to live out their lives. Very disappointed. read more

The employees seem very nice, and I love the mission of rescuing orphaned bears from Alaska....but man, I felt unsafe. I'm sure they have this figured out, but the enclosure did not seem like enough to be 1000% safe. read more

A totally worth while stop! Max was so full of personality and you could see the way the staff cared for him and how much he interacted with them. read more

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Great activity if you're looking for a quick stop! It was $27 for two adults, no time limit on how long you can stay. They give lots of information & there's reader boards, the grizzly's look well cared for, given enrichment snacks & have a nice space to go out in. Cute little gift shop with different things you can buy! Would do it again! read more

Stopped on the way from Yellowstone back to Bozeman. It was really cool to see Bella up close. Love that they're a sanctuary for bears. Happy to support organizations like this. Definitely worth visiting! read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Bella, grizzly bear sanctuary - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

We absolutely loved this! The staff were super informative, the bears are very clearly well cared for and liked their caregivers by the way they reacted to their voices. It's probably the closest we'll ever get to a grizzly bear! They did enrichment activities while we were there which the bears loved! Other than very limited sizes for shirts, the gift shop was really cool having specific merch for each of their 3 bears! They have goats as well! We're big animal lovers and would highly recommend! read more

It was sweet but nothing to write home about. Very intimate and informative. The price is right. I'd definitely take my young kids. read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Grizzly! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

Loved my stop at Montana Grizzly Encounter. Day I went it was the bears' birthday. I got to see Max, then Bella. They got special sweet treats for their birthday's. Both people that were there were very informative and was able to answer any questions anyone had. 10 out of 10. Would do again. read more

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Bought tickets to surprise the husband on a recent work trip to Bozeman, and MGE did not disappoint! We got to see all three bears up close in turn, and learned a lot about their behaviors, habits, and dispositions, and how they came to live at the rescue. We also learned not to joke about the goats on the property and why they're there (all in good fun, but try it in the gift shop and you'll see what I mean, LOL). The place is very easy to find, doesn't require a lot of walking, has ample parking, a great viewing area, a concession stand, a gift shop, and a porta potty. We easily spent 1 1/2 hrs just watching the bears, and would've come back for more if our schedule allowed for it. If you go, be sure to drive a little farther east towards Livingston to see Bozeman Pass and a historic Lewis and Clark site and marker, as well. This part of Montana is full of western culture, history, and stories! read more

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Cool opportunity and nice set up to see bears very close and learn more about those amazing animals. A business that deserve maximum support given their mission to rescue bears from sad life threatening situations read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Bella doing the show - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

I went to Yellowstone National park with few friends from Montana, my friend recommended me to check this place out, when I said I was disappointed that I didn't spot a bear in the park. It's a small place and the tickets aren't expensive at all. They have small gift shop as well. As you check in, they assign you a guide and you can watch the bears play at a distance. The guide was very informative, I learnt a lot about bears. He answered all our questions as well. Loved my visit to this place. All the bears here are rescued. Would highly recommend this place if you are interested to know more about bears. read more

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Excellent experience and everyone who works there is so nice and helpful. Max the bear out on a show for everyone. 11/10 highly recommend!! read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

My husband and our 19 year old son visited on our last day in Montana ( spring break ski trip) at the recommendation of a local - so that should tell u something. At first we were thinking oh how sad these bears aren't out in the wild but truth be told, they wouldn't survive a day in the wild, having been rescued as babies or from owners who couldn't or wouldn't take care of them . Here they appear to be well taken care of and well fed. We spoke to the attendants ( for lack of better word) who help take care of them, who give you the basic info but the more questions you gave the more info you get- they tell u of the bears' personalities and . The magpie birds will mess with one bear but not another bc one bear will swipe or chase them , but another could care less. The bears come out of their den IF they want to or can stay out can stay out as long as they like. They're not forced to do anything they don't want. We stayed about an hour watching Bella 1st, then after she went in, Maggie came out . We'd recommend it to anyone ... read more

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Everything was wonderful!! Both speakers were knowledgeable, friendly, and had a sense of humor. The kids absolutely LOVED IT! read more

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Definitely a great place to visit even if you're just passing through and the kids love it. The employees were all friendly and knowledgeable and made the experience great. The icecream they serve off to the side was yummy, I would recommend trying the huckleberry flavor if you're not from the area! You do only get to see one bear at a time so you may have to spend some time here if you want to see each of the bears (they currently have 3) as the current bears don't get along well enough to be in the area together. Nothing they can really do about this and they have to ensure they keep the bears safe and healthy, I highly recommend it regardless! read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

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We had the BEST time here. HIGHLY recommend it if you are anywhere near by. This is not a zoo. It's not a profit driven business. Its a sanctuary. These bears would be either dead or in a bad place if these folks didn't provide them a place to call home. The bears are out one a time and the staff lets the bears tell them when they are done and ready to go back and rest. So it's never a guarantee of which bears you'll see or for how long - BUT your ticket is good for 2 days. So we spent atleast 2 hours with Max on our first day and came back by for 30 mins to see Maggie the next day. If I could have brought a chair and parked myself there all day, I would have - without a second thought. The staff are all SO nice, informative, kind, and just really good people. I told my spouse that I would move to Bozeman just so I could volunteer here. It was the best part of our MT trip for sure. Thank you to all of the staff who cares for theses amazing animals like they are their own children. Andy, thank you for the amazing chat and all the MT local tips. Wyatt - your wealth of grizzly knowledge is incredible - thank you for giving us a huge education. read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

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Yeah, this is the definition of a "tourist trap"... which I've never been to because I've never fell for one until here. I visited on April 18th of this year (my birthday).. (we were visiting the area for Bozeman and Yellowstone Park) and only like two other people were there. You enter the facility off a main highway and you really don't see anything except a sign. You pay to enter (again without seeing anything and I think that's strategic because the place is quite small) and then you park. I think we were expecting something a whole lot larger since they house grizzlies and were severely disappointed for the price to enter (which I believe was $20). The let down for us and seemingly all the other low ratings was the fact that instead of seeing grizzlie(s) you see ONE grizzly at a time because "none of them get along". Ok... reasonable, I suppose. But then you see the grizzly and you can just tell they are not happy. This girl, Bella, was just messing with whatever she had in her mouth for hours and walking around aimlessly in a pretttty small enclosure for something of her species. I'm no expert but it was kinda sad watching her. It's cool you get to see them pretty close but it just felt... off. The workers there were friendly and informative but I just can't shake the fact that she seemed miserable. It's not worth the price of admission at all. My bf and I left very underwhelmed and overcharged. Just our opinions. read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

We were pleasantly suprised by how entertaining it was to watch these bears. We got to see Max and he was so fun, was playing the whole time and it was a joy to watch. He is a very happy bear. I would go see him again. Staff were great and answered every question. read more

We felt just close enough. Amazing animals. Great group of staff that knew their stuff. We ended up seeing 2 of the bears. One 350 and 1300lbs...vastly different in size and attitude. Cute that Max the 1300lb bear knows his name and when he is in trouble. Worth the $13.50! read more

Not great - a tourist trap. They release 1 grizzly at a time and you watch it walk around aimlessly for a bit. There's more merch for sale than there is experience with bears. That said, you get pretty close and can get some decent pictures. Not really with the drive and the money. read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

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We visit Montana frequently and finally got to stop at The Grizzly Encounter. It was amazing to be so close to these gorgeous animals. The staff was very knowledgable as well. Hunter gave us the history of all the resident bears. He discussed their care, and most importantly, their enrichment since they do have to stay in captivity due to various reasons. Stop by and help support the grizzlies. read more

A relaxed and informative environment where you can observe grizzlies in their habitat. The staff are all friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely a fun stop of us out-of-staters. Side note: the online booking requires you to pick a time but tickets are good for all day! read more

Oso good! My honey and I drove there in the morning (but you could take Lyft or Ubear) and saw Max. Very cute and very happy. I'll spare you the grizzly details, but everyone was taking pictures--it was a Kodiak moment! If he were a white bear we'd have taken a Polar-oid. The college student guide we had was beary knowledgeable and well-koalafied for his job--I think he was an Ursa major. With your ticket it's pawsible to come back later in the day (or even the next day) for free, so we went to Bozeman to grab a bearrito and a cub of coffee (we had to wait while it was bruin) and returned in the afternoon to try to see a different bear. I made a boo-boo and didn't koala ahead and when we got there Max was back out in the yard. Next time we want to see 'em maul! The staff kept us safe during the pandademic by having guests be six feet apart at the bear minimum. In the gift shop you have to wear a mask but outside you can keep your face...bare. I'll be back fur sure and I'll bring my Ma and Paw! read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Cuteness to the Max! - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

Amazing experience! The bears are treated well. Our tour guide Hunter was informative and great to get along with.i plan on returning.

I also agree with the others who reviewed this place as a 'tourist trap.' I visited the Montana Grizzly Encounter this past weekend, and the employees were throwing rocks and small watermelons into the area where the bear was to get its attention for the customers to take photos. It was not professional one bit, and did not at all seem like a sanctuary. The ticket proceeds are supposed to go to the animals, but it felt like a small amusement park - borderline Tiger King. Quite disappointed with the professionalism of the employees and how much this felt like a gimmick, when it really needs to be a place for the animals to be themselves. Wish the proceeds truly went to the animals, but it doesn't feel that way. read more

A three because there isn't many grizzly's out. It is one at a time for viewing. It is neat to experience and see close up read more

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A very sad and disappointing experience. One grizzly on display in a very tired environment. Two goats in a pen. Two gift shops. Very overpriced for the poor quality. read more

We loved this sanctuary! The staff were very knowledgeable about the bears and happily answered any questions that we had. These bears were either left by their mom or born into a captive situation and these people saved them. Spend your money here and not at a zoo! When they switch the bears, they put out enrichment activities and food for the next bear. It was a great experience for me! read more

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What a wonderful and informative time we had. Recommend it very highly. My daughter and her girls fell in love with Max.

I KNEW that I had to visit MGE after reading the excellent reviews. I had just come from Yellowstone and was interested to learn more about the animals native to the area. I walked away with a better understanding of not only grizzlies, but all bears native to North America. When we entered, baby bear Max was on exhibit. He is the youngest of the five bears living here and he was so playful. He had a grand time playing with his toys and jumping into the pools. I was so happy to see him enjoying the habitat that he calls home. It was immaculately maintained. This is a non profit organization that clearly goes above and beyond to take care of these animals who, by the way, are rescues. They were not bred for captivity or profit. Know before you go that this is more of an educational experience than a long walking tour. You'll have a comfortable area to view the bear(s) while given a chat about bears and practicing safe behaviors when in bear country. Bennett was the volunteer (or staff member?) giving the talk today and he really was knowledgeable and interesting. Highly recommend a visit here if you are in or near bozeman. The experience is about 45 minutes so plan on an hour long activity as I am sure you'll mosey through the cute gift shop as well. Side note- portable bathrooms only. They were pretty clean but try to go elsewhere before you arrive if this bothers you. read more

Montana Grizzly Encounter - Amusement Parks Near Me - Bozeman, Montana

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