Stretching out under the warmth of the sun on a bed of grass and branches, a big beautiful bundle of fur seemed content to take his afternoon nap. I approached slowly, one careful step at a time, not to wake nor startle the beast as I noticed his large paws and pads outstretched over his head. Oh, so close I was to this adorable creature that I wanted so much to pet him….luckily for me, I was protected by a fence between myself and the platform. With a perfect view, I felt safe and secure in the confines of the Oswald’s Bear Ranch habitat.
Located in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan, Oswald’s is a bear-only sanctuary set on 200 acres of land about nine miles northwest of Newbury. With four habitats, there is plenty of space for the 41 bears in this free-roaming environment. The bears are content and happy within their fenced-in territory and hardly notice all of the humans watching them frolic about. The perfect way to enjoy the bears is from the wooden, elevated platforms providing a barrier free, bird’s eye view.
The bear complex is the largest in the United States. Dean and Jewel Oswald opened the ranch in 1997, but have been rescuing bears as far back as 1984. Dean, a former firefighter and policeman wanted to establish a way to provide shelter to bears that would not have otherwise survived in the wild.
Oswald’s Bear Ranch is a walk-through sanctuary, providing trolley service for the elderly and large groups. Daily feedings take place at 4 PM where visitors can watch these beastly beauties enjoy their afternoon meal.
Waiting in line, I was giddy with anticipation to have my photo taken while feeding a baby black bear cub. With a little strawberry jam on a paint brush, I would have the opportunity to watch one of the young cubs, Kendra, snack while I stroked her thick furry coat and examined her huge paws.
The ranch takes in rescued cubs each year. The Oswalds post videos of their new additions to show their first steps and capture their early days roaming around in the safety of their house. It is fun to watch the video clips, especially during feeding time. The four new cubs that arrived this year will soon be ready to join the other bears outside in their own special habitat equipped with a waterfall.
Oswald’s Bear Ranch is one of the top ten family friendly attractions in the Upper Peninsula and is a great educational experience where people can learn about black bears and their environment. They are open the Friday before Memorial Day weekend through October 1st. Summer hours are from 9:30 AM until 5 PM each day. After Labor Day, the ranch closes at 4 PM. Admission is $20 per vehicle or $10 for a single traveler, cash only. Active military are free. An additional fee is required for visitors who want to feed the bear cubs.
For visitors interested in providing an additional donation, The Bear Club is an opportunity to help Oswald’s Bear Ranch continue their mission to rescue black bears throughout the United States. With a small contribution of only $10, donors can receive a book titled, “Black Bear Tales and Native American Legends”.
I have such a great respect for Dean and Jewel Oswald and was thankful for the opportunity to talk with Dean about his ranch and his furry family. Without a doubt, Oswald Bear Ranch is his passion and he lights up when he talks about his rescue efforts, the expansion of his bear family and the latest news about the baby cubs that have just arrived this year.
Have you had the opportunity to visit Oswald’s Bear Ranch? Did you feed one of the cubs? I would love to hear about your experience if you would kindly leave a message in the comments section below. Many thanks for reading about my exciting trip to Oswald’s Bear Ranch and wishing you many Happy Travels!
What to See and What to Do:
Oswald’s Bear Ranch
13814 Co. Rd 407
Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: 906 293 3147
Where to Stay:
Quality Inn & Suites
13954 M-28
Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: 906 293 3218
Where to Eat:
Wolf Inn Grill and Spirits
18568 Co. Rd 407
Newberry, MI 49868
Phone: 906 658 3355
I stopped at this nearby restaurant for just a small meal until dinner, so I ordered the appetizer size of nachos. Their servings are huge! I could not eat even half of them, but they were absolutely delicious.
What to Eat:
- The Coney Dog from Detroit, Jackson or Flint.
- Vernor’s Ginger Ale
- Founded in the Upper Peninsula, the pasty is a pastry pocket with fruit filling
- Mackinac Island Fudge
- Apples
- Cherries
- Detroit Style Pizza shaped in a rectangle and baked until the edges are crispy.
- Better Made Chips from Detroit
- Germack Pistachios
- Walleye Fish from the Great Lakes
- Faygo beverages
What to Read:
- Y is for Yooper, by Scott Reddinger
- U.P., by R. A. Reikki
- Mystery on Mackinac Island, by Anna W. Hale
- The Remarkable Tale of Captain Kidd and the Astor Fortune, by Eugene Thor Petersen
- A Transplanted Yooper, by Tina Lonski
Photo Guide to Mackinac Island:
- A View of Mackinac Bridge from Mackinaw City
- Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore
- Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore
- Tahquamenon Falls, Paradise
- Art Scene in Grand Rapids
- Holland’s Dutch Heritage
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