The Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary, near Spearfish, will host its annual Family Day event this Saturday, September 25 from 10AM to 5PM. It’s a fun day for the young and the young-at-heart. I know – I went last year. And I made friends with a pot-bellied pig.

With face painting, pony rides, live music and a rare opportunity to explore the sanctuary grounds at your leisure – the Family Day really does have something for everyone. Typically open only during the summer season for guided tours, the wildlife sanctuary uses this once-a-year, fall visitation day as a fundraiser to help support its animal rescue and care efforts.

The Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is no zoo – although the variety of animals that live there would give any zoo a real run for its money. You’ll see domestic animals like horses, chickens and pigs. But, you’ll also see everything from cockatoos to camels and Barbary lions to black bears. The non-profit wildlife sanctuary is exactly what the name implies – ‘a sanctuary’ – for abused, neglected or otherwise misplaced animals.

FYI:  one of the sanctuary’s original residents, Hercules, is an impressive, male Barbary lion. Barbary lions, extinct in the wild since the 1920′s, can now only be seen in a handful of captive locations around the world. Very few of them exist and big Hercules is an amazing sight to see!

From the moment you enter the gate, it’s very clear that the focus is on the animals – that they are protected and well cared for. The Family Day this Saturday is an open house of sorts – you pay a small donation ($5 per person) and you can roam the beautiful forested grounds at your own pace, spending as long as you like learning about the sanctuary’s residents.

The Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary is also hosting a special after-dark event this year. At 7PM this Saturday, following the regular day-time event, the staff and volunteers will be guiding a night tour through the sanctuary grounds and the big cat area. This night tour should be especially interesting, as many of the animals are nocturnal and become more active after the sun sets.

Reservations are not required, but there is a separate charge of $10 per person for the guided night tour. A little eerie? Maybe. But, undeniably unique? Definitely.

I plan to attend the day-time event for sure this Saturday, and hopefully the night tour as well. The weather is predicted to be beautiful this weekend in the Black Hills, so be sure to bring the camera and head up to Spearfish to visit the Spirit of the Hills Wildlife Sanctuary. It is located at 500 N. Tinton Road, just southwest of Spearfish. CLICK HERE for a Google map of the sanctuary location.