Group Education
COVID-19 Protocols:
If you visit the sanctuary as a volunteer, we ask that you observe the following protocols:
Bring and wear a mask
Practice social distancing between your group and others, including the staff member giving the tour
Please come prepared to spend at least a few hours at the refuge, bring any necessary water, snacks, clothing layers, gloves, etc.
Email or call before your visit to ensure that our protocols have not changed
Thank you again for your support and we hope everyone is staying safe!
-M:W Staff
Group Education
Mission:Wolf hosts school field trips, summer camps, college break trips, scout trips, and international volunteer camps. We welcome visits from a few hours to a couple of weeks. The rules are simple: As long as you do not place a burden on the staff or startle the wolves, you may camp out and wake up to howls.
Volunteering: Most groups pitch in to help with projects around the sanctuary — unless you specify otherwise while planning your trip with us, we will expect your group to offer their volunteer labor.
What to Bring: Groups need to bring their own staff, tents, toilet paper, food, and other supplies. Please come prepared for unpredictable mountain weather, and keep in mind the road conditions during snow and mud seasons.
Planning: We require at least two weeks notice via email to let us know the desired date and time of your arrival, duration of stay, size of your group, and any special requirements. If you would like to bring your accredited program to Mission:Wolf, please contact us a few months in advance to schedule it. Be prepared with alternative dates for your trip in case we are already booked. Summers fill up fast! The sooner you begin to communicate with us, the greater the chance of receiving the dates you want. If you are looking for an organization that brings coordinated trips to Mission:Wolf, Cottonwood Institute, Experiential Learning Associates, and The Road Less Traveled all lead trips here.
Age Limits: We do not set age limits for our volunteers, but instead look at ability, motivation, and maturity. However, we strongly recommend a minimum age of 7 years old, as young children can easily disturb our wolves and visitors.
Group Size Requirements
We monitor group numbers in order to maintain a sanctuary atmosphere for the wolves and an intimate learning experience for people.
Total group number must remain under 15, including counselors/staff. We can only support two group camps (30 people total) on site at a time.
Every group must have at least one leader over the age of 18. Co-leaders are encouraged.
We require one counselor for every 5 participants under the age of 15.
We prefer to have at least one leader per group that has worked with M:W before. At minimum, one leader must have outdoor camping and work experience.
Groups that wish to bring more than 15 people: Please contact the refuge directly to speak with a representative.
What to Expect
Upon your arrival, you will meet one of our staff who will be your liaison for the duration of your stay. You will receive an introduction to the organization, and then a full educational tour of the facility. During your stay, we may offer the group an opportunity to meet a wolf face-to-face. Be aware that we are on the wolves’ schedule and we cannot guarantee any contact with our animals.
If you are at the sanctuary on a Wednesday or Sunday, it is possible that you can help us with feeding the wolves. We prepare huge quantities of raw meat to toss over the fences to hungry wolves and watch them devour it all in a few minutes. While we cannot guarantee that you can help feed the wolves, priority will be given to groups and volunteers that helped with service projects during their stay, especially those who helped prepare the wolf food itself.
If you are staying for more than a few hours, we always have projects for groups to help with. This can be anything from constructing a new building or fence, to planting trees, to splitting and hauling firewood.
We are surrounded by public land with miles of hiking. If you start walking from Mission: Wolf, you can find adventure in all directions.
We have an outdoor covered kitchen where you may be able to cook food (plan ahead and contact us) and public indoor restrooms.
For overnight stays, we have spots available on-site for primitive tent camping. You may also camp on nearby National Forest land. We place no limit on length of stay, as long as your group does not become a burden for us.
Guidelines For Your Visit:
Upon your arrival, we ask that the entire group remain in the parking area while the group leader meets with one of our staff, to go over these general guidelines for your stay and fill out necessary paperwork.
Do not touch any of the fences during your stay.
No yelling, running, or horseplay in view of the wolves. We are surrounded by public land, so if you want to exercise and play, we can show you the best places.
Our water is pumped from a well by solar power. We can supply you with drinking and cooking water if you are unable to bring your own, but awareness and conservation are a must. Our water needs to be shared with our wolves, our greenhouses, and our on-site staff.
Do not go near the wolves after sunset, as they are near-sighted and get spooked easily. Do not approach the wolves before 9 a.m., as the staff will be trying to administer vitamins and medication to the wolves, and we do not want to stress them out with strangers nearby.
Children under the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult at all times.
Fire bans are frequent at Mission: Wolf. Please ask a staff member before starting a campfire. We ask that you bring your own firewood, or make a contribution to Mission: Wolf to use ours. We do not permit bonfires.
Quiet time starts at 9 p.m., lights/campfires out at 10 p.m.