Day Trip to Woolaroc Museum and Nature Preserve

As someone who loves animals, Woolaroc seems like the perfect place to go. A quick 40-minute drive through back roads from Tulsa, Woolaroc is a private preserve and museum owned by the same folks who founded Philipps 66. Woolaroc is a perfect day trip from Tulsa OK, and a quick drive to the city of Bartlesville, OK. Here’s our review of Woolaroc Nature Preserve and Museum.

This post is a part of our Tulsa, OK series. Here are a few related posts:

• Is Tulsa Worth Visiting? (Cost Breakdown)
• Three Day Itinerary in Tulsa OK
• Day Trip to Bartlesville from Tulsa OK 
• Nola’s Creole & Cocktails – Creole Food in Tulsa (Review)  
• Woolaroc Nature Preserve and Museum

Where does the name Woolaroc come from?

People think that Woolaroc is a native American word or name, but it actually just comes from an amalgamation of the words: woods, lakes, and rocks. Quite a creative name!

What’s it like driving around Woolaroc’s Nature Preserve? 

Once you pay the entrance fee, you can drive around the preserve as many times as you wish. There are fences that separate some animals from the road, but you may encounter bison, who are freely roaming around the land as they wish. On our drive up to the museum from the entrance, we did not see any bison, but on our drive to the exit, we encountered a few, just off the side of the road. It was super close! On our second pass through the preserve, we saw the bison again, but not by the side of the road anymore. 

Remember that these are not domesticated animals and you can’t predict their behavior and where they decide to show up. All you have to do is hope and keep driving around until you get the encounter of your dreams! 

The mountain man camp experience at Woolaroc

The parking area is slightly a walk from the actual demonstration area. You won’t miss them since the mountain men are walking around the teepees and yurts, showing guests how they live. They survive sustainably by living off the land, hunting animals for food, and using their pelts for clothing. 

My husband got a chance to shoot a rifle and throw an ax. I tried to do ax throwing too, but sadly, I was no good. 

The demonstrators know a lot about the land and how they look after the Woolaroc property. They mention which animals they managed to keep away from the property. These mountain men also travel to hunt in other places and tell stories about how they got to this lifestyle- their stories are great. 

When they asked us where we lived, we said Florida, and the mountain men said they can’t imagine living there. While they said they could probably live in the swamp for a short period of time, they mentioned it is hard to live there with their lifestyle. The weather is also hard to deal with, having frequent afternoon thunderstorms in the summer, not to mention the humidity! 

Walking around Woolaroc’s Museum

The first thing you may note while walking around Woolaroc’s museum are the doors. They’re really ornate. Take a photo before you go in! 

Once inside, you will be inside a rotunda where you can talk to the information desk, grab some maps, and make your way into the museum. 

There are a few rooms to see inside the museum, however, the most notable areas are:

• The shrunken heads 
• Old trucks used to deliver gas and oil 
• An airplane 
• A peek inside the archives – click the button and the room will light up
• Taxidermied animals – from bison to an elephant, and then some! 

It is easy to spend more than an hour exploring the museum so take your time if you see something that interests you.

The petting zoo and playground at Woolaroc 

Woolaroc has a playground located in front of the visitor center and is pretty big. There are slides, swings, and other play areas, perfect for the little ones. 

We did not visit with our little one (he got left behind with grandma), we know he could spend hours just playing in that area. A few steps away from the playground is a barn. Head inside it to pet animals in their pen. 

There are goats, some pens have moms and babies on them (so cute), donkeys, and horses. There is a door that takes you outside the barn where you can see (and pet) more animals!

Woolaroc is a very family-friendly destination, and is worth visiting to see the animals!

Are there places to hike in Woolaroc? (The Hiking Paths)

There are a few hiking trails in the back of Woolaroc. We took one that takes us through a creek and overlooks a lake. We sat down by a bench, took photos, looked at a cave of sorts, and proceeded to try and look for the mausoleum. 

After walking through the trail, we gave up trying to find the mausoleum and ended up retracing our steps back and back to where we were. If we continued on the hike, it would loop back through the borders of the estate and back the way you came from.

This type of hike is the best for those who don’t have much time but just want to get a bit of walking done while on vacation.

Where to eat in Woolaroc 

Sadly, the dining options in Woolaroc are limited, and you’re left to counter service meals like hot dogs and burgers. They are also a bit expensive, but once you’re inside Woolaroc and you get hungry, you have no choice. 

We opted for a hot dog each and a coffee from a machine to tide us over as a snack before we eat a bigger lunch in town. Then we set out for a hike. 

Is Woolaroc worth visiting? 

Yes! We loved the nature preserve, the landscaped grounds, and the museum. All of these experiences for one small entrance fee! The mountain man experience was a plus, as well as the option to drive as many times through the Preserve to see the animals. 

We would recommend bringing a picnic in if your visit extends to lunch, or just bringing a snack in general. The food was not great but there were multiple picnic tables dotted near the museum, petting zoo, and parking lot for you to enjoy your meal. 

How long does it take to explore Woolaroc?

A half a day would be more than enough time to explore Woolaroc. You can do the mountain man experience, see the museum, drive around the preserve at least twice, go to the petting zoo, and do the hikes in at least 4 hours. Of course when traveling with young children, expect to stay longer to give the children time to play in the playground and rest by sitting on the benches or having a little snack in the concession area.

Are you heading out to Woolaroc? Let us know your thoughts!