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Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, Eureka Springs, AR
AttractionsFamily FavoriteOutdoor AdventureIconic

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge

239 Turpentine Creek Lane · Eureka Springs, AR

Why you should go…

Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge is a nonprofit big cat sanctuary formed in 1992 on 459 acres about seven miles from Eureka Springs. It houses more than 100 rescued lions, tigers, cougars, leopards and bears in large natural-habitat enclosures, and has taken in more than 400 animals from private owners and roadside zoos over three decades. The refuge holds Verified status from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries and offers overnight stays through its Safari Lodge, RV park and campground.

  • #wildlife
  • #sanctuary
  • #big cats
  • #family
  • #nonprofit

Good to know

General attractions guidance

Habits that pay off across this whole category, not rules for this one venue. Always check the official site for the specifics.

  • Book the time slot, not just the ticket

    Timed entry is now the norm at big-draw attractions, and online tickets are often cheaper than the gate.

  • Grab the daily schedule on arrival

    Feeding times, keeper talks, and shows run on a posted timetable that changes day to day.

  • The first hour is the quietest

    Queues build through late morning and peak after lunch, so an early start buys you the shortest waits.

  • Budget past the ticket price

    Parking, lockers, strollers, and food inside the gates are common extras worth planning for.

What's around here?

The closest stops to Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge, ordered by straight-line distance. A few more like it, plus some different kinds of fun so you can build a full day.

  • Stay
    History Buff

    1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa

    $50+

    Stay in an 1886 mountaintop hotel above Eureka Springs with a spa, a balcony pizza bar and ghost tours that end in the old morgue.

    6.8 mi awaySwitch it up: Stay

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Christ of the Ozarks

    Free

    Stand beneath a seven-story white statue of Jesus with outstretched arms on Magnetic Mountain above Eureka Springs.

    6.9 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Sightseeing
    Free

    Thorncrown Chapel

    Free

    Step inside a 48-foot glass and timber chapel in the Ozark woods, where 425 windows put the forest all around you.

    7.3 mi awaySwitch it up: Sightseeing

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Silver Dollar City

    $50+

    Ride roller coasters, watch craftspeople at work and tour Marvel Cave at this 1880s Ozarks theme park.

    34 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Fritz's Adventure

    $25–$50

    Indoor and outdoor adventure park in Branson with ziplines, ropes courses, climbing walls and slides.

    36 mi awayMore like this

  • Attractions
    Family Favorite

    Bigfoot Fun Park

    $25–$50

    Branson's Bigfoot-themed corner of the strip, with a free-fall tower, a giant slingshot, and an off-road discovery ride.

    38 mi awayMore like this