These rules help keep both guests and animals safe and ensure an enjoyable visit for all. Thank you for helping us protect our animals and create a safe experience.
Please Note: As of June 2025, rules for convertible vehicles have been updated to remain in compliance with USDA guidelines.
No PETS are allowed at Fossil Rim.
Visitors with pets will not be allowed to enter and, if found with an animal, they will be escorted out of the wildlife center. Domestic animals present potential health and safety risks to the wild animals here, and vice versa.
Outside food for animals is NOT permitted.
Guests may not bring or feed outside food items to any animals at Fossil Rim. Feeding animals anything other than the provided pellets can cause serious health issues - even seemingly harmless items like deer feed or vegetables can lead to digestive problems. Failure to comply will result in immediate removal from the park.
Stay in your vehicle with doors and sunroofs closed at all times.
Most Fossil Rim animals are free-roaming and may approach your vehicle. Even animals that appear calm can be unpredictable and potentially dangerous. For everyone’s safety, all tailgates, doors, sunroofs, and hatchbacks must remain closed at all times, and guests must stay seated inside the vehicle - no sitting on window ledges or standing through sunroofs.
All vehicles must have a solid roof and doors that fully enclose the cabin.
Open air vehicles or those with soft tops or doors such as Jeeps, convertibles, four-wheelers, or motorcycles will not be allowed to enter the park. Jeeps and convertibles are only permitted if they possess both a HARD TOP and HARD DOORS, which must remain closed at all times.
Riding in the bed of a pickup truck is prohibited.
Do not honk your horn.
This could frighten the animals, cause them to stampede or kick your car, which could cause major damage to your automobile.
Stay on the paved tour route – speed limit is 15 MPH.
There are no turns on the route, so always go forward. We do not offer maps, as the route is one loop that will start and end in the same location.
Do not stop within 50 feet on either side of any gates or cattle guards.
These gates and guards are used to keep animals within their individual pastures. If you stop to feed there, animals may be tempted to walk over the bars and injure themselves.
Pull fully into one lane when slowing or stopping.
This allows staff and other vehicles to pass safely.
Do not feed from your hand or the feed cup.
Toss the pellets on the ground and away from your vehicle. Only giraffes can be fed by hand. This is for your safety, as animals besides giraffe can bite.
Do not feed the sable antelope.
They are our most dangerous herbivore and pose a serious risk to guests. Consult your species ID guide to identify sable before approaching any animal.
Do not pet, grab or restrain the animals.
These are wild animals with horns and antlers - their reactions to human touch are unpredictable and can be dangerous. Stay inside your vehicle when animals are nearby.
Remove any flags, balls, decorations, or other loose objects from the outside of your vehicle.
Animals are attracted to colorful moving objects that, if eaten, could result in serious injury.
Do not entice our animals with food to put their heads inside your vehicle to feed them.
This can severely hurt our animals and/or cause damage to your vehicle.
Keep all trash and cigarette butts in your car.
Litter can result in serious injury to the animals and cigarettes can cause grassfires.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center assumes no liability for damages to vehicles, people, or property as a result of any interactions with the animals and facilities. Fossil Rim reserves the right to remove anyone without granting a refund if they are in violation of these rules or for any other reason.
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center reserves the right to use photographs taken on our property or at our events, activities, and functions for the purposes of instruction, advertising, and promoting Fossil Rim and our programs.