I've been incredibly fortunate in my life to have seen as much of the world as I have. Every corner of this beautiful planet hides its own secrets, and comes with its own history.

A flock of birds takes off from the water
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Every place I've visited has had such a unique ecosystem, with various plants and animals you couldn't find anywhere else. Arizona has to rank at the top of my wildlife list, and lucky for me, the state has a place where I can experience it all.

What is Bearizona?

Personally, the first time I heard of Bearizona, I figured it was the name of U of A's student section due to their "Bear Down" chant (Fun Fact: it's actually called the Zona Zoo, and I think they should swap names). Bearizona is actually a wildlife experience unlike any other, right here in the heart of Arizona.

The park was founded in 2010 by Dean and Dennis Casey. Their parents had founded Bear Country, U.S.A., a similar attraction in South Dakota. The boys wanted to highlight the magic of Arizona's ecosystem, so Bearizona began its journey just outside of Williams.

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What is There to Do at Bearizona?

From the outside, Bearizona may just seem like a standard zoo, but it's much closer to Jurassic Park. The main attraction is a three-mile safari drive through a sprawling Ponderosa Pine forest chock full of North American wildlife in their natural habitat.

Two bears at Bearizona sharing a moment
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The park also has Fort Bearizona, which is closer to an actual zoo walkthrough experience. Between the two, Bearizona is home to dozens of species that are meant to be appreciated and helped, and that's exactly what Bearizona is doing for them.

[Bearizona][@bearizona via Instagram]

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