Tigers for Tomorrow: A Walk on the Wild Side of Alabama
Tigers for Tomorrow at Untamed Mountain is a non-profit exotic and native animal preserve and environmental education center that provides a home to over 160 animals.
The preserve is home to tigers, lions, bears, wolves, lynx, and black leopards. The facility is open to the public year-round.
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Because of Covid, I decided to explore neighboring states and take a few road trips this spring.
This summer we are focusing on all things Alabama. One of our first stops was Harmony Safari Park which is a drive-through zoo that your kids will absolutely love!
Next on our list was Tigers for Tomorrow.
Tigers for Tomorrow at Untamed Mountain
My daughter Madison is a huge Big Cat Lover and spends most of her days watching Big Cat videos on youtube so when I found out there was a Big Cats Sanctuary right in Northern Alamba I immediately began planning a road trip.
MASKS ARE REQUIRED and SOCIAL DISTANCING RULES APPLY.
Hours:
January-February: Sat & Sun 9 AM-5 PM
March-May: Fri-Sun 9 AM-5 PM
June-September: Wed-Thurs 9 AM-1 PM; and Fri-Sun 9 AM-5 PM
October-December: Fri- Sun 9 AM-5 PM
Price: $15 adult and $7.50 for under 12. All money goes to take care of the residence of the refuge.
- Phone #256.524.4150
- Website: www.tigersfortomorrow.org
- Email: untamedmountain@gmail.com
Directions to Tigers for Tomorrow
Coming North on I-59
Get off at exit 188 and make a left go to Blinking light and look straight ahead, you will see brown county signs that will direct you right to our front door. From the blinking light, you are 12 miles from the preserve.
Southbound I-59
At exit 205 Collinsville goes west 1/10 of a mile, make a left onto 51 South (2.3 miles), turn left this will still be 51 South (3.8miles) make right off County Road 345 (8/10 of a mile) Tigers For tomorrow will be on Right-hand side of the road, continue up driveway parking will veer off to left.
Northbound I-59
Exit at Noccalula Falls. Go left at the exit to the blinking red light. At the light turn right, this is Route 11 North. Continue to Stevens Gap Road and turn left. This will dead-end at Duck Springs Road, make a right turn. Continue for approx 7 miles, you will enter DeKalb county. Make a left on County Road 345. Eight-tenths of a mile down 345 on the right is Untamed Mountain. Pull up into the driveway, the parking lot is on the left on the dirt road.
From Highway 431 in Albertville
Alabama-take this route if you are coming from Huntsville. Go north on hwy. 75, make a right on hwy. 68. Take 68 into Crossville, make a right on hwy 227 South. 227 South takes a left turn at the Rodentown water tower. Follow 227 South down the mountain, at the bottom make a right (hwy. 227 south). Make your very first right on County Road 345, Untamed Mountain is 1 mile down on the right.
Note: Try Dallas Place (Crossville) for Lunch on the weekends, just ask for directions in our gift store or bring a picnic lunch and enjoy the Moljac Bear Wolf Pavilion.
Google is your friend and you don’t have to travel across the country to have new experiences. Let me get off my soapbox and back to Tigers for Tomorrow.
When you go to Tigers for Tomorrow, make sure you take a guided tour because not only will you learn a lot about the animals but you will also be able to take photos.
Visitors not on a guided tour are not allowed to take photos because in the past people have antagonized the animals in order to get photos, so photos are only allowed on guided tours because the facility is not a showplace like most zoos.
Wear comfortable shoes and preferably shoes you do not mind getting dirty.
The paths are on an incline and have loose rock covering them. If you and the kids are goofing around you might just fall and hurt yourselves so you need to be really careful.
I am sure the facility does not have money to reimburse you if you fall and you want to blame them because you were not following directions.
I wouldn’t wear flip-flops or open-toe shoes and bring plenty of bug spray because the bugs look like they are from the jungles of Costa Rica and they will take a big chunk out of your butt if given the opportunity.
Please remember this is a nonprofit facility taking care of damaged and unwanted exotic animals.
Its primary purpose is to take in animals and provide them with care for the rest of their lives. It is not meant to look or feel like a zoo.
What to Expect at Tigers for Tomorrow
After we were given a brief history about the preserve and told what not to do which is DO NOT take any photos with your cell phone and know they will be watching very closely and to stay with the group.
The preserve has very good reasons for not allowing photos. Mostly because past guests were disrespectful to the animals and were idiots (my words NOT theirs).
The animals are amazing but you really will not see them unless you arrange for an escorted tour which is what we paid for so we could have a more personal experience.
We learned the backstory of each animal and saw them in a much more intimate way.
We were able to see tigers, black bears and grizzly bears, mountain lions, leopards, wolves, foxes, a hawk, great horned owl, peacocks, a camel, a zebra, African lions, a python, goats, a cow, sheep, chickens, a pig, and more.
The kids were able to get within about 3 feet or so from the animals and when the lions and tigers began to roar the ground actually felt like it moved and the expression on the girls’ faces was priceless.
One of the lions got a little agitated by all of the people surrounding his cage and charged at the fence. It was scary and amazing at the same time.
Needless to say, we understood and he didn’t have to tell us twice to leave him alone. It was truly amazing. These animals are so big and majestic!
Plan at least an hour and a half and go with your quiet voices!!
Did you know there was a Big Cat Rescue in Alabama?
Ready to plan your trip, grab my FREE Vacation Planner to help you plan your trip in the time it takes to watch your favorite TV show!
ADDITIONAL ARTICLES FOR EXPLORING ALABAMA
3 Days on Alabama’s Gulf Coast
How to Celebrate Black History in Birmingham
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