Here's your chance to see the WNC Nature Center from the keeper side. The Wild Walk goes behind the scenes to see how the animals get fed and cared for, catches an enrichment session, and gives you time with the keepers themselves.

It's capped at 10 people and it's for ages 16 and up, so grab a spot early. Plan on standing for an hour and a half and walking about a mile on steep, uneven ground, rain or shine. Tickets are $40, or $35 for members, and you have to register ahead.

The WNC Nature Center is a 42-acre wildlife park on Gashes Creek Road in East Asheville, and it's all about the animals of the Southern Appalachians. Black bears, red and gray wolves, cougars, bobcats and river otters live in big wooded habitats, plus red pandas, and the new Gateway to the Southern Appalachians area was just finished this year.

It's open every day from 10 AM to 4:30 PM, with last admission at 3:30. Adult tickets run $16.95 plus tax, kids 3 to 12 are $12.95, 2 and under get in free, and City of Asheville residents pay less. Active duty and retired military get in free, and the ticket window is cashless.

The calendar stays busy, with monthly behind-the-scenes Wild Walks, Wolf Howl nights in the fall, a stuffed animal Critter Check Up in December, and Brews & Bears after-hours nights with beer and live music on second Fridays in summer.

Local families come back again and again, and the kids find something new every time. Folks love how close the paths get you to the animals and how easy the trails are with a stroller.

WNC Nature Center

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Wild Walk: A Behind the Scenes Tour

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