Hidden Valley Blog

Let your imagination run wild


2887 Royce Rd Varysburg, NY • 585-535-4100

Wild Game Safari Tours Opening EARLY!

Due to the nice weather Hidden Valley Animal Adventure will be opening early! Beginning April 14 & 15 the wild game safari tours will be open every SATURDAY and SUNDAY from 10:00am – 2:00pm with tours leaving ON the hour. This year will be full of excitement and events, be sure to check out our website for Wild Game Safari operating hours and upcoming events.

We have already had several newborns and lots more are on the way! So be sure to stop in this summer to feed and interact with over 30 different species of animals.

 

 

Where the animals go in the winter…

The Holiday season is fast approaching and with it the cold weather. Many people ask where the animals go during the winter and I am here to answer your questions.  Hidden Valley Animal Adventure has many animals and luckily most of them can withstand the cold temperatures.

Certain animals absolutely love the snow such as the bison, elk, and yak. These animals are left out in the snow during the winter as they love to play in blizzard conditions.

Bison have a shaggy, long, dark brown winter coat, that is so well insulated that snow can settle on its back without melting.

Elk in the winter, they reconvene into larger herds, though males and females typically remain separate. The herds return to lower valley pastures where elk spend the season pawing through snow to browse on grass or settling for shrubs that stand clear of the snow cover.

Yaks have very long hair to keep them warm and dry, especially in the cold winter months. Their horns are used for defense but also to get through snow in order to get the plants that are buried beneath it.

The rest of the animals at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure either have access to a three sided building or are in a fully enclosed building.

The animals that have access to a three sided building are well adapted to cold temperatures but can not withstand the harsh elements of winter, therefore they have the ability to be under shelter and can protect themselves.  The other animals such as the birds, antelope, etc. are moved into a fully enclosed building where they are kept dry and warm until spring comes back around.

Trolley tours are winding down for the season

This year is flying and our animal park trolley tours are coming to an end.  This coming weekend, October 29th and 30th will be the last days that our trolleys will be going through the park. Be sure to come out and see the animals one last time before they prepare for the cold and move into their winter homes.

Celebrate Halloween with many of our animals that will be celebrating their first Halloween at Hidden Valley Animal Adventure this year. Join us at The Trailside Grill and Bar for a not so scary children’s Halloween party and costume parade.

Animals celebrating their first Halloween include:

Addax, barbado sheep, aoudads, bison, elk, water buffalo, wildebeest, ducks, llamas, alpacas, red pheasant, black bucks, sika deer, and more!

 

Lilly the Wildebeest

My family owns a dairy farm and I have been so blessed to have grown up in a place where I get to interact with all types of animals everyday.
If you know anything about me, one of my passions in life is animals…..how could you not love something so sweet and innocent.  A few years back my family expanded into the exotic animal industry and I have been able to raise some wonderful animals such as an elk, buffalo, and now a wildebeest!

Lilly was born on Friday, October 7, 2011 and is now 2 weeks old. I became her official care taker on Saturday and as you know babies can be very exhausting to raise. I had to feed her every 4 hours (6 times a day) including through out the night. She is a happy healthy baby and has drank extremely well from day 1. I am now down to feeding her 3 times a day and she also gets water, grain, and hay on top of her milk feedings.

We went for our first walk last week, and she was so excited to run around on the lawn. Needless to say she loves being outside and every time I go in to feed her, she tries to get out so she can run around on the grass.

Halloween is around the corner, what should she dress up as?

Keep checking back to find updates on Lilly!

Children’s Halloween Party

Looking for a not so scary Halloween party for the kids? Bring them to Hidden Valley Animal Adventure on Sunday, October 30. The Trailside Grill and Bar will be throwing a party for children from 1:00 pm – 4:00 pm with a parade that marches out to the gazebo at 2:30 pm.

10:00 Trolley Rides Begin & Trailside Grill & Bar Opens (additional charge for trolley rides)

1:00 – 4:00 pm Kids Halloween Party

2:30 pm Costume Parade

Adults $5.00,  children ages 10 & under FREE (must be in costume) with paid adult! (1 paying adult for every 2 children) Cost includes soda, cider, pizza, donuts, and games!

Hunting season is here, and many hunters are looking for a large trophy bull or buck. Here are some interesting facts about antlers and cultural uses of  the deer family!

Antlers
• Only male deers have antlers with the exception of female reindeer which also has antlers
• Males shed and grow a new set of antlers every year
• New antlers are covered in fuzzy skin called velvet
• Antlers harden by late summer and the velvet peels away
• By September, antlers are solid bone
• A set of antlers on a mature elk bull can weigh up to 40 pounds

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Thank you to everyone who joined us at Oktoberfest!

The day started off cold and rainy as we parked the car and quickly made our way up the sidewalk to Hidden Valley Animal Adventure for Oktoberfest. As we walked up the sidewalk, the delicious aroma of German food filled the air and the pumpkins, cornstalks, and decorations really made the day feel like fall had arrived.

As we walked in the front doors we were welcomed by German Music and a friendly atmosphere. We then made our way down the stairs to the Trailside Grill & Bar, the downstairs was buzzing with excitement from all the different activities that were happening. There were many children standing in line to get their faces painted and playing the antler ring toss (which is much harder then it sounds). There were also many families enjoying German food and hot cocoa after taking a trolley ride through the Animal Park.

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Oktoberfest is 5 days away!

September is quickly coming to an end, which means October and Oktoberfest is on its way!

Fun for all ages activities include: hay maze, antler toss, etc.

Join us Sunday, October2, 2011
the activities begin at 10am

10:00-5:00pm   Animal Park Trolley Tours

10:00-close   Trailside Grill and Bar Open

12:00-9:00pm   The Lodge at Hidden Valley

3:00-7:00pm   Live Music by The Frankfurters

7:30 Bonfire begins

 

The Best of Autumn in WNY

My favorite time of the year has finally arrived!  Fall is here, which means colorful views, pumpkin spice, Halloween, crisp mornings, hunting, and of course harvest time! Living in the northeast and more importantly Western New York I have been spoiled with breathtaking views of foliage in the fall and beautiful pictures of the rolling hills and colorful ravines. Here are my top reasons of why I love the Fall in WNY!

1.) The Leaves. Autumn is the prettiest season. The leaves change colors, from green to orange, red, yellow and brown, which makes a beautiful photograph.  Leaves may be annoying to rake but they sure are fun to jump in once the raking has been completed!

2.) The Weather. Here on the east coast, we often wish we had beach-going temperatures all year round and I’m not going to lie I take full advantage of the warm weather. But there is nothing like the fall weather and views, I absolutely love waking up on a crispy fall morning to the smell of the leaves and the vivid colors on the trees as they prepare for hibernation, plus it gives me an excuse to buy a cute fall jacket! also did I mention that it is the perfect excuse for cuddling?

3.) The Pumpkin Spice. It’s back! My trip over to a friends house and being greeted with pumpkin spice muffins confirmed as much.

I love the tastes of the season and look forward to delicious treats all year round.

4.) The Activities. Fall is the perfect time to embrace your inner child and participate in activities such as: Apple picking. Pumpkin picking. Football games. Corn mazes. Fall festivals. Outdoor concerts. Hayrides.

5.) The Fashion. The boots. The bags. The sweaters. After all the weather is getting chilly so its time to break out your favorite accessories such as sweaters, jean jackets, knit hats, scarves and more!

6.) The Football. Buffalo fans would not be happy if football were not on the list, whether you’re a die-hard fan or just in it for the tailgating everyone should attend either a college or professional game.

Photo Credit: Brian

The importance of pets

We all love animals and having  pets at home,many parents often bring pets into the family
to teach children responsibility or to provide them with a playmate. Did you realize there are more benefits to owning a pet then the ones listed above?

If you have children a pet may be just the way to teach your kids the following:
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