Guardians Of The Wild: Turpentine Creek Tour
Tours & Day Trips | Registration opens Tuesday, August 19, 2025 10:00 AM
Come face to face with rescued wildlife at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge—459 acres of sanctuary near Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Home to over 100 animals, this accredited refuge provides a safe, lifelong home to abused, neglected, and abandoned big cats and bears. On this guided visit, you’ll learn the stories of tigers, lions, leopards, and more, while exploring how the refuge rescues and rehabilitates animals in need. Obtain exclusive educational insights from trained staff and the chance to ask questions about animal care, conservation efforts, and sanctuary operations. Turpentine Creek is one of the few sanctuaries in the US to earn Verified Status from the Global Federation of Animal Sanctuaries, ensuring top tier ethical care. Discover the power of rescue, the importance of advocacy, and the beauty of these incredible animals in a setting where their well-being comes first.
Lunch will be on your own at a local Eureka Springs restaurant following the tour. Meeting location and tour information will be sent in the class reminder.
Travel time: 9:00 am - 3:00 pm / Tour time: 10:00 am - 12:00 pm.
Activity Level: 1
Participant will have an option to meet as a group at the OLLI Headquarters (HQ), located at 481 S. Shiloh Drive, Fayetteville, AR 72704, and travel together to the destination, or they may elect to meet directly at Turpentine Creek Wildlife Refuge. located at 239 Turpentine Creek Ln, Eureka Springs, AR 72632.
Class changes occasionally happen; please watch for (and read) announcements or emails from OLLI regarding your class.
Click on the link below for a Google map shot of our location:
Turpentine Creek
Douglas Talbott
Doug is a retired academic advisor and part-time instructor from the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville, He is also an avid wildlife photographer, SCUBA diver, and world traveler who has touched all seven continents. A passionate photographer and world traveler, he has visited all seven continents and 47 of the 50 states. In the last three years he has visited and extensively photographed in Australia, Africa, and Antarctica.
Dough is a semi-professional photographer who has been photographing with Nikon equipment for about 60 years. He has traveled to 47 U.S. States, all 7 continents, and numerous countries. In February of this year, he and his wife traveled to the Galapagos Islands where they photographed the blue and red footed boobie birds, sea lions, and marine and land iguana. He showcased his best pictures from this trip in an OLLI class in April 2025.