Action Wildlife Foundation

Action Wildlife grew out of the private collection of Wesley Hine, a Connecticut businessman who spent years gathering exotic hoofed animals on his Goshen land. What started as a personal passion for large grazers eventually opened to the public and was organized as a nonprofit foundation, with a mission centered on education and on giving visitors a rare chance to stand close to animals from several continents.

The result is unusual for New England: a hillside where North American elk and bison share the horizon with African and Asian species like watusi cattle and zebra. Because the foundation runs on admissions, feed sales, and the work of a small crew, it keeps the plainspoken character of a family farm rather than a polished commercial attraction.

The signature experience is the pasture loop. You drive your own vehicle at a crawl through fenced ranges where the animals roam, and if you have bought feed, they will come right to the car. Elk, fallow deer, bison, and the dramatically horned ankole-watusi are among the grazers you are likely to meet along the way.

After the drive, a lower walk-through area lets you get out and meet smaller and gentler animals, the goats, sheep, alpaca, and barnyard residents that make it a hit with young children. The pace is entirely yours, and lingering is encouraged.

Set on rising ground, the park also gives you long views out over the Litchfield Hills, so even the drive between pastures comes with scenery.

Beyond the living animals, the property holds a natural history museum filled with mounted specimens and trophies gathered from around the world. It is an old-school cabinet of wonders sort of collection, the kind that lets you see the scale and detail of animals you would never encounter in New England.

For families, pairing the museum with the pastures makes for a fuller half day: the live animals up close outside, and a chance to study horns, hides, and full mounts under one roof.

Come with time to spare and a slow mindset. The animals reward patience, and the whole appeal is the unhurried, up-close contact you rarely get at a larger zoo. Buying feed is the single best way to turn a quiet drive into a memorable one.

Because Action Wildlife is seasonal and weather dependent, it is worth confirming the day's hours before making the trip out to Goshen. A clear, mild afternoon in spring or fall, when the hills are green or turning, is an ideal time to go.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.