The Kalatop Khajjiar Wildlife Sanctuary is a 30 sq km belt of deodar and oak forest that wraps around the meadow and stretches west toward Dalhousie. It protects barking deer, Himalayan black bear, leopards, monals and koklas pheasants, though the bigger animals stay deep in the forest and most visitors only see langurs and a lot of birds.
A clear, well-maintained forest road runs the 10 km from Khajjiar to the Kalatop rest house, and walking it makes for one of the best half-day hikes in the area. The path is shaded the whole way, gains very little elevation, and emerges at a viewpoint over the Ravi valley. A small entry fee is collected at the sanctuary gate; carry water, there is none on the way.