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Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
Rating Details »
- Good for Kids:
- Yes
16 reviews for Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
What a great little zoo! It's not large, and it has some parts, like the monkey house, that are ready for renovation. However, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has a lovely, cozy feeling to it that I haven't experienced anywhere else.
Part of what makes this a great zoo is obviously the unique location. Being on a hillside affords nice views and an interesting walking experience. But that's not all. Whenever we interacted with zoo staff, they were genuinely friendly and seemed to love their jobs.
Our daughter is a giraffe junky, so we had a blast feeding and petting them. It was an amazing experience being at eye- (er, tongue-) level with such beautiful critters. If you have a giraffe-lover in your life, this is a must-visit zoo.
You walk through a gate. then you walk through another gate...
...and then? WALLABIES bounding around at your feet. You are in the cage! They sniffed my shoes. Am I probably over-reacting to this? Yeah. Am I starved for animal attention? I live in New York City, so yeah.
Also, the peacocks roam the park. and attack children who anatgonize them... (or rather they should, I was impressed how much shrieking and pointing and attempt to scare the bejesus out of them the peacocks were able to attack with nary a puffed chest or angry sqwak)
Overall, a good workout zoo. Steep incline, some sketchy non animal exhibits that take biases you wouldn't expect for a zoo, like "ATVs, working together with animals and the park service."
but anyway. fun zoo. and WALLABIES!
I visited the zoo recently for the first time in years. Several highlights stood out:
The grizzlies-- they have a nice big area to roam in, and we were treated to quite the show-- first one grizzly woke the other one up to wrestle, then they went up to the upper part of their enclosure, which has a pond that goes right up to the viewing window and is stocked with trout. Unfortunately, they didn't try to catch the trout, but they played in the water right in front of us, played with foam balls, and dug up a nice deer hip socket to gnaw on. They seemed quite content.
The mountain lions-- I wondered if the grizzlies had one way glass in their enclosure (they didn't seem to notice the gobs of people pressed up against the glass). The mountain lions definitely noticed us, though, especially the little kids and the stuffed animals. A good reminder to watch over your little dogs at home!
The bird house (budgies?)-- tons of colorful birds inside, flying around in the area you walk into. It actually made me nervous (hundreds of birds flying or perched overhead = good chance of getting splatted). But they were gorgeous, every color of the rainbow.
The primate house-- my zoo memories of primates consist mostly of bored monkeys throwing poop at the window. These primates are much better behaved, treating us to graceful acrobatic displays and chilling noises that evoke the jungle at night.
All this and more in a gorgeous mountain setting-- I definitely recommend.
I fed so many giraffes. And they have something like the largest herd of giraffes! All of them hungry for the crackers you can buy for a couple bucks. They love coming up and snatching them out of your hands with their prehensile tongues...eee.
This is quite a mountainous zoo. You will walk up and down. While they try to be accessible to all walks/wheels of life, planning is required if you have walking problems or are in a wheelchair. They had trams and elevators to help people around.
The animals looked cold when I was there. And it was cold! 50 in August? Ay ya. Poor monkeys were huddled together for warmth.
They have wallabies and peacocks that just walk around the place. Like, I saw a peacock meandering about in the parking lot. I think he was making his great escape.
They have turtles, elephants, hippos, bears, wolves, tigers and other zoo staples. Slowly, the zoo is expanding the animals housing, and more space is coming! I'm sure the animals will be happy to hear that.
Overall, a good trip to see some animals and feed giraffes. They have food there, not too expensive, not bad tasting either. Plenty of restrooms.
Very nice zoo to go to if you are in Colorado Springs! Lots of animal exhibits to partake! The zoo seems to built on a hill or hills and so it seems like you are walking uphill a lot, so if you are out of shape on walking, beware!
They try. Which counts for alot.... but one still wonders why some enclosures aren't larger. Porcupine has a tree and a postage stamp area inspite of just shrubbery behind him. Don't get me started on some of the primate, elephant, bird and reptile/amphibian & hippo exhibits. The tiger exhibit is nicely spaced with a stream though.
Wishing them the best in this economy so they can offer the "wildlife" the best.
Though tis a hike for some, there are elevators and a tram to make all of the hot-on-blacktop-in-sun walking possible.
Nice views of the hills and Broadmore & downtown.
Unconventional but legit location. Even though the parking lot was totally full, it never felt all that crowded.
The bears were awesome. The giraffes are probably pretty scary for the really little kids (they get right up in your face and have no shame), but its definitely a highlight.
Is it me, or is this place kinda pricey for adults ($15), or have I just not been to a zoo in a really long time?
What other zoo can combine great animal exhibits with a great workout? We had a great time during our visit to this zoo. The kids favorite parts were feeding the giraffes, riding the carousel, and the big winner--the sky ride. We also really enjoyed all the animal exhibits, especially the wallabies, where we got to pet a baby wallaby, and the budgies, where we got to feed some very pretty birds. We also happened upon a tour of the monkey exhibit, that was very informative and entertaining.
It is quite a hike to get to the top of the zoo and back down, but it flows pretty nicely, and having the kids worn out and ready to sleep well is not a bad thing. We rented a stroller for our 4 year old (only $5), otherwise she might not have lasted through the whole zoo.
My only complaint was the actual "kids area" of the zoo...there wasn't much, and in the small petting area there was only a very timid bunny hiding under a bench. However, the kids had such a great time at the rest of the zoo, and there's so many other nice animal encounters, that it wasn't a big deal.
i love zoos! i've been to my share. c.m.z. has been THE BEST zoo experience of all!! some of the enclosures may be small. but what they lack in size, they make up for in quality-real rocks, trees, grass, hills, etc. the giraffe area is fantastic. the monkeys are so fun- on one visit one of the chimps was interacting with a zoo visitor through the glass!
the walk is definitely a work out, so i'd suggest start at the top and work your way down the mountain
If I remember correctly, this zoo was originally built to house Spencer Penrose's collection of exotic animals, which explains its somewhat odd location on the side of a mountain. As almost every other reviewer has stated, the trek through the zoo is no joke, and definitely not for someone who can't stand to walk uphill a while.
This zoo has come a long way since I was a little girl. I remember dreading it when I was younger. All of the exhibits (the big cats, in particular) were small and squished together. In the past few years, the zoo has made drastic improvements on the habitats. The tigers were one of the first animals to get a significantly larger habitat - something that was well needed. The famous giraffes also have a great deal more space now, and the bears are next. The zoo is much more enjoyable to visit now, as long as you bring a good pair of shoes.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is the best zoo I have ever been too. I would say its about a medium size zoo and if you don't like exercise this might not be the zoo for you because it is laid out in the side of a mountain...
My parents have lived in places all over the world and been to many kinds of zoos, but they say that this zoo is their favorite. The layout is just spectacular and the animal exhibits (while some seem small) are very well done. Visually, it is a fantastic zoo.
The biggest draw is the Giraffe herd. Kids and adults can feed this large herd crackers and watch the trainers working with them all year around. If you aren't a giraffe fan, then this zoo has you covered. My niece HATES the giraffes because they are too big and scary for her, but she loves watching the Meerkat and the Primate section of the zoo. Also, for those who like wallabees (small kangeroos) you can walk amongst them. Pretty fun.
Oh interesting Meerkat experience, one of the sides has small holes that you can stick your fingers in. Meerkats are a lot like ferrets and some of them like to wonder around looking for ways to escape. Stick your finger in the hole when a meerkat is nearby and they will try to do the same. Watch out for those claws!
Do you know what color a giraffe's tongue is? Yeah, imagine seeing that for the first time when you're three years old and holding out this weird looking little rye cracker feed thing for this HUGE animal with the GREEN tongue to come down and wrap said green tongue around your entire hand and proceed to try and lift your tiny cherubic-cheeked body towards it's mouth where of course you're going to be devoured...
I was traumatized.
Then my mom took me to see the tigers.
Can we come back next week?
I saw my first snow leopards here and recently took my nieces to see the zoo at night - a whole new experience and one I recommend most highly.
The Will Rogers Shrine Bells will always remind me of the smells and sounds of this zoo on the mountain.
If you're not a big fan of giraffes, don't go. The giraffes are the major draw here. In fact, I'm not sure there were any other animals at the zoo, as I only remember the long-necked mammals and their freaky weird tongues.
Just kidding. There were meerkats. And tigers. I vaguely remember a pretty sweet tiger setup.
Do your stretches at the car once you've parked, because you're going to burn your calories as you wander through the zoo. The hills are steep; this is a workout.
Oh yes, and before I forget: WOOO! GIRAFFES! WOOOOOOO!
At 6,800-feet above sea level, this medium-size park, founded in 1926, is the highest public zoo in the country. You'll find a wide array of the usual suspects - wolves, lions, leopards, elephants, hippos, reptiles, snakes, and lots of birds - although the big draw is Primate World, an expansive natural environment filled with simians of every sort. The zoo is home to more than thirty endangered species, and its twenty giraffes constitute the largest captive herd in the world. There's also a colorful antique carousel, and a tram that makes a full loop of the zoo. Admission includes access to the nearby Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, a granite tower built in 1937, with photos and information on the American humorist, and a great view of the city and surrounding countryside.
Go to the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo!
If you have kids they will LOSE THEIR MINDS it's so cool. And if you don't have kids, you'll still love it.
Who doesn't like feeding giraffes? How about seeing baby giraffes from the most prolific herd in captivity? Or how about visiting the numerous primates, and seeing the babies riding around on their mom's backs? Mountain Lions you can almost reach out and touch... Bears swimming just inches away from you... and a porcupine. The porcupine doesn't do much... he just sleeps in a tree. This zoo is truly unique and just incredible.
Notice how affordable a 1-yr family pass is. It will pay for itself after probably 3 visits, and trust me you'll be coming back again and again.
the zoo from my childhood memories! lots of great animals and a workout to tour! be prepared to walk or find out about handicapped amenities if you have a problem hiking. the tigers will communicate with you if you try to speak their language. that makes me smile every time.
last time i was there they also had the oddest looking bird i have ever seen in my life and i swear to god it was stalking me. it had these creepy human like eyes and lashes and a long black pointy beak and red, wrinkly skin all around it's face. i wanted to take it home.