Visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs is one of our favorite zoos, and we got to check it out again a few weeks ago for the first time with our almost two-year-old in tow. It's one of the most unique zoos I've ever visited and our daughter had an absolute blast.
Getting There
At just under an hour and a half down I-25 from Denver, it makes for a great day out of the city. That said, leave early. I-25 between Denver and Colorado Springs is unpredictable and a minor fender-bender can turn a 90-minute drive into a two-hour one. Parking at the zoo also fills up fast, especially on weekends.
Aim to be there right at opening. You'll get a parking spot, beat the crowds, and have the best shot at getting through all the exhibits before nap time catches up with you.
One other thing: advance timed tickets are required for both members and non-members, so book online at cmzoo.org before your trip.
Admission
You're generally looking at around $29.75 for adults and $24.75 for kids ages 3-11. Kids 2 and under are just $0.75. It's not cheap, but for what you get it feels reasonable. Admission also includes entry to the Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun, which we'll get to in a bit.
Note: These prices are accurate as of writing this post, but always look up the latest from the Zoo's site.
The Zoo Itself
What makes Cheyenne Mountain Zoo special is that it's built right into the side of a mountain. The paths wind up and down through the exhibits, the elevation sits above 6,700 feet, and the views out over Colorado Springs are awesome throughout.
A few highlights worth calling out. The giraffe area is always a crowd pleaser and you can pay to hand-feed them right up close at $3 per lettuce bundle, or two for $5. Our daughter was a tad too young, so we watched others do it and even just watching from the rail was fun.
As a Bluey fan, the Australia Walkabout was probably our daughter's favorite part of the whole day. You walk right through an enclosure with free-roaming wallabies hopping around you, which is exactly as cool as it sounds. The penguins were a close second and are always a hit with kids. Both are included with admission and well worth tracking down.
There's also an antique carousel that only costs a couple of bucks to ride, but it was surprisingly fast. Our kid normally is fearless when it comes to ride, but this one spooked her a bit.
Pizza With a View
For lunch we ate at Pizza with a View, which does exactly what it says. We got the Smokehouse Yardbird and the Burrata and both were really good. The Burrata was a nice surprise for zoo food. Not to complain, but it definitely blue the Denver Zoo's food out of the water.
The Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun
Zoo admission includes entry to the Will Rogers Shrine, a historic stone tower from the 1930s sitting at over 8,100 feet. We went inside and climbed it and the views of Colorado Springs the top are amazing.
Here's the thing though: to get there, you literally have to drive your car through the zoo on a narrow road while toddlers and small children dart across. Saying it was a bit stressful is an understatement. I'm just glad we drove our Subaru and not our Wrangler. The Shrine is worth seeing, but if you're already tired at the end of a long zoo day, don't stress about skipping it.
General Tips
- Leave Denver early. I-25 is unpredictable and parking fills up fast.
- Book advance tickets at cmzoo.org before you go. Tickets are not sold at the door.
- Wear comfortable shoes. You'll rack up some miles and hills for sure.
- Bring cash for the animal feeding experiences since they're cash only (ATM near the beavers).
- Check the daily schedule online so you can plan around animal demos.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is 100% worth the drive from Denver. The wallabies alone might be reason enough to go back. 🦘
If you found this post interesting, you may also like:
Tim
Tim
Tim