Cheyenne Mountain Zoo

What sets Cheyenne Mountain Zoo apart is its terrain. Rather than spreading across flat ground, it climbs the steep, wooded flank of Cheyenne Mountain, with habitats, boardwalks, and trails stacked up the slope. The design makes the most of the mountain setting, weaving pines and rock outcrops into the exhibits and rewarding the climb with expanding views.

That hillside location gives the whole visit an outdoorsy, exploratory feel, closer to a hike than a stroll through a typical zoo. It also means the zoo can be cooler and breezier than the city below, part of what makes it a refreshing escape on a warm day.

The zoo's signature animals are its giraffes, kept as one of the largest herds at any zoo in the country. The chance to buy a handful of lettuce and feed them at the railing, looking a giraffe in the eye as it curls its long tongue around the leaves, is the experience most visitors remember above all else.

The herd has become a point of pride and a symbol of the zoo, and its long-running success has made Cheyenne Mountain a leader in the care and study of these animals. Watching the giraffes move against the mountain backdrop is a small daily wonder for the many families who come.

To help visitors up the slope and to make the most of the setting, the zoo runs a chairlift-style Mountaineer Sky Ride that carries riders above the hillside for a bird's-eye view of the grounds and the country beyond. It is both a practical way up and an attraction in its own right.

From the upper reaches of the zoo, the views stretch out over Colorado Springs and the surrounding plains, framed by the foothills and the nearby heights of the Pikes Peak region. Those vistas, combined with the wooded terraces, give the zoo a sense of place few others can match.

Spring brings mild days, active animals, and greening hillsides, a pleasant and less crowded time to visit before summer arrives.

Summer is the busiest and warmest season, ideal for a full day on the mountain, though the higher, breezier setting keeps it more comfortable than the city below.

Fall offers crisp air, golden foliage on the slope, and thinner crowds, one of the prettiest times to walk the terraces.

Winter is quieter and cold, with a festive holiday lights event that transforms the hillside, and some outdoor experiences run on a seasonal schedule.

The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is a place we chose through independent editorial review, never a paid placement.

The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo, in Colorado Springs, Colorado, is a unique and beloved zoo built into the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain, making it the highest-elevation zoo in the country. Famous for its large herd of giraffes and a popular hands-on giraffe-feeding experience, the zoo is home to a wide variety of animals amid a beautiful mountainside setting with stunning views over the city and plains. Known for its conservation work, engaging exhibits, and family-friendly atmosphere, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a memorable and scenic outing where visitors can get close to wildlife in one of Colorado's most distinctive zoo settings.

Yes, feeding the giraffes is one of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's most famous and beloved experiences, as the zoo is home to one of the largest giraffe herds in the country, and visitors can hand-feed them lettuce from an elevated platform, getting delightfully close to these gentle giants. It is a highlight for children and adults alike. A small fee typically applies for the feeding lettuce. This up-close giraffe encounter is a signature attraction, so it is well worth doing during a visit, offering a memorable and hands-on wildlife experience.

You can see a wide variety of animals in mountainside exhibits, feed the famous giraffe herd, ride the scenic Mountaineer Sky Ride chairlift for views, visit the historic carousel, explore exhibits featuring big cats, primates, bears, and more, take in sweeping views of Colorado Springs and the plains, and enjoy the zoo's conservation-focused programs. The unique mountain setting and giraffe feeding make it especially memorable. With its diverse animals, hands-on experiences, scenic views, and family-friendly attractions, the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo offers a fun and distinctive outing in the Colorado Springs area.

Spring through fall offers pleasant weather for enjoying the largely outdoor, mountainside zoo, with mornings especially nice when the animals are most active and temperatures are cooler, while summer is the busiest season, so arriving early helps with crowds and parking on the mountain. The zoo is open year-round, with winter offering a quieter visit and, seasonally, holiday light events. Because the zoo is built on a slope with some walking and elevation, comfortable shoes help. For active animals, comfortable weather, and smaller crowds, aim for a spring, summer, or fall morning.

The zoo is in Colorado Springs on the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain, near the iconic Pikes Peak, the stunning Garden of the Gods, the Cave of the Winds, the historic town of Manitou Springs, and downtown Colorado Springs, with the Front Range and Denver within reach to the north. That makes the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo a fun family stop to combine with Pikes Peak, Garden of the Gods, and the many other attractions of the Colorado Springs area on a visit to Colorado.