Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
7334 Cheyenne Mountain Hwy, Colorado Springs, CO
Colorado Springs, CO
The country's only mountain zoo, climbing a forested hillside above Colorado Springs with a famous giraffe herd and big views to match.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is the only mountain zoo in the United States, built right into the forested slope of Cheyenne Mountain above Colorado Springs. Its winding paths and terraced enclosures climb the hillside, so a visit feels part zoo and part mountain walk, with wide views opening out over the city and plains as you ascend.
The zoo is best known for its giraffe herd, one of the largest at any zoo in the country, and for the chance to hand-feed the giraffes lettuce at eye level, a signature experience that has delighted visitors for years. Between the animals, the setting, and the views, it has become one of the most beloved family destinations in the Pikes Peak region.
What Guests Love
- Hand-feeding lettuce to one of the country's largest giraffe herds
- A zoo built into a mountainside with terraces and sweeping city views
- A memorable chairlift-style Mountaineer Sky Ride up the slope
- A wooded, walkable setting that feels like a hike as much as a zoo visit
Worth Knowing
- The zoo climbs a steep hillside, so wear good walking shoes and pace yourself at elevation
- It sits high above the city, so it can be cooler and windier than downtown; bring a layer
- Giraffe feeding and some experiences are seasonal or weather-dependent
- It is a popular family destination, so busy days fill parking; arrive early in peak season
Details
Colorado Springs, CO
Learn about Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
A zoo on the mountainside
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 giraffe herd
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.
Sky rides and mountain views
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.
Season by season
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.
Closest Boutels
The closest Boutel™ stays, so you can turn this stop into an overnight. Each is an independently owned, editorially selected place to stay.
Things to Do Near Colorado Springs
The Broadmoor
About 2 miles north
A grand historic resort at the foot of Cheyenne Mountain, a landmark of the Pikes Peak region.
Seven Falls
About 4 miles northwest
A series of cascading waterfalls tucked into a narrow box canyon in the Cheyenne Mountain foothills.
Garden of the Gods
About 10 miles north
A free public park of towering red sandstone formations against the backdrop of Pikes Peak.
Pikes Peak
About 20 miles west
The famous fourteen-thousand-foot summit reachable by cog railway or scenic highway.