Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is the only mountainside zoo in America. It is located southwest of downtown Colorado Springs, Colorado, on Cheyenne Mountain it has an elevation of 6,800 feet above sea level.
The zoo covers 140 acres, only 40 of which are in use. It is located west of The Broadmoor resort along the slopes of Cheyenne Mountain's lower north end. The animal collection includes more than 750 animals, representing nearly 150 different species, with more than 30 endangered species.
The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo was founded in 1926 by philanthropist, Spencer Penrose to house his growing collection of exotic animals. In 1938, after substantial development, Penrose incorporated the Zoo as a non-profit public trust to the people of Colorado Springs.
I'm not really a big fan of zoo's. BUT when searching for things o do in Colorado Springs, visiting the Cheyenne Mountain zoo, is a MUST. On Yelp or Tripadvisor it is in the top 5 of things to do. So after almost a year here, we decided to visit the zoo. I have to admit, it was worth it. I wish I would've waited until the "off" season, only because it was expensive. But the views from the zoo are totally worth it.
My favorite part of the zoo was being able to feed the giraffes. Although you pay $3 for a little bit of lettuce, the lettuce looks just like the iceberg lettuce you can buy for $0.99 at the grocery store, we were told that the zookeeper's make sure the lettuce is washed properly without all that extra residue. It might just have been a ploy to make money, but I didn't want to risk the health of the animals.
If you're visiting Colorado Springs, make sure to visit this zoo, after all a trip to Will Rogers Shrine is included with your admission!
Location: 4250 Cheyenne Mountain Zoo Rd, Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Hours: 9a-5p Daily
Cost: Depends on time of the year, Click Here for More info
