June 27, 2023
We have reservations for the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo today. We can enter at 9:00AM. The zoo lives up to its name mountain. It literally sits on the side of Cheyenne Mountain. We first entered and walked arounds the gift shop and kind of got the lay of the land. That is when we spied a couple of golf carts with signs on them that said “Shuttle”. Nancy went over to one of the drivers and got the scoop. It would cost us $3 each for all day access to the shuttle service. He said that most people will ride the shuttle up to the top and then walk down viewing the exhibits. The zoo is divided into two sides so they would do one side, walk down, then shuttle up to do the other side. Sounded like a great plan to us so we paid our $6 (money very well spent!). Here’s a map of the zoo.
We started our walk down through Australia Walkabout and then found our way into the Asian Highlands. Next was the Rocky Mountain Wild section. After looking at the bears and domestic goats we opted for some lunch. It was time to sit down for a while. We found the Rocky Mountain Wild Barbecue Company. We ordered a brisket sandwich and a drink and enjoyed a pleasant view in the shade, while we ate.
We were almost done with one side of the zoo so we continued our journey through Water’s Edge: Africa and Primate World. We then walked back to the shuttle pick up area where a very nice zoo employee radioed the shuttle to wait for us. We hopped on the shuttle to take a ride back down up and then down the mountain. Some individuals on the shuttle were heading toward the exit so we just rode.
Then is was our turn to ride the shuttle back up to finish our tour of the zoo. We first started with the elephants and rhinos at Encounter Africa. There were a few other animals there but the larger animals were the main draw. On the zoo map you will find all of the animals listed in each area. Our next stop was the African Rift Valley. The main attraction were the giraffes. You could feed them, pet them. Some were very photogenic and would pose. We found our way through this area and were back at the beginning.
We surprised ourselves. We spent over 5 hours here at the zoo. That was a long time for us. The weather was warm but absolutely beautiful. We purchased a couple of gift items and found our way back home. Very tired but it was a most enjoyable day.
