Ages 21+. Offered on October 24. Join us for an adults only program where you not only get to create memories but a painting of one of our amazing animals as well. Each month offers a different animal theme to paint. Spend the evening at the Zoo strolling through animal exhibits, enjoying an adult beverage, meeting animals up-close and creating a masterpiece! Registration is required.
Ages: Middle & High School. Register for one course or the three-course series. Naturalists play a valuable role in our Colorado community by engaging others in the appreciation of our natural world and beginning the conversation of how to protect it. This class will give our teenage community the skills and resources to understand more about our wild world and how to successfully share their stewardship with others. In order to protect it, we first need to understand it. Registration is required and closes 14 days prior to the start date. (Must have 6 participants to run the class.)
Ages 1-4 years with adult. Offered: October 14, 20 & 26. Registrants will participate in a fall-themed sensory activity and meet some of our Orange colored friends that call the Zoo home! Registration is required and open online now.
Ages: Elementary (1st-5th grade) & Middle School (6th-8th). Join us for a chillingly good time as we learn the best tricks and treats of scavengers. Scavengers may seem scary, but these misunderstood animals are some of the most important of the animal kingdom. We will even get to meet a few up close! Registration is required.
Ages 21+. Special Holiday Date Night Starlight Safari offered on Monday, October 30. Come join us for the Spooky Safari after hours...if you dare. Put a little spooky into your next date night and join us on the mountainside. During this Halloween-themed night tour for adults (21+) only, you will experience Cheyenne Mountain like never before. Explore the zoo under the stars by lantern light. Spy our animal friends in the darkness using night vision goggles, and enjoy a complimentary adult beverage and Halloween games along the way. This experience is for guests 21+. Costumes are encouraged. Registration is required.
Last four nights! Evenings of October 27-29 & 31, 2023 - 3:30 p.m. – 8:30 p.m. All ages. Come see the original creatures of the night. It’ll be all treats and no tricks for your little pirates and princesses at this year’s Boo at the Zoo, the region’s most unique Halloween event. Boo at the Zoo is a fun way for families with young children to trick-or-treat and enjoy Halloween festivities in a safe environment, and all of our candy is made with sustainable palm oil to help protect wild orangutans! Advance timed admission tickets are required, and are on sale now. NOTE: All nights of Boo at the Zoo, except for Halloween night (Tues., Oct. 31) are full!.
Ages 6th-12th grades. Offered Sept. 15, or Nov. 3. We will roast s'mores and walk among the stars as we tour our Zoo amidst the dark skies. Spend an evening exploring what the animals do while the rest of the world is sleeping. We will tour multiple buildings as well as have a chance to meet an animal up-close! Registration is required.
Ages K - 2nd grades. Whether it’s a beaver building a dam or an elephant knocking down trees, animals have a special way of changing the world around them. Through hands-on activities we will learn how both wildlife and humans from all over the world can change their homes. Registration is required.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Come put your skills to the test and learn how photography can be a unique approach to wildlife conservation. No previous experience is necessary and any camera or phone will work. Registration is required.
Ages 3rd - 5th grade. Join us in this young learners program as we study the wonders of Colorado nature from right in our own backyard. We’ll learn how to best live with local wildlife, identify native plants, and how to best protect our home environments. Registration is required.
Ages 4-5 years. Offered Saturday, Nov. 11. Join us for a thrill-seeking day of exploring the foraging skills animals use to find food and shelter. Together we will crawl through the dirt, jump over the bushes, and make new discoveries. Registration is required.
Ages: 1st - 8th grades; Elementary & Middle School groups. Let the Zoo be your classroom and join us for experiential learning through hands-on engagement. This month it's fun with carnivores, herbivores, and omnivores, OH MY! Join us as we learn all about animal diets and the adaptations they have to allow them to eat all the delicious and nutritious foods. Registration is required.
Ages 16+. No experience required. This is a 2.5-day course. Need something to put your pet toys in, or maybe to store hats and mittens, to put the mail in, or just to help clean up a cluttered corner? Get creative while you learn to weave a beautiful and functional basket that fits your lifestyle. The first evening of class we’ll start with a history of the basket, go over terminology, and walk through the process of weaving a basket to completion. Next, we’ll create a basket base and begin to weave height into it as you shape and form it to your own creative desires. You’ll have two full days to put your creativity to the test as you finish the course with a completed basket to take home and show off. Bring a friend and come join us for 2.5 days of basket weaving fun! REGISTRATION IS REQUIRED – Registration closes 14 days prior to the start date. Must have 6 participants to run the class.
Ages: 1st - 6th grades. Offered Monday - Wednesday, November 20, 21 or 22. Sign up for any one day or all three. Join us for Living Legends. From the zoo to our own backyards, Colorado is home to legendary animals. Join us in discovering what special skills Rocky Mountain wildlife need in order to survive. Then learn your own set of outdoor protection skills so you can be a Local Legend too! Registration is required.
Ages 21+. Offered on November 21. Join us for an adults only program where you not only get to create memories but a painting of one of our amazing animals as well. Each month offers a different animal theme to paint. Spend the evening at the Zoo strolling through animal exhibits, enjoying an adult beverage, meeting animals up-close and creating a masterpiece! Registration is required.
Ages: Kindergarten 4-5 years old. Offered Monday - Wednesday, Nov. 20, 21 or 22. Sign up for any one day or all three. From giant eagle claws to small ant jaws, all animals have unique spoons and forks. Join us as we explore the sweet adaptations that allow animals to enjoy their tasty meals! Registration is required.
Ages 1-4 with adult. Offered November 22. This special Holiday Edition Stroller Safari allows us to practice our kitchen prep the day before Thanksgiving! Registrants will prepare a fun feast for some zoo animals, and participate in other fall themed sensory activities! Registration is required.
Ages 1-4 years with adult. Offered: November 30. Participants will explore the zoo, searching and learning about animals that are most active in the evening hours, but sometimes can be encouraged to wake up during the day to say hello to groups like ours! Registration is required and open online now.
Ages: Kindergarten Learners, 4-5 years old. Offered on Sat., December 2. When the snow comes, we aren't the only ones who want to take shelter in our homes! Together we will plunge into the different types of shelters that animals make in the winter and how they keep them protected from the cold weather. Registration is required.
Ages 3rd-5th grades. Let’s learn how our local forests and wild residents are changing and adapting as the colder weather approaches. We’ll explore the zoo’s nature trail and meet zoo residents to learn firsthand how plants and animals prepare for winter. **Purchase of program includes daytime admission for participants. Registration is required.
Ages: 1st - 8th grades; Elementary & Middle School groups.
Whether it’s hunting as a team or hiding amongst the crowd, there is certainly an advantage in sticking together. Join us as we explore the many different animal groups and the advantages of having numbers in the wild! Registration is required.
Ages 1st - 5th grades. Let’s explore the birds who are tough enough to stick around through winter. We’ll learn about local species and their unique adaptations that allow them to survive through the cold. We’ll even meet residents here at the zoo and discover unique ways to attract birds to our homes! **Purchase of program includes daytime admission for participants. Registration is required.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Come explore the wild families of Felines & Canines! Through hands-on activities and observing resident animals we’ll learn about the unique adaptations that allow these family groups to be such successful hunters. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the program.
Ages 1-4 years with adult. Offered: December 16. Participants will learn about native Colorado species and create safe feeders to help wild animals near their homes find food in the colder months (almond butter, bird seed, cranberries, etc.)! Registration is required and open online now.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Winter brings an extra challenge to the outdoors. Let’s put our survival skills to the test as we learn how to build proper shelters and practice safe fire building techniques. **Purchase of this program includes daytime admission for participants. Registration is required.
Ages 1-4 with adult. Offered December 21 only. This special Holiday Edition Stroller Safari includes a special demo with our wolves. We will also learn about how animals and people all over the world choose to spend their holiday seasons! Registration is required.
All ages. Celebrate 27 nights of mountainside magic during Electric Safari with 85 light sculptures on over 50 acres! Named 3rd BEST ZOO LIGHTS, 5 years in a row by USA TODAY’S 10Best! Top off this astounding display by gazing out at the city’s lights and watch all of Colorado Springs sparkle. You'll also enjoy photos with larger-than-life illuminated inflatable animals, and our new holiday-safari themed drone show! Save $5 per ticket by visiting on a non-peak day! Advance timed e-tickets are required for everyone and sell out quickly.
Ages 1st - 6th grades. Offered for two weeks with a different theme each week! Sign-up for any number of days, or all eight! Themes: Are you Smarter than a Zoo Animal? and Warm Winters offer daily topics to choose from. Registration is required and open online now.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Every living thing in Colorado must find a way to adapt to the cold as winter approaches. Whether they choose to hibernate, migrate, or tolerate each must put their skills to the test in order to survive. **Purchase of program includes daytime admission for participants. Registration is required.
Ages: 1st - 8th grades; Elementary & Middle School groups. Embark on a thrilling journey with “Hunt & Hide” as we explore the fascinating world of Predators & Prey. From understanding animal adaptations to exploring the delicate balance of nature, learners will make new discoveries of our wild neighbors. Registration is required.
Ages: 3rd - 5th grades. Take a dive into the lives of the animals that stick around for winter! Come explore the zoo’s nature trail to see what wildlife calls Cheyenne Mountain home even during the cold season. We’ll practice identifying tracks, scat, and even try our hand at some tracking techniques that professional biologists use in the field! **Purchase of program includes daytime admission for participants. Registration is required.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Whether it’s taking your dog on a walk or giving your cat some toys, we are always providing our animals enrichment in their daily lives. But how do we do the same for more exotic animals in human care? Join us as we dive into the importance of zoo enrichment and even try our hands at making some for our residents! Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the program.
Ages 21+. Offered on January 23 with a sloth theme. Join us for an adults only program where you not only get to create memories but a painting of one of our amazing animals as well. Each month offers a different animal theme to paint. Spend the evening at the Zoo strolling through animal exhibits, enjoying an adult beverage, meeting animals up-close and creating a masterpiece! Registration is required.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Come learn how zoos design their animal exhibits and provide the best homes possible for their wild residents. We’ll study exhibits right here at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo and see how the design can ultimately influence the behavior of wildlife in human care. Registration is required and closes 48 hours prior to the program.
Ages 1-4 years with adult. Offered: January 11, 19, 27 & 31. This month we are kicking off the New Year by jumping right in and meeting some animals who are really good at this method of locomotion! Families will also get to show off their own jumping skills! Registration is required and open online now.
Ages: Middle and High School, 6th - 12th grades. Summer Session runs May 27 – August 9, 2024 for Zoo Crew, Junior Zoo Keeper and Teen Leader programs. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo’s Teen Programs provide meaningful life experiences that inspire teens to take conservation action both on and off Zoo grounds through education, leadership, stewardship and environmental exploration. Admission to the program is through an application process. Online applications for Zoo Crew, Junior Zoo Keeper and Teen Leader will be open during this time. An application fee applies. Once you have completed your application fee transaction you will get an automatic generated email that contains the link to your application! All applications must be submitted by midnight on February 14, 2024.
Ages: Middle School & High School. No matter the season, getting outside can be a boost for your mental health. Join us as we explore the zoo’s nature trail and learn to connect more deeply with our wild spaces. **Purchase of program includes daytime admission for participants. Registration is required.
Last year, you voted Cheyenne Mountain Zoo the fourth Best Zoo and second Best Zoo Exhibit (for Rocky Mountain Wild) in North America in USA TODAY's 10Best Readers' Choice Awards Program. We have once again been nominated, and we need your votes! You can vote once a day, every single day from now through 9:59 a.m. MT Monday, March 4. Thanks for your support, and happy voting!
Ages 1-4 years with adult. Offered: February 14 only. This month we will be focusing on birds! Participants will get a chance to meet a variety of feathered friends and make enrichment for native bird species! Registration is required and open online now.
Ages: 1st - 8th grades; Elementary & Middle School groups. Dive into the captivating realm of camouflage strategies and communication tools found in nature's palette. During this program we will explore the mysteries of animal coloration and illuminate the fascinating science behind the hues of the world. Registration is required.