Located in City Park, the 80-acre Denver Zoo Conservation Alliance is Denver's most visited paid attraction. Founded in 1896, this accredited nonprofit zoological garden pioneered naturalistic enclosures without cage bars, starting with the historic Bear Mountain built in 1918. As you explore the grounds, you can experience innovative, animal-enriching rotating exhibits where species shift through different habitats to experience overlapping scents.
Highlights include the 10-acre Toyota Elephant Passage—the largest bull elephant habitat in the world at its opening—and the 7-acre Primate Panorama, featuring massive four-story wire mesh tents for climbing apes, outdoor spaces for Sumatran orangutans, and a vast gorilla habitat. Head inside Tropical Discovery's glass pyramids to explore a tropical garden housing the zoo's public aquarium and herpetarium with hundreds of plant and animal species. Visitors can also walk through the African savanna designs of Predator Ridge to observe African lions and spotted hyenas, marvel at African hoofed mammals along the main path, or walk alongside birds inside the Forest Aviary.
Awarded for its sustainability practices, this historic destination offers an engaging, immersive journey into global wildlife conservation right in Colorado.
What to see at Denver Zoo
- Historic Bear Mountain, built in 1918 using naturalistic concrete forms and hidden moats
- Toyota Elephant Passage, featuring a massive, multi-area habitat designed for rotating species
- Primate Panorama, offering four-story open-air mesh tents and expansive gorilla roaming areas
- Tropical Discovery, an indoor garden topped with glass pyramids housing fish, reptiles, and amphibians
- Predator Ridge, simulating an African savanna with rotating lions and hyenas
Visiting tips
Check out the indoor Tropical Discovery exhibit under the glass pyramids to double your animal species viewing, including unique aquatic and reptile life.
How long: 3-4 hours · Best time: Morning
How to get there & what’s nearby
Denver Zoo is easy to reach on Denver’s public transport, and pairs naturally with Denver Art Museum. For where to stay, the weather and full itineraries, see our Denver travel guide.
See the full Denver travel guide for where to stay, the best time to visit and the top things to do.