Ages 7-11. These day camp opportunities are specially designed for campers ages 7 -11 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Theme: Animals come in all shapes, sizes, and COLORS! As we learn the colors of the rainbow, join us to find creatures around the zoo that are colorful too. Registration is required.
Zoo Members only - We appreciate you, so join us and your favorite animals for our first after-hours members-only event of the summer! Don’t forget your discount at our Thundergod Gift Shop. All restaurants will be open! We look forward to seeing you at the Zoo! Check your membership email for more details. Reservations for the Member Appreciation Night event (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) are not required (Advanced tickets are required for any daytime admission from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Do you love taking photos at CMZoo? Check out our Summer Safari Photo Contest! Send in your best photos taken at Cheyenne Mountain Zoo this summer for a chance to win event tickets, animal feedings, or daytime admission passes to the Zoo! You can submit up to three photos total - one photo taken in each of the following months: June, July, and August. The theme is 'summer safari.' Photos must be submitted by Sun., Aug. 31, 2025.
Age: 3rd-6th grade. Together we’ll learn about the one true force on our planet, the force of nature! We’ll study both the light and dark sides of our natural world and even try our hands at making our own lightsabers out of natural materials! Registration is required.
All ages. On the longest day of the year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo will celebrate the longest-necked animal: the giraffe! Giraffe keepers and staff from the International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe (The Giraffe Center) are throwing an event to commemorate World Giraffe Day. This annual celebration, founded in 2014 by our field partner, the Giraffe Conservation Foundation, brings global attention to the conservation of these iconic animals. Giraffe-themed activities will be in Safari Lodge, (by the new temporary giraffe feeding area), and in Encounter Africa (next to the Abyssinian ground hornbill habitat), where guests can learn about CMZoo’s giraffe herd and take direct steps to help save wild giraffe. This event is free for anyone with a ticket to the Zoo. Advance tickets are required.
On Tuesday, June 24 June Dog Days tickets are sold out, but July & August tickets remain. Get an extra ticket to make your family outing complete! Bring your canine kiddo for a Zoo adventure. For these special dates, you can bring your well-behaved dog to the Zoo with you! Simply purchase a dog ticket along with your family’s human tickets, and Fido can experience many of the sights, sounds and smells that make the Zoo so special. Dog tickets are limited. Advance tickets are required.
Ages 1-4 years. The natural forest habitat we have on the mountain helps many of our animals feel right at home! Join us as we Journey into the Jungle to meet some animals who prefer the dense coverage of the trees to the open plains. Registration is required.
Ages: Middle School & High School. Join us as we look at the vital role color plays in our natural world. As humans, we view color as aesthetically pleasing but for many animals and plants color is a tool necessary for survival. This workshop will focus on how different species utilize color as forms of communication and means of survival. Registration is required.
Ages 7-11. These day camp opportunities are specially designed for campers ages 7 -11 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Join us as we explore animal’s homes from around the world! From fantastic forests to dry deserts, we’ll learn why different animals need different habitats to stay safe! Registration is required.
Ages 1-4 years. For this special Holiday edition Stroller Safari, we will be using the country’s flag colors to guide our learning! Some of these colors are easier to spot in nature than others, so come along on the journey to see what we can find! Registration is required.
Zoo Members only - How do we keep our animals active and healthy? We give them enrichment – activities that use natural behaviors, allow control over their environment and enhance their well-being. Enrich your evening by watching our animals enjoy themselves! All restaurants will be open. Check your membership email for more details. Reservations for the Member Enrichment Night event (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) are not required (Advanced tickets are required for any daytime admission from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
Ages: Middle School & High School. Come explore the outdoors through a whole new lens! Join zoo staff in this beginner’s photography workshop where you’ll learn tips and tricks to capturing the beauty of Colorado’s natural landscapes and wildlife. We’ll put our skills to the test by capturing snapshots of the zoo’s very own animals and nature trail. Registration is required.
On Friday, July 11 & Thursday, July 24, (July Dog Days Tickets are sold out, but August 5 & 22 and September 5 & 24 tickets are still available.) get an extra ticket to make your family outing complete! Bring your canine kiddo for a Zoo adventure. For these special dates, you can bring your well-behaved dog to the Zoo with you! Simply purchase a dog ticket along with your family’s human tickets, and Fido can experience many of the sights, sounds and smells that make the Zoo so special. Dog tickets are limited. Advance tickets are required.
Ages 12-18. CMZoo’s Youth Leadership Action Board invites you to the 7th Annual Youth Conservation Leadership Conference (YCLC), right here on the mountainside. This conference is hosted by your teenage peers as a common ground conference to work towards worldwide conservation education efforts. Registration is required. Early Bird Registration opens February 1, 2025 at 8 a.m.
Ages 1-4 years. The natural forest habitat we have on the mountain helps many of our animals feel right at home! Join us as we ‘Journey into the Jungle’ to meet some MORE animals who prefer the dense coverage of the trees to the open plains. Registration is required.
Now through August 31, 2025, take a Scenic Ride to the Shrine during your Zoo visit! Guests and members can book a guided Jeep tour through the picturesque mountainside above the Zoo to Will Rogers Shrine of the Sun. (Shrine access is limited to reservations for Scenic Ride to the Shrine Jeep tours.) Purchase your online Scenic Ride timed ticket reservations now. Ticket reservations are required.
Zoo Members only - Can you believe it? Summer goes by so fast! Enjoy one last after-hours wander through the Zoo at our Members-Only end of summer event! Beat the heat and share a special night at the Zoo. Don’t forget your discount at our Thundergod Gift Shop. All restaurants will be open! Check your membership email for more details. Reservations for the End of Summer Celebration Night event (5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.) are not required (Advanced tickets are required for any daytime admission from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.).
On Friday, August 22 (August Dog Days tickets are sold out, September 5 & 24 tickets are still available.). Get an extra ticket to make your family outing complete! Bring your canine kiddo for a Zoo adventure. For these special dates, you can bring your well-behaved dog to the Zoo with you! Simply purchase a dog ticket along with your family’s human tickets, and Fido can experience many of the sights, sounds and smells that make the Zoo so special. Dog tickets are limited. Advance tickets are required and can sell out quickly.
All ages. Join us for Red Ape Rally Day! If you are visiting Cheyenne Mountain Zoo on Thursday, August 28, stop by Primate World from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. to celebrate orangutan conservation. Download the PalmoilScan app today and learn more at cmzoo.org/palmoil. Activities for the whole family will create Zoo memories while raising awareness for orangutan conservation and sustainable palm oil including: Build your own orangutan nest out of different materials, stop by our photo booth, petition-signing table and coloring stations, play a palm oil grocery game where you will learn about shopping for products containing sustainable palm oil, watch special orangutan enrichment and a keeper talk at 1:30 p.m. Advance tickets are required and available here.
Ages Middle School & High School. Join us in this unique after-hours event as learners join zoo staff and teens to explore the wild wonders of the dark. We’ll learn about nocturnal animals found right in our backyard and the unique adaptations they have to make them so successful at night. Registration is required.
Adults 21+. Offered August 29 (This program is sold out. Space is still available in September,, October & November Date Night Safaris.) Want a change of scenery on a weekend night? Come join us under the stars for an adults only private evening tour of our mountainside Zoo. We will enjoy a beverage to start off the night, then stroll under the stars to see what our animals do at night, we will even get an opportunity to meet one of our Loft animal ambassadors! This program is for adults only, 21+. Registration is required.
Ages 1-4 years. From pollinators to decomposers, this month we are learning about the amazing world of arthropods! By popular demand, it is finally time to meet & learn all about our bug friends! Registration is required.
Ages: Middle and High School, 6th - 12th grades. Winter off-season runs November 12 – February 13, 2026, for Zoo Crew, Junior Zoo Keeper and Teen Core 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. Off-Season Teen Programs offer weekends, evenings, and after school teen opportunities. Admission to the program is through an application process. Online applications for Zoo Crew, Junior Zoo Keeper and Teen Core programs will be open during this time. An application fee applies.
Ages Elementary and Middle School. Have you ever wondered what animals do when they feel danger nearby? Join us as we study natural animal instincts such as fight or flight, warning systems, and evasive maneuvers. Help us uncover how animals use their senses to stay safe in the wild. Join us as we discover the amazing ways these little ones grow up in the wild. Registration is required. This program is sold out. Interested families can e-mail [email protected] for waitlist placement.
Ages Middle School & High School. From the smallest blades of grass to the largest predators, every organism plays a vital role in keeping nature in balance. Join us as we explore how both plants and animals are linked together in complex relationships and why protecting each strand in the web of life is vital for a healthy planet Registration is required.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is inviting guests to help name Asha’s gorilla baby while fundraising for the new Primate World! Asha, a 32-year-old critically endangered Western lowland gorilla, gave birth to an adorable baby boy on Mon., July 21, 2025. Primate World gorilla keepers have chosen three names for guests to pick from: Ryder, Sully and Abu. Participants can donate any amount starting at $5 until Thurs., Oct. 9, 2025. The name that receives the most combined donations will win!
Adults 21+. Offered September 18. Want a change of scenery on a weekend night? Come join us under the stars for an adults only private evening tour of our mountainside Zoo. We will enjoy a beverage to start off the night, then stroll under the stars to see what our animals do at night, we will even get an opportunity to meet one of our Loft animal ambassadors! This program is for adults only, 21+. Registration is required. This event is sold out. If you would like to be on a wait list , please submit this form.
Ages 21+. Join us for a magical evening on the mountain, exclusively reserved for those age 21 and up. Local musicians will set the mood throughout the Zoo! Tickets to Tails, Tunes & Tastes include unlimited small plates and two drink tickets. Cash bars also available. (No one under age 21 will be permitted, including no children or infants.) Advanced tickets are required and are on sale online now!
Ages 1-4 years. Registrants will participate in a reptile-themed sensory activity, meet scaly friends throughout the Zoo and help make salads for tortoises! Registration is required.
Adults 21+. Offered October 3. Want a change of scenery on a weekend night? Come join us under the stars for an adults only private evening tour of our mountainside Zoo. We will enjoy a beverage to start off the night, then stroll under the stars to see what our animals do at night, we will even get an opportunity to meet one of our Loft animal ambassadors! This program is for adults only, 21+. Registration is required. This event is sold out. If you would like to be on a wait list , please submit this form.
All ages. Penguin enthusiasts can join us in Water’s Edge: Africa for crafts, games, and other activities available throughout the day. Don’t miss the keeper demonstrations during penguin feeding times at 9:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m., as well as a walkabout with a penguin named Napoleon at 11 a.m. There’s no cost to attend IAPAD events, but advance daytime admission tickets are required and can be purchased at cmzoo.org/tickets.
Ages 1-4 years. 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.
Ages Elementary and Middle School. Have you ever wondered “hoo” comes out when the sun goes down? From wide-eyed owls to fluttering bats and glowing bugs, we’ll uncover the secrets of creatures that thrive in the dark! Registration is required.
Ages 6-12 years. *ROAR (Respecting Our Abilities and Resilience) Connections is an evening program designed for children ages 6-12 with autism spectrum disorders, sensory processing disorders, developmental disabilities/delays or medical fragility. Join us Wednesday, October 29 for a ROAR-ing good time as we learn about the importance of the unique feet found in the animal kingdom. Dress up in your favorite costume and get ready for a paws-itively wild time! Registration is required.
On Thursday, Oct. 30 (Halloween Edition), get an extra ticket to make your family outing complete! Bring your canine kiddo for a Zoo adventure. For these special dates, you can bring your well-behaved dog to the Zoo with you! Simply purchase a dog ticket along with your family’s human tickets, and Fido can experience many of the sights, sounds and smells that make the Zoo so special. Dog tickets are limited. Advance tickets are required and can sell out quickly.
Ages 1-4 years. Offered October 25 & 31. This special holiday edition includes Meet & Greets with a few of our “creepy crawly” but still adorable animals from My Big Back Yard, and painting your own mini pumpkin to take home with you! Costumes are both welcome and encouraged for participants of all ages! Registration is required.
Ages 6-12 years. *ROAR (Respecting Our Abilities and Resilience) From a tiger’s stripes to a turtle’s shell, nature is full of amazing patterns that help animals both blend in and stand out. Together we’ll discover how these designs keep animals survive and thrive! Registration is required.
Ages 1-4 years. 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.
Ages Elementary and Middle School. Have you ever wondered how animals help plants thrive? From burying seeds to turning soil, wildlife plays a vital role in enriching ecosystems. Join us as we learn from nature’s best gardeners! Registration is required and opens on October 24 at 9 a.m.
On Friday, Nov. 21, get an extra ticket to make your family outing complete! Bring your canine kiddo for a Zoo adventure. For these special dates, you can bring your well-behaved dog to the Zoo with you! Simply purchase a dog ticket along with your family’s human tickets, and Fido can experience many of the sights, sounds and smells that make the Zoo so special. Dog tickets are limited. Advance tickets are required and can sell out quickly.