After exiting the Scutes Gallery, the visitor will find themselves trekking through the Asian Highlands, home to the wild cats of East Asia. Snow leopards and Amur leopards rotate through one exhibit; it was the Amurs out on the day that I visited. The spotted cats can be seen either at ground level through windows, or from below behind mesh as they scale their cliff-strewn habitat. Down the path is a vast wooded yard for Amur tigers, the world's biggest cats. Sandwiched between the two is a much smaller habitat for a much smaller cat. Pallas' cats might not be the high profile species that tigers and leopards are, but I find them to fascinating little sourpusses, and the Cheyenne Mountain exhibit offered me the best view of the cats that I've ever had. Perhaps they simply felt at home in it - it was a beautiful exhibit with lots of rockwork and perching, so while the cat could have hidden quite easily (and few animals hide better than a Pallas' cat), perhaps it just felt so comfortable that it saw no need to.
Giraffes may be the species that CMZ is best known for, and mountain tapirs might be the most uncommon species exhibited here, but if I were to pick what I will best remember this zoo for, without hesitation I would say Rocky Mountain Wild. Along this trail, devoted to native species, visitors can watch river otters swim underwater or crawl through a mountain lion's den, the big tawny cats literally sleeping overhead. You can also meet North American porcupines, bald eagles, Canada lynx, and wild turkeys. A separate side trail - which you reach either by climbing a tower of stair or taking an elevator - leads to a habitat of grizzly bears. The bears can be observed from several vantage points, including a log cabin-themed education center which provides a spectacular view into the glass-fronted, trout-stocked pool that the bears frequently wade in. You'll never really understand how big a grizzly bear is until it is nose-to-nose with you through the glass (I mean, you would also understand if you were nose-to-nose with one without the glass, but the lesson would be short-lived). One thing I really loved about CMZ was the signage - there was lots of it and it was very interesting and informative. At a time when many zoos keep dumbing down or eliminating signage for fear of coming across as boring, Cheyenne Mountain shares some great stories.
Back on the main trail, a second log cabin offers a quiet place to watch a wooded hillside, where a little patience might reward you with a glimpse of the zoo's pack of Mexican grey wolves. The true star of the trail, however is the absolutely stunning bull moose. You see signs of him long before you see him in the flesh - the outside wall of his holding barn is adorned with several shed sets of his massive antlers, each set grander than the last. When you do see him, you may be lucky enough to catch him as he wades into his pool. Very few zoos exhibit moose - this is only the third one I've been to that had them, and only the first time I've ever seen a male. Like the grizzlies, this exhibit lets you get close enough to appreciate just how massive this animal is. At the end of the trail is a small education building that also houses beavers, ravens, local herps, and two of the region's most endangered species, the black-footed ferret and the Wyoming toad. A barn of domestic animals - including one of the coolest goat climbing structures I've ever seen - is nearby.
An additional rocky mountain exhibit featuring a rarely exhibited species is down the trail. Rocky mountain goats can be seen from the base of their towering mountain, as well as from a walkway at the top, where a grassy meadow provides them a chance to take a break from their day-job of being daredevils on the cliffs. Normally I wouldn't put concessions at a zoo on the "must see" list, but several of the cafes at Cheyenne Mountain feature patio seating that - like everything else at the zoo - provides breathtaking views of the countryside below.
The final animal area is Primate World, home to the zoo's great apes. Gorillas and both Sumatran and Bornean orangutans have indoor and outdoor exhibit, while inside can also be found golden lion tamarins and naked mole rats. The building also houses an interactive display on palm oil, the cultivation of which is the leading cause of habitat loss for orangutans and many other rainforest species. The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo has been a leader in the fight to educate the public about the palm oil crisis, as well as the push to identify sustainable palm oil (it does exist!). It also features an art gallery of paintings by the zoo's orangutans. Outside, a construction project is underway for new habitats for two of the zoo's most popular residents - Nile hippos and African penguins, which have been sent away during renovations.
Finally, one of the most popular features of the zoo doesn't even involve animals... except for the odd mule deer that walks in front of your car. You see, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is unique in that you can drive your car through it - not to any of the exhibits, but to reach what is on the other side of the zoo, atop the mountain. Here, at the end of winding, frankly terrifying road is the Will Rogers Shrine to the Sun, a tower and chapel which also serves as a tomb for Spencer Penrose, the founder of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo. Set among picturesque gardens, the tower itself is beautiful, but nothing compared to the view from the top, where it seems like all of Colorado is opened up before you. Just don't look down.
Compared to Denver Zoo (about an hour away), Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is rather small, especially in terms of bird and reptile collections. Still, with the exception of one or two older, outdated exhibits (notably the Monkey Pavilion), its exhibits are stunning and it features several very unique species seen only at a few other zoos. It has a demonstrated commitment to conservation, from its leadership on the palm oil crises to its breeding efforts with endangered native wildlife. I really enjoyed the signage and learned a lot from reading, especially on the Rocky Mountain Wild trail (favorite stories include how moose became so common in Colorado and the fate of Colorado's last grizzly bears). A few spectacular views, including the Shrine to the Sun (included in admission) didn't hurt the experience either. It was a lovely zoo, with so many of its best exhibits being relatively recent additions. I can't wait to come back to see the new hippo and penguin exhibits when they open, along with whatever the zoo has next in store.
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