The Dakota Zoo Reviews

I was a docent at a rather large, big city zoo for over a decade, so I have to say i'm a "zooie". This isn't the most modern, the most spacious, or the most PETA-friendly zoo, but the layout was easy-to-follow, the signage informative and plentiful, the new enclosures thoughtful, safe, and animal-friendly, and the collection diverse. I've been to many, many zoos, and this was the closest I've ever been to Bengal tigers (they have three)! One even sprayed the window where I was standing! Other animals in the collection include: coati mundis, red and swift foxes, pumas, snow leopards, grizzly bears, grey wolves, bactrian camels, lynx, saimangs, spider monkeys, red tailed hawks, bison, lion and cotton-top tamarins, lemurs, and pronghorns. I was solo, but it certainly looked child-friendly with a train, several playgrounds, and a discovery center. It's right along the river and near a large park, so you can hike or go view the river when you're done. For $7.50 for adults, this was a bargain.

Of course, a zoo in North Dakota doesn't seem right. Northern USA, winters etc it just doesn't fit. This is a disappointment and not worth the time. Hard to beat San Diego zoo which is what we set as the standard.

We love the chickens! They were a great addition to the zoo! They have a nice petting area in the front and the goats are adorable. The staff is always very helpful and friendly. The train is fun. It is a nice walk when we do not want to take the train. The zoo has many types of monkeys to look at, and they had a couple babies this year (2019)! They have brown bears, tigers, llamas, camels, owls, eagles, bagers, and many more animals to explore! It is a great zoo to come and see for a day outing. Would definitely recommend!

I really like this zoo a lot and try to go there when I am in town. The layout makes it easy to get around and the animal habitats are quite decent. Always smells fine and is kept clean.

For a private (non-government) zoo, this one has done a great job bringing in unique animals that are fun to see. The grizzly bears are always the highlight for my sons. I love that after all these years you can still feed the farm animals and the prairie dogs. We'll never stop coming here!

This quiet little zoo is packed with neat animals and information. Take the train ride to see where we you want to go first! It took us just over an hour to walk thru.

Please realize this is not a 1000 acre zoo. Nevertheless, with all of the animals that they have it is beyond amazing. The giraffe exhibit is the best I have ever seen. The aviaries were simply top notch. and the Peacocks and Peafowls were great. Monkeys, Lemurs, Alligators, Buffalo, and on and on. It is a perfect 2-3 hour stop if you are driving through.

This was an awesome stop on our family trip! Let me explain why this is the best zoo! We were just heading home to Canada from visiting South Dakota, where we were disgusted by the conditions at Bear Country... we are animal enthusiasts so we really have an appreciation for the animals natural habitat being duplicated as much as possible, and giving them the space they need. The Dakota Zoo excels in both of these aspects... we loved how the center of the zoo is a giant elk sanctuary where they have a massive natural environment to graze. They looked happy, not depressed like animals at most zoos. The zoo isn't huge, and if you are looking for a super entertaining place with a bunch of animals that don't occur naturally in this part of the world, well, this won't be the zoo for you... but if you are looking to take in some beautiful native species in pleasant, natural elements, then DO visit this zoo! They also give refuge to animals who have been rescued and wouldn't survive in the wild... like a Golden eagle who was shot in the head and is now blind and deaf. what a great way to save an animal, and show the public the repercussions of careless and senseless behaviour! We will be travelling back to Bismarck just to go back to this zoo!

Small zoos seem to be disappearing as folks anymore are more focused on big-city attractions. But the Dakota Zoo in Bismarck, while small, is a first-class facility. It is friendly to its visitors and very clean. More importantly, they seem to be genuinely committed to providing great care for the animals entrusted there.

Small zoo. Not a whole lot of "exotics" but all the animals were out, happy, and healthy. Very interactive with each other and humans. Great place for families. Was busy but it didn't feel like it which was nice. Good walking paths and facilities for those with disabilities or physical limitations. Had stroller, wheelchair, and motorized scooters available to rent. Good food and not too pricey. 10/10

Even in the winter in North Dakata, this is a great place to visit. Most of the animals were outside enjoying the cool weather. Those that were not cool weather animals were indoors. Much to see and do. Even got to feed some of the mini horses and goats.

We love this zoo. It's a fun place to go visit when you have a few hours. The kids enjoy all of the animals. We try to visit every time we come into town.

Awesome zoo with plenty of shade on those hot days. Clean zoo and nearby places to eat. Our favorite area were with the pigs.

A private zoo with lots of animals for kids to see up close. Snakes, bugs, big cats, goats, bears, etc. Fun and relatively inexpensive.

Nice little quaint zoo. We loved the Bears, Tigers, and the best was the monkeys that looked like Gremlins! It was really nice and had so many animals. I plan to go back when the weather is warmer.

We really like going to zoos and animal parks. This ZOO was small enough for my 4 year old to enjoy, the only downfall was that some of the animal enclosures could use some cleanup and please make sure there is water on a hot day...ENJOY the train ride around the ZOO...

Great place to take small children. They enjoyed watching the bears and monkeys! The small tunnels going into each exhibit brought your closer to the animals and was very safe especially when the tiger was sitting on top of the dome!!!!

Family went here and we walked around and didn't take the train. It took us over 3 hours and the kids loved it the whole time. There are plenty of animals to look at and a playground for kids to play at when they are done. Great zoo and good value.

The Dakota Zoo has grown and grown, and gotten better and better. The animals in large part are housed in naturalistic environments and there are regular Summer activities for kids. The grounds are absolutely lovely.

I love the zoo I visit often with the kids and as a family of 5, this is one of many great places to visit with kids. they also have great events, gift shop, deli and snack bar, and train rides!!!

I've been all across the country to many zoos, but this zoo has some animals I haven't seen elsewhere. Some enclosures could use an upgrade, but overall, the zoo is very nice, clean, and fairly priced.

nice paths/road to walk around to see the animals. Went to see the moose but was not out --being from the east coast just had to see it. Sorry to hear the it had passed away last fall-sad-- but the train ride through the park was cute and one neat thing was you were able to go under were the tigers lay. Fun.. Of course the ice cream stand was good also and gift shop-- good time

We go to the Bismarck zoo about every 3 years or so with the grandkids and others. Very nice and well taken care of.

Not one of the world's great zoos, but a very nice place to spend a couple of hours. They currently have some of the animals from the Minot Zoo which is closed due to flooding. Very impressive big cat enclosure where you can get very close to the tigers (but behind glass!). If you are a member of another zoo, admission is free.

We have been to many spectacular zoos so this one doesn't stand up to them at all. There isn't much for bigger animals so no African safari animals. We have went a few times to visit and its ok for a bit just to get out of the house.

Great just for an hour or two outing. We took my sister and nieces from out of town that don't have a zoo where they live. We've been too many zoos that are quite large and our favorite is always the African safari and this doesn't have that. So this zoo has a lot of farm animals but does have a monkey exhibit though. Usually a nice quiet day and it's fun to go to the super slide amusement park right by the zoo.

I just love our Zoo, we get a membership every year, we spend more time sitting at one of the animals, instead of hurying to get through, i love having a membership.. really can enjoy this way

We were pleasently surprised at the zoo. The animals were well cared for and the staff was knowledgeable. Take the train around the zoo before you take the walk. The big cats and the monkeys were the highlights for our family.

It was a lovely afternoon with our family. The Zoo is suprisingly large and we enjoyed to walk around and also take the little train to relax and cool off from the sun.
I was suprised at how many animals there was at this little zoo. We loved to see the monkeys, tigers and bears. Some of the other animals were wolves, foxes, birds of prey, moose and farm animals etc. We loved all the animals that were there. With a playpark for the children in the centre to keep them entertained inbetween. You can purchase some animal feed for the goats and pigs etc. I personally loved the minature shetland ponies.
There is a lovely gift shop too. The staff were amazing helpful and polite. Will return next year when we visit.

It was very nice place, clean and inviting to young children. We rode the train which our little one was very excited about. They are doing a lot of work on the place so we hope to go back when the work is done. Wishing they had more animals and that the ones they had were more visible. Hoping with the new exhibits viewing will be easier.

This is a very small zoo without many exotic animals. On the plus side (for the humans anyway) the enclosures are small enough that you are sure to see the animals. You can easily walk the whole park in a few hours.

Me and a friend took her 2 little boys. It was a nice day. They keep doing up dates to the Bismarck Zoo.

cant wait for the new additions! we come here often and have gotten memberships in the past. the Dakota Zoo is a great place to visit all year round

Went with my sister and my 4 year old niece and had a great time. My niece got a kick out of feeding the goats, nice touch having feeders with corn for $0.25. They have a good range of animals and all seemed to be within viewing distance. I would definitely recommend this for a morning or afternoon of fun!!!

We thought that Bismarck, being the Capital of ND, the zoo would be fabulous.We were disappointed... Minot's Zoo is much nicer and cleaner.

This is a fun zoo. It is very clean and the staff is very helpful, The zoo covers quite a large area, so it may be a good idea to take the train ride first, so you can see everything. Then you can decide which areas you want to visit again on foot. There is a nice playground area close to the entrance, along with a small concession stand. Allow a couple of hours. Bring quarters, as the kids usually love feeding the ducks and goats.

watching the animals this time of the year when it is cooler outside makes them more active and they tend to show off more to the public

This is a great zoo to view animals, especially North American animals that most people do not get to see ever in their lifetimes living in the US. Very kid friendly. Very people friend. Excellent staff, friendly and informed. You can actually get to see most of the animals with your own eyes versus binoculars.. It is very clean and easily accessible. If you plant to visit the other 3 zoos in North Dakota, get an annual pass and they have reciprocal access to all of them. You can even use it in other states for free access or discounted access. It is an exceptional zoo with a great value!

Because of a reasonably priced zoo membership, have been to The Dakota Zoo in Bismarck quite a bit this past summer. Compared to when I was a kid, 20+ years ago, the zoo has added some nice habitats for the animals. Kids love the tunnel by the tigers. Feeding the goats and pigs can be alot of fun. I do wish the snakes were easier to see. For some reason, there is quite a big glare on the glass. It's a nice sized zoo, not too big and not too small. Kids love the playground too.

We visited the zoo for the first time in July, and we were impressed with the variety of animals, as well as the reasonable admission price. We will return.

we enjoyed this very much,altho there was quite a lot to see,the animals were clearly marked,and viewing was quite good

We didn't have a lot to do in Bismarck so we chose the zoo. I enjoyed walking the trail to see the bison, elk, deer, reindeer etc. The rest of the zoo seemed a bit "cagey" for me. I guess I am used to seeing animals in more natural habitats than in cages.

We have a membership and stop when we are in Bismarck. The monkeys were outside and very active, we stopped to watch for awhile. The two badgers were play fighting and drawing a lot of attention. We took the train( you get tickets with your membership or they can be purchased at the concession hut) and then walked part of the zoo on foot. Clean, lots of animals out. Only issue we had was when we tried to get ice cream. The line was long and there was only one employee in the ice cream shop. After waiting in line for about 10 minutes and only one family getting thru, we gave up.

The animals seem happier at this zoo. The Bismarck Zoo is a small zoo that has clearly gone to a great deal of effort and expense to make the animals as happy as possible. The habitats are nicer, more interesting, larger and more natural looking than they are in so many other zoos. I often have a bit of a problem with zoos, because I want to be able to preserve a species and see it alive, but I don't feel comfortable seeing large wild animals in small glass boxes with concrete floors. Here, I don't have to worry about that. Take advantage of the special days when they extend their hours on a few summer days (since the daylight hours are longer) - that way you beat the heat and have a lovely early evening.

Enjoy going with or without kids, it just so nice to lose yourself and enjoy the animals. It is great exercise to stroll or faster yet if there is anone needing to use a wheelchair they can enjoy the trip as well. Grab some food and plan a picnic while you are at It!

Great place for visiting and also for camps for kids of all ages. Become a member and you also get discounts at other zoos.

I am a Bismarck local and I love the zoo! The animals are kept in decent sized cages and I haven't seen any crazily walking in circles. This is a great place to spend an afternoon or somewhere to go for a nice, long walk. I go here several times per year and some of the animals are not available depending on the season (I have yet to see the butterflies!), just a heads up!

Hubby had meetings so I checked out the zoo. Not large but lots of great animals and the enclosures were wonderful. So much more than I expected and not crowded at all and it was summer. Well worth a trip to check it out.

The zoo is very fun. I have been there a few times. They don't have a large variety of animals, but it is north dakota, they can't have everything. It is a little run down looking, could use a makeover. Still fun for the family

This is a fun zoo great to walk around in an open area to see animals love the donkeys always had fun scratching there ears and when I stopped they would yelp for more LOL!! awesome picnics

Dakota Zoo was certainly a pleasant surprise. It has been more than 20 years since I last visited. New exhibits added, old exhibits changed but the staff are just as friendly and knowledgable. The train always was a favorite with my children and now is a favorite of my grandchildren. I do miss the ol' bear but I'm sure the new bears are up to replacing him.

Nice zoo to visit, not too large, but many animals to see. Big bonus - they had an electric scooter for my handicapped husband, and it was FREE. The elk enclosure is HUGE, with lots of trees, like their normal habitat would be. Beautiful large cats, eagles, and the river otters are always fun to watch.

We just got our first family membership to the zoo, as we now have a toddler. He loves our weekend trips to the zoo. I like that there is a park within the zoo grounds. The trains offer a unique zoo experience. Concessions are good, and offer a decent variety. Most of the times we are there the animals are not especially active - that would be my only complaint.

I had a few hours to kill before my flight, so I thought I'd stop here. It was a nice zoo, as well as a good way to pass the time and get some fresh air and exercise. As it was winter most of the birds and some other animals were not on display, but the animals that were out, were active, a good cross section of animals from colder climes, and some unique to here. I spent 2 hours, but you could easily spend longer.

This is a surprisingly good zoo, suitable for any age. An impressive range of animals, from many continents, from wallabes to buffalo and birds. Nice wide walkways. Limited concessions which are not excessively overpriced. Little narrated "train" rides (we did not do this), and we did not have children with us, but there is even a little playground for children...this would be a great place to park your kids while YOU take a break!! Located next to a park that includes carnival rides, batting cages and mini golf.

The zoo is a great place for families and kids. A big part of Bismarck's history! Always enjoy going here.

I have been visiting the Dakota Zoo since I was a kid when it opened in the 1960's. It still makes me feel like a kid when I go there. Terry Lincoln with the support of the Zoo membership have really brought the Zoo to a new level. I loved the tigers, wolves, and bears. But there is so much to see. Our family rode our bikes to the Zoo and it was a great day trip.

We stopped in for a few days rest while traveling across country. My little granddaughter was absolutely delighted by the animals.

The Dakota Zoo is a nice place to spend an afternoon or evening. The trails are paved and shaded. I love watching the otters play and going in the tunnel under the big cat exhibit.

It is also right next to Sertoma Park (great for a picnic) and the amusement park. So make a day of it!!

Great for kids, friends, or couples!

Our whole family enjoys the Dakota Zoo. Nice clean environment with great animals to see. Fun family friendly attraction!

I love the Dakota Zoo, and I usually go several times a year. It's a great place for families, as they have lots for kids to do...there's a train ride, tunnels they can run under some of the exhibits with a dome window into the center of the animal's habitat, a learning center with all sorts of fun stuff, and a petting zoo area up front, where you can't go in with the animals, but you can pet and feed them. There is a small concession stand and an ice cream parol as well. Great way to spend the afternoon!!

Also, this is a great place to go on a nicer winter day as well, if they're open! I've found the animals are often a lot more active on cooler days than in the summer, when it's hot and they mostly just lay in the shade or sleep.

Cute zoo. It was fairly inexpensive especially since we had a reciprocal zoo pass. Made for a nice way to spend an hour or two. It's quite the walk around the loop of the big prairie animals, almost a mile, but was really nice. Lots of interesting animals. Certainly not a huge zoo and the enclosures were mostly just wire fences :) But my kids loved it.

Best zoo in North Dakota. Must visit in the summer. I wish it was bigger, but as far as North Dakota goes its the biggest and the best.

We have gone twice this year: once on a rainy day, once on a hot day. It was a pleasant experience both times. The discovery center and primate house are a great refuge from weather conditions. There are two trains to take you all around the zoo if you don't have the time or ability to walk the whole thing. You must not miss out on the primate house. I could watch those entertaining monkeys for hours. There are concessions, bathrooms in two places, wagon or stroller rental and a power scooter which you can use if you can't walk well. They have old fashioned hard serve ice cream in an air conditioned seating area which offers another good spot for taking a break. Excellent outing for all ages and handicapped accessible.

Visited the zoo with my family and sisters family. Love to have the option of riding the train to see animals or stroll thru zoo at own pace and see the animals we love. We like taking a picnic lunch and sitting in grass or in gazebo for something different. I am so thankful for the hand sanitizer dispensers because I don't have to drag mine with. Corn dispensers are a joke though, costs 25 cents for a tbsp. of corn and then kids have to carry in hand or you need to bring something to hold it in. We usually stop at TSC or Runnings at beginning of year and buy a bag of corn for $3 and it lasts us thru our summer visits to the zoo. Otherwise, this is a small zoo with your basic ND animals with the exception of a few exotic animals. Wish this zoo could get a few more animals like the Minot zoo held(penquins, giraffes, zebras, etc.). We are the capital city, but can't house a few non-native to ND animals.?? Cost wise, it can get pricey if you don't have a zoo membership but lots of times a coupon can be found looking thru city travel guides.

wonderful space to walk and take children
segmented shade on hot summer days and variety of animals.
The food available is good but expensive.
There is a park literally out the door, so. have a picnic and play on the updated park equipment. The picnic areas are both covered. and not and are able to be reserved through the Bismarck park and Recreational service through the city of Bismarck. There are numerous walking and biking trails through this area as well
They have an awesome outdoor entertainment in an permanent summer only carnival with a big slide and kiddie and climbing wall with an admit charge per item used or an entrance bracelet .
Probably the best all-in-one summer fun area at one stop!

Very big park, lots to do, train rides, photo ops, feeding zones. All sorts of animals.. We used this as a leg strecher again, lots to do and eat. I would recommend planning on spending 4 hours to take all the attractions in the park. Great for families.

This is a great zoo we really enjoyed walking/ motoring thru to see all the birds and animals who were surprisingly very active at about 2 in the afternoon
Kudos to the young girl at the front desk who helped my disabled husband learn to use the scooter so he and I could enjoy the entire complex. All the creatures seem to be in great shape and are obviously well looked after in habitats that very humanely mirror their native habitats. This is also just the right size of a zoo for a days visit. One can walk the whole thing and not be completely wiped out by trying to see it all.

After visiting other zoos, I've come to the decision that the Dakota Zoo is just average. It's fun to go to the first time, but it gets old fast.

I’ve never seen zoo animals so active! It was definitely worth our $70 and three hours. We did the train ride right when we got there which was nice to help us get our bearings and decide what we wanted to walk to see - impt for little ppl with limited walking juice. The ice cream shack was great and we liked using the rental strollers. Definitely a great option, esp for families.

Always enjoy going to the zoo. It's a nice 2 mile walk. So, come prepared to exercise. You'll forget about the long walk once you see the animals. BZ has some beauty and different species. Ans, they all look well caref for. The park is kept relatively clean and welcoming. The staff is outstanding. I declare they all appear to enjoy what they're doing. They're patient with the animals and the people. That's great to see.

Had a pretty good time at this zoo. Its not a huge zoo but if me and my lived in the town we would be members of the zoo. It was afternoon so the animals were all sunning or hiding but still enjoyed the walk around the zoo with my wife. If we ever come back through this way we will stop again. They also have it where you can get different perspective and camera angles in side of the cages if u dont mind going in smaller areas. The cats and wolves,and bears were moving around for some decent shots except have to take couple pics thru chain link.

Go in the morning as it isn't busy and cooler to walk around. Animals well cared for and there is a good selection. Enjoyable day.

This ia a good place to take the grand kids. It is a nice area down in the trees. We had a really relaxing time and the kids had a ball.

Enjoyed the walking paths and animals. Young children really enjoyed "monkey house". After we walked the course, we took the train ride and covered the grounds once again! Enjoyable day, staff we encountered were very pleasant.

The Dakota Zoo is smaller but very well kept and makes you feel like you are really in the wilderness beings as it is built in the trees next to the Missouri River. We have purchased a season pass which is a great deal since it costs us just as much to go 2x ala carte. There's not very much as far as scenery in our neighborhood so It is a great excuse to walk and get some exercise. Cute little ice cream shop with hand dipped ice cream... try the Blue Moon! Also features a well stocked little gift shop as well. My only complaint is I wish they would be able to expand a little bit with some new animals or exhibits.

We had a fabulous afternoon as a family. The zoo is always a wonderful attraction that keeps children interested. There are many places to stop and rest, as well as concessions, and a train ride. The children can purchase "snacks" to feed the animals. There is also a "barn" you can go into which holds educational exhibits for the children to participate in. I would highly recommend Dakota Zoo to anyone who is interested in an afternoon outing.

Considering where it is, the Dakota Zoo isn't too bad. It does have a surprising number of unique animals that we've not seen anywhere else. But if you're expecting the quality of a major, big-city zoo like San Diego or Dallas, you'll be disappointed. Most of the animal enclosures are just chain-link fences with dusty ground and a few tree trunks and other things here and there, not the natural-looking environments that have become the norm at more modern zoos. (It does look like some of the enclosures are in the process of being upgraded though.) And because of its far-north location, you won't find some warm-weather zoo standards like giraffes and zebras. Still, it was OK for a couple of hours.

This trip was our second trip out west to The Dakota Zoo. Not a lot has changed in the years since our last trip, but it looks like there are big changes in the works. We love the mile long Wilderness Trail as it allows large naturalistic exhibits for the animals and makes for a great walk. The North American species on exhibit through the zoo seemed to have plenty of room to explore and live and most of them were very naturalistic. It rained a few times while we were there, but it only added to the experience, as the temperature remained moderate which seemed to attract a lot activity from the living collection. We love seeing the ongoing progress at the Dakota Zoo and will be back when we are in town again.

Pretty good zoo for the price. Petting area for farm animals. Lots of Great Plains animals and a decent collection of big cats. Several animals or pens were not available, for various reasons.

We arrived at 10:00AM, right when they opened. Every employee we came up on practiced social distancing and inside were masked. The animals in the morning are great. They were all active, thinking that we were bringing them food. Great layout and just a wonderful morning walk. A must if in Bismarck

Thank you Dakota Zoo for always providing family fun! We really really love the Zoo breakfast when they have it! Its great to see the animals active after we eat.

We visited as part of a homeschool group. It was clean and well kept. Some of the exhibits were empty though but our favorite was the tiger one. He was laying over the glass enclosed exhibit! That was neat!

First time going to the Zoo - finally had a chance after 6 years. The animals were kept very well. Not too many out as expected during the month of April due to the weather.

We love the Dakota Zoo. So many things to do for all ages. Our younger grandkids love feeding the goats. We all love the train. We are members of the zoo so we go many times during the year.

While this is small by zoo standards, there is a good variety of animals and a lot of interactive fun for children ie feeding the goats, small horses and donkeys. Easy to walk around with plenty of shade trees and covered areas to picnic. Good way to spend a few hours.

We enjoyed walking around the zoo it was great exercise. The best part was the newborn monkey's they were cute and comical to watch.

Use the membership. Makes a great place to go for a walk. Animals are cared for well. I would say most of the time the animals are out and able to be viewed vs other zoos I've visited the animals are inside seeking shelter.

While in the midst of a family road trip, we stopped at the Dakota Zoo on a Saturday morning. I'm from Chicago and while this is the largest zoo in North Dakota it was a lot smaller than what I was used to. That being said, I thought they did a great job with the resources they have and I did walk away seeing some unusual animals such as Mouflon sheep, chinese pheasants (they actually had several kinds of amazing looking pheasants), a white tiger, and a golden tabby Bengal tiger. They have a little train for kids and gift shop. They definitely could use some upgrading but, then again, small town non-profit zoos usually do. The animals seemed happy and you could see their needs were the top priority as it should be. I will say that for a small zoo there animals had lots of space, especially the elk. I doubt I'll ever find myself in Bismarck again, so I'm glad we made the stop.

Love a day at the zoo!! From the cotton candy to the monkeys to the train ride! It's a super memory to think back on during the winter months when I'm wishing for a picnic!

What a pleasant zoo to visit! There were playgrounds, petting zoos, and a wide selection of animals to entertain the youth. The indoor learning center where the reptiles, fish, and other small creatures are kept is so cool! There is even a live bee hive inside. You can watch the bees working nonstop. It was rather mesmerizing! The large outdoor creatures are incredible. Camels, Reindeer, and Bison were so majestic! I will be back for sure!

Great local zoo, nice selection of animals, snack shack, zoo train & gift shop. The zoo is also adding new exhibits in the near future. Great place to visit especially with young children.

We had a great time. It was a wonderful small zoo. The animals are not crowed into cages and there is a great selection of animals to see.
There are few petting animals and a few you don't often encounter at a zoo, alligators in a small pond with only a two fence (knee high) barrier.
They have a train if you don't feel like walking and that's nice for the kids. It is reasonably priced and if you live in the are a membership would be a great thing because it's right in town and accessible, especially with kids.

We took our 4 year old daughter to help pass some time during our one day trip in Bismarck. For $7.50 admission we weren't expecting much. Boy were we proven wrong. Great selection of animals, that were easy to view. Quite a few animals had babies with their mommies which is always fun to view.

The Dakota Zoo in Bismarck is a wonderful, smaller, zoo and a great value. They have a wild cat exhibit, bears, wolves, birds of prey, moose, bison, elk, and a fantastic petting zoo. Take the train ride around and then walk back through your favorite areas to look at the animals upclose.

Just love the place. Think it is fabulous for a donation only zoo. They use the best way of their money.

First off, we live in Bismarck, and have been members of the Dakota Zoo for about 6 years now. In a typical year, we visit the zoo 20-40 times. With a membership, we have the advantage of spending as little or as much time as we like per visit, and a membership allows free or discounted admission to numerous zoos throughout the country.

For a city the size of Bismarck, I think the Dakota Zoo is a wonderful asset to our community. It's affordable (currently $7.25 for an adult full-price admission). It is small enough to navigate and see everything in a couple of hours, and yet you will see a variety of local and more exotic animals.

A few tips for your visit:
*The "wilderness" trail portion of the zoo is about a mile of walking. You may want to consider taking the train ride first before venturing into this area...especially if you are not up for a long walk. The animal enclosures in this part of the zoo are huge. This is a wonderful asset to the animals that call the zoo home (moose, draft horses, elk, camels, bison, and reindeer-to name a few) but there is a chance you may do a lot of walking, and not actually "see" many of these animals, as they have quite a bit of room to roam around.
*There are only 2 bathrooms on site, both situated rather close to the entrance you may want to plan accordingly, especially with smaller children.
*The Dakota Zoo has wonderful staff and volunteers that work very hard, and there are areas that at times seem "unkempt", but I have never thought it was from lack of trying. It's a smaller zoo, operating on a very tight budget and I believe their priority has always been the animals.
*The hours and availability of concessions change during the fall and winter months. I would recommend the Dakota Zoo website to answer any questions you may have before your visit.

The Dakota Zoo has changed quite a bit since we were there last. The new enclosures are nice with more on the way! We went in the afternoon which I regret because a lot of the animals were sleeping out of sight or in the shade. Going to the zoo was a good way to kill an afternoon! Bonus of the day was watching the baby monkey play!

The zoo is one of my favorite places to go. I just like to go and walk through all the animal displays and watch them. It is very relaxing to me!

My husband and I enjoyed the zoo long before we had kids. Now with boys ages 6 and 2, it is a must do a couple times a summer. The animals are awesome. Our favorites are the bears, tigers ad monkeys. The playground is great and too. You can easily spend 2-4 hours here as a family.

We loved our visit here. The price was very reasonable for such a wide variety of animals! My kids loved the train ride, which was a great way to start the visit if you hadn't been there before. You get a good idea of what is there to see and hear a little about the animals. The enclosures are all close, so you really feel close to the animals! We spent about an hour and a half here, but could easily have spent longer. I would highly recommend stopping with kids!

Nice variety of happy animals. You can take the train around the park or put some walking shoes on and get your steps in while looking for the animals in their nice big enclosures. Definitely go if you like Zoos!

Family members from ages 5-74 enjoyed the day. The train ride at $5/ ticket is well worth it. I would allow at least half a day with smaller children.

The Dakota Zoo makes for a great family visit. Just inside the entrance is a playground (for running off energy) and furry animals perfect for petting (bring some quarters for hand-feeding the goats). If you don't want to walk the paths, there's a train tour.

Amazing crew and a wide array of beautiful animals!! Fun for all ages! Reasonable prices! Reasonable concessions with delicious ice cream!!

Haven't been to the Dakota Zoo in many many years. Not much has changed some new habitats. However for the most part the same type of animals. More monkeys which was nice to see. No horses except 2 miniatures not even a regular cow. Over all not that impressive. Way over priced also from the entrance fee to the train tickets to the 5 pieces of animal food for a quarter basically everything crazy costly. Not worth the cost to go. Staff at entrance or gift shop, not very kind. Won't be back for many many more years if ever.

Would be OK for smaller kids. Older kids go bored. It only took 4 of us around 1 hours to look at everything.

I've visited Dakota Zoo several times with my family. I'd recommend a visit if you have kids and are looking for a great place to spend a couple hours.

The zoo isn't huge, but it is pretty nice for a city the size of Bismarck. They have a good variety of animals, but it doesn't take a whole day to see everything.

They do have concessions on site, as well as a kid's play area and train.

Dakota Zoo is well worth a visit if you find yourself in the area.

Well worth the trip. Animals are well kept and the signs very informative. Great for family and friends.

Our family lives in Dickinson and always try to visit the animals when traveling to Bismarck. The animals are well taken care of in natural habitats and are playful. Always a wonderful time.

Great area, and large selection of animals, your kids will love it! I like the fact that they had a playground and a train that would take you around the zoo.

Perfeft for walk and have fun with the kid and family friends etc... camping, celebrate an activities and more

The ability to interact with some of the animals was the highlight for my boys. A wide variety of animals are on hand, and the enclosures are set up to give you a good line of site to most species.

Lots of space for the animals to roam! A great narrated train ride that is very enjoyable. A nice variety of birds, small animals and an inside area for a variety of sources, very well kept!

Have been coming back for years to this location at the Riverside Park area, the zoo has not changed in the last 25 years, in fact I would step out on a ledge and say the same animinals are still there or it seems that way....However its great for the kids, the animinals are right in your face, and you can nearly touch them GO SEE

Really loved this zoo! Nice selection of animals! Great cat collection and friendly staff. Can make short or long visit depending on what is wanted.
Check it out!

Fun place to see animals. It's not a big zoo so it made for a nice lazy afternoon. Kids loved seeing the variety of animals. Also not an expensive afternoon. Good for a budget.

One of the nicest zoos around. Animals are well cared for and love the train. Staff is always helpful. Nice variety of animals. Highly recommend.

I like the Dakota Zoo for my young kids there is plenty to keep them entertained for hours. They have very nice play area and a nice variety of animals. They are continuing to grow which is also nice to see!

This is a lovely little zoo. The wildlife walk portion to see the hoofstock is very well done. Animals are in clean, large enclosures. Very nice zoo, a definite must stop while in Bismarck.

Such an awesome zoo! Really liked the layout--I never felt crowded around other people, and the admission price ($10) was great compared to other zoos we've been to (Columbus, Cleveland, Atlanta). This is a great way to spend a day, with a great number and variety of animals throughout.

Children of all ages will enjoy the zoo. Tigers, bears, alligators, monkeys, Bald Eagles, a petting area, and more. It's good value for money. The petting area is right inside the main gate and it even has food dispensers if your little ones want to feed the goats. There's an indoor area with learning displays where you can practice milking a cow. The zoo Train is a great way to see some of the outlying exhibits, get the overall layout fixed in your mind, and learn something about the animals. Once you have the layout, go find your favorites. When you have walked as far as you want, take a break, buy the kids some cotton candy and let them wear themselves out at the playground while you enjoy an ice cream.

I've got a 3 year old that loves the zoo. We have a family pass and go at least once a month, probably more. Take the train ride to see everything without a long walk. Great family entertainment.

I haven't been to a zoo in years and then I went to Bismarck not sure what to expect. I was blown away by the time I got through the gate! Very informative and fun! They have concessions and water throughout the zoo.

The bestest zoo in all the Dakotas! We've been patrons at the zoo for thirty years. Each year it gets bigger and better. With a great playground for little kids, train rides and lions and tigers and bears, oh my. You can spend 20 minutes there or an entire day. Terry Lincoln has been at the helm there for over 30 years, and for a guy from Kansas, he done do good. If you live around here, you know what a treasure Dakota Zoo is. If you are a visitor make sure you put it on your travel plans for our area. The bike trails and Sertoma Park are right next door. And the wild and wonderful Missouri river is adjacent as well! Check it out, cuz like Simon and Garfunkel say, "It's all happening at the zoo!"

My grandchildren and I visited the Dakota Zoo. They have outstanding animal viewing. At the lion exhibit you can go underground and come up in the lion den area. There is a train that takes you around the whole zoo. Well worth the visit!

This zoo is amazing and is still growing. They are building a penguin exhibit soon. Love the new monkey area. Bears and tigers are great. The train is also an excellent way to see what there is to offer.

Fun time and nice outdoor walking activity. You can enter The Bismarck Zoo from the bike path which is nice access!

Let's face it, Bismarck North Dakota isn't a big city. It also lacks in things for young children to enjoy outside of the house. In steps the Dakota Zoo. We live in a neighboring town and this is our favorite thing to do when weather permits. They also have so many fun events throughout the year. The animal selection is what you'd probably expect for a town that's Bismarcks size, but doesn't dissapoint. Even though they never have different or new animals, the excitement in my young child's eyes any time I tell her were going to the zoo is totally worth it!

Small town zoo so didn't expect too much. Had a birthday for a two year old where a room was rented. Real nice for kids.
Zoo not that special but a lot of the area's specie's. Animals are actually more interactive than a big city zoo. Look and follow you. Comfortable tree laden trails. Nice relaxing small town zoo.

My son loves the zoo. We always walk around look at the animals, then play on the playground, ride the train, get some snacks, then play on the playground again. We love it there.

So, maybe it's because I'm 50 something. But it seems like most of the zoos I see anymore are pretty much the same. Compared to others in this area I'd say Dakota Zoo is very comparable and better than some. They have a nice variety of animals. There seemed to be some "haphazardness" in some of the bigger enclosures but I chalked that up to a recent wind storm than had gone through the area. We visited almost all of the animals and walked the premises in a bit over 2 hours. The only place I really lingered was at the Otter display as they were kind enough to entertain us when we were there. The walkways are easy on the feet and well maintained and the animals seem quite cared for. We were there when some were being fed in the morning and the staff seemed to treat them with respect. There was a nice "train" that you could ride and a gift shop to visit. There were concessions available also. I'd visit them again.

The zoo has lots of animals but it is very spread out so you may need a stroller for younger kids. The monkeys and petting area of small horses are the best exhibits. I love how the zoo has a reciprocity agreement with the Red River Zoo!

This is a cute and clean zoo. It's great we have this in Bismarck. Well worth it. Don't forget to go into the tiger den and the prairie dog town.

nice zoo with many interesting exhibits. Not crowded and fast paced. We had a great visit with our 15 year old son.

Not too big, not too small, nice variety of animals. Spread out enough that visitors aren't on top of each other.

Great for families. The ice cream shop is delecious on a hot day. The train ride is a bit too short but other than that its a nice place overall

This zoo has lots to offer. Good variety of animals, large play area, train rides, indoor education center, etc. The family pass is definitely a good value!

Small exhibit for the bald eagles. Fun place on a hot day. Liked the tiger exhibit and also liked the monkey exhibit.

The Dakota Zoo is not fancy but my family thoroughly enjoyed it. The animals were active which certainly added to the experience. There's a nice mix of animals and we particularly enjoyed all the animals in the deer family (moose, reindeer, elk...) as well as the primates and cats. We also liked the large enclosures. The zoo participates in the AZA Reciprocal Program so we had free admission using our home zoo membership. Oddly, to us, there were hardly any cars in the parking lot when we got there at 3:45 but by the time we left about two hours later, the parking lot was full. Maybe the locals know something we don't. At any rate, it wasn't crowded at any point. All in all, we had a very nice, relaxing visit.

We have been to many zoos in large cities and small cities. The Bismarck zoo is very nice and well maintained. The animals appear healthy and in a clean environment. The zoo also has good space for each exhibit with room to expand. Personnel were very friendly and eager to answer questions.

I was alittle disappointed because I wanted to see the moose and their attraction was empty along with a few more.

We had a good time and enjoyed our day. Most of the animals were out and active. Lots of chipmunks running around which thrilled my son. The zoo was clean and friendly staff. The train ride enables you to see all the animals. Take the Time and go, you will be glad you did.

I hadn't been to the zoo in years there, and it has changed a lot. We took our boys to see the animals and for a small city zoo, they do a great job. I do wish they wouldn't push the evolutionary and millions of years old theory to everyone as fact, but other than that, it was great. The newer, larger enclosures are great to see and our kids enjoyed the day. The could ditch the prairie dogs though, or at least tell the truth about the destructive presence they have on rangeland rather than the falsehood of how important they are to the ecosystem. My only complaint is some of the agenda items pushed here that are not needed. We just want to visit, see the animals, have a good day, and go home. I don't need a lecture or liberal agenda pushed on me, and that will most likely be the only thing that keeps me from returning. I also was disappointed to see that this place doesn't believe in our Constitution and had signs stating it didn't allow for the Constitutional Right of people to carry concealed and protect themselves. Please get your liberal agenda ideas out of this place, or keep driving away Conservatives like me from coming.

I love coming here and always have, from a kid to now as an adult. The premises is beautiful and there is a large variety of animals.

Great weather. My Grandson loved riding on the train & looking at & feeding the animals. Would like to see more exotic animals.

My friends and I love the zoo here! Never gets boring and it's a great place to walk! They are just adding a new exhibit with monkeys it's great!

Spent a pleasant afternoon exploring this quaint little zoo, Not expensive to visit, take your time wandering around the many exhibits.

This is a nice little zoo that was very friendly for my small children. They enjoyed the train ride around the zoo and the ability to not only pet but feed some of the smaller animals. The Discovery Center was informative and my kids had a blast.

Spent a couple of hours walking around the zoo. Good selection of animals. Some enclosures were being repaired or updated. Good value for money. Kids enjoyed it.

It was cold but we enjoyed the zoo we were glad they had one of those electric carts. Their were alot of the animals that were put away for the winter but we enjoyed the bears, camels, moose, deer and birds. We missed Clyde. And were a bit disappointed not to see him on display or atleast more about him than the life like wood carving in the learning center. My grandson finally got to see a moose.

The zoo is within about 10 minutes of the airport and a nice place to spend a few hours before returning the rental car and boarding the flight home. Most animals can tolerate both cold and hot weather so are well able to handle ND.

The Bismarck zoo is fantastic! We recently visited the zoo and it is huge. This zoo spans quite a bit of acreage yet, is fairly easy to navigate even for youngsters. I recommend buying a daily pass and a train pass. Upon entrance to the park go feed the goats, mini horses and pigs. They will eat and eat and eat. Don't pay a quarter for food, rather pull the long, green grass and feed the grass to the goats - they will eat for as long as you want to feed them. Take the train for a 30 minute overview of the entire zoo then go back to the places that you found most interesting during the train ride. Don't miss the large cat exhibit, the grizzly bears and the crocodiles. To relax and get out of the sun go inside the large barn structure and play with interactive exhibits. Plan to spend 3-4 hours at this zoo. Enjoy!

My 4 yr old was disappointed as we walked through the zoo and mostly saw birds and not much else. Maybe we went at the wrong time of the day, but most of the animals were out of sight. It seemed like we did a lot of walking and saw very little. I can see goats and turkeys for free on a friend's farm.

Watching the animals this time of the year when it is cooler outside makes them more active and they tend to show off more to the public. A nice variety of cats, small and large animals and a train ride, has variety and very well kept! We are glad we have visited this zoo during our trip to North Dakota. Check it out, cuz it's all happening at this zoo! I would highly recommend stopping with kids! What a treasure for Bismarck! A must when visiting Bismarck!

This is a wonderful zoo. Big, and a variety of animals. The kids really like the petting part of the zoo. Plan on spending an afternoon there... you and your kids will love it!

Went with our granddaughter to breakfast at the zoo. The pancakes and bacon were surprisingly really good for the number of people they were feeding. The zoo is always a fun place to visit and the exhibits are so well done especially for a city the size of Bismarck. It is a fantastic place to visit. And the hands on displays are always fun and educational. We did a train ride a the driver was very informative. Will be back.

My Wife and I have lived in Bismarck for a few years, and it’s one of her favorite activities for an afternoon. We’ve been to it probably 10 times now (the animals rarely change, although the layout has been altered a bit in the past year or so on the north end.) It’s around $10 per person, cheaper if you get a pass, and it’s a good size to just wander around and enjoy the sunshine. A good selection of animals that all seem cared for and happy. Kids will love the goats/miniature horses that you can feed as well.

Caring staff, love of animals apparent. Conditions of zoo well cared for. Staff remained wonderful despite sweltering temperatures.

I love the local zoo here. So many different kinds of animals local type and exotic! I especially love the train rides!!

Great exhibits! For sure take the train tour! Sit and relax while the kids climb and play on the playground! Lots of animals: bears, tigers, monkeys, goats, and feed the prairie dogs too! Check out your wingspan! (See photo)

We visited the last warm day of the fall and really enjoyed it. It is well laid-out and has extensive grounds, though not as many animals as in larger cities. The grizzly bears were being particularly comical due to the cooler weather and nearing the gluttonous stage for hibernation, but the other exhibts were just as entertaining. Unfortunately, the primate house had not opened yet, but we look forward to our return.

I have been visiting this zoo since I could walk. The train will take you on a ride through the zoo if you want to see the highlights. It is a nice shady place to roam around. They have a large variety of animals and plenty of programs for little ones. They have an ice cream shop, snack bar, and gift shop. Even though my kids are yoing adults we always buy an annual pass and go several times.

Group of 8 of us really enjoyed the visit, especially the Big Cats! I think this place is definitely worth a few hours. Plenty of parking. They have a train you can ride around the zoo with the kids.

A small, fairly cheap zoo that is good for a day out with the kids. A lot of walking paths here which was nice - a train is available if you don’t feel like walking. Dakota Zoo has all the usual animals: bison, tigers, some primates, various birds. Not a bad variety for a smaller zoo. Enclosures were ok. Saw one trainer talk (Golden Eagle) - was disappointed. The girl basically read what was on the plaque, fed the eagle, and left. Coming from zoo experiences in Nashville, Fort Wayne, Indianapolis, Columbus...this was just ok. But like I said before, fairly priced, clean, and worth a visit if you have little kids.

This is such a cute zoo. We took the train ride and also walked around with family. The bears were entertaining and the goats wanted lots of attention.

Enjoyed riding the train through the zoo and afterwards walking around the many paths to see the animals. Many were difficult to see because of so much dense wiring. Picture taking was sometimes difficult as well. Still quite a memorable visit and not overly priced.

Visited with Granddaughter. Nice zoo setup, nice train ride, good selection of animals.something for everyone to see.

We enjoyed visiting the zoo. Interesting mix of animals in the zoo. Nicely laid out. Great inexpensive way to spend a couple hours. Glad we took the time to tour the zoo!

To the extent possible, I like to visit zoos during my travels. So while in Bismarck this fall I toured the Dakota Zoo. This zoo is smaller than my local zoo at home but did not disappoint. There is a good variety of animals - healthy and with enough room to roam. I was there on a weekday; minus the crowds, I was able to get closer views of many of the animals than at other venues and they seemed to enjoy having visitors. (The raccoons, in particular, seemed curious to view their guests) Young visitors were having a ball (the tunnels in the big cats display were a favorite attraction for the kids) I took the train ride which gave a good commentary and orientation to the zoo (and saved me some steps as I was a bit short on time) Wear your walking shoes - there are considerable steps required if you want to see the entire zoo. There is a snack bar and gift shop. Although I was there on a fairly cool day, I was glad to see that the hand-dipped ice cream that I had heard about was still being served. There is considerable parkland around the zoo in the event you want to bring a picnic lunch. The zoo is a great place for an outing - whether alone or with friends and family.

I was not really expecting too much. I was recently in Bismarck for the first time. Visitors can get really close to the animals here. I was surprised how easy it would be for an overzealous visitor to be eaten by an animal here. The wolves and grizzly bears were fun to watch. The feeding of the fishers was really funny to see. They are little tornadoes. The front desk lady was reading a romance novel and clearly wished she was somewhere else. Other than that it was a fantastic experience and the highlight of my short stay in the area.

first zoo I've ever seen with chickens and cows. also had a lot of exotic animals that I had never heard of. plenty of walking, and solitude if you come early enough. be sure to check out the tunnels for the BIG CATS and the Prairie dog habitat.

Enjoyed a few hours wondering the zoo. Was pleasantly surprised to see all the birds, animals,reptiles that they have there. A good way to spend time with family/friends.

The zoo is small but has lots of interesting things to do. I would recommend for all ages. Definitely worth the visit. Cost $10.00 for adults.

I take my grandkids to the Bismarck Zoo every year. The walking paths are enjoyable. Wish there were a few more big animals. But I can sit and watch the big cats for hours.

It was nice to see the animals in big natural surroundings. If the animals looked comfortable, you could enjoy seeing them more. It was fun to feed the goats and deer corn.

Pay the extra 2.50 and ride the train, it helps you find the animals you want to see. Make sure you bring bottled water.

The Dakota Zoo was so much fun! Loved seeing the Tigers and Bears! Our 2 year old was completely enthralled! We really liked how there was hand sanitizer at every petting zoo section.

For me and my two children, be paid $15 to get in. It's very well worth it. Some of the exhibits were under construction, but the lay out was easy to follow. We spent around 3 hrs there. The kids just loved feeding the prairie dogs!

It seems like we always see something new when we go to the zoo. The kids always love seeing the animals.

The zoo is a great peaceful self paced walk on nice paved trails or they have a "train" if you would rather ride around looking at the animals. I prefer to walk. Lots of different species of animals to see

It's a nice enough zoo for a small town. Nothing fancy. It's well maintained and you can't beat the price of a family membership for a family of 7. There isn't a lot to do in Bismarck so it's worth the money.

The Dakota Zoo is the only (or, one of very few) privately owned zoo(s) and it does a wonderful job, given its lack of public funding. It's a great place to go with smaller children who enjoy both the animals and the playground. Most of the animals are standard for a zoo, but the now lynx isn't and it's wonderful, especially if you see it moving around. At my last visit, a month ago, we heard the big wolf bark. It sounded just like a big dog! The big cat displays are good too. The new monkey house is a BIG improvement. Bring lots of quarters as kids lik to feed the appropriate animals.

First time visiting. For a smaller zoo, it was nice. My group were all adults, and I felt it was more tailored to little kids vs whole family. Several enclosers were empty. Lots off weeds growing everywhere.

We had an absolute blast here with our 2 kids (2,4) so much to see. I'd recommend riding the train first to see what you'd like to go to and spend time at. The train doesn't stop but they have a PA system and explain everything and for $2.50 each you can't go wrong. I'd also recommend spending time with the tigers so crazy to see in person. If you have time make sure you keep driving down just past the main entrance of the zoo to superslides, It's an amusement Park which is free to get in. I believe the tokens were $. 75 each and rides took 2 or 3 each.

The Dakota Zoo is a wonderful zoo with tons of animals. All of the enclosures are well kept and don't look like cages! The animals appear very healthy and active. The tiger and bear enclosures are really fantastic! If you don't want to walk around it all, the train ride is the way to go as it goes through almost every area of the zoo! Definitely a must-stop if you are in the area!

It was tiny but what they did have was really nice. Very natural like settings. Cages seemed a little small for the animals they had there. How would you like to live in a very small cage the rest of your life if you were a bird or a fast runner like a big cat? They are expanding though. I would recommend going!

During my visit, I observed a large company picnic / bouncy games for kids / scavenger hunt / live musicians/ and train rides. I also saw couples and families enjoying the zoo. The walking trails are good. Many of the animals were close to see and watch. The gift shop was busy.

Not a bad little zoo, it is about the only fun places for the entire family to go have some fun outdoors in Bismarck. Goats are always fun to feed. The train is fun also but it needs a new speaker system.

I went to the Dakota Zoo for the first time last weekend, and it was wonderful. There were a lot of families walking around, nice walking trails with easy directions. Lots of different animals- but one of the coolest things is that the Dakota Zoo makes contributions to different wildlife foundations, and work with other zoo foundations to make a positive impact on wildlife. I don't do circuses, or things like SeaWorld, but I felt good going to a place that is making a difference. The animals have nice enclosures, the grounds are clean, and all around nice family fun.

My husband and I usually visit the Dakota Zoo at least once every summer. It is a good size and has everything we would want to see. It is so pleasant walking the paths amongst the trees and animal pens. The food is always good and the price is fare.

Extremely family-friendly zoo and excellent for size of of metro area; beautiful big cats and bears'paved walking and with food/recreation amenities on site;

This is a very well kept up zoo. The kids love it. Staff is friendly. Has a nice gift shop. Has a great park right next to it to have a little picnic lunch afterwards.

Loved the camels and spider monkeys. Zookeepers came right away when another kind of primate was eating a cardboard box. I heard wolves howl for the first time in my life (in response to ambulance sirens outside of the fence).

Took my 2 small children here, 1&3, they liked it. The playground inside the zoo is great and there are more playgrounds very close to the zoo entrance. The animals were sad, but thats zoos. They enjoyed feeding the goats. Tigers were the best and seemed healthy. Many of the displays were closed or down for various reasons; no butterflies and other through glass types. Lots of yellow jackets around trash cans and more, can't imagine trying to eat lunch there. The gift shop is nice and inexpensive but the options for kid shirts is sad and goofy, the adult designs would have been better than the goofy characters and phrases on the kid ones! I suggest going here first and buying animal masks for photo opportunities.

Nice place to spend a couple of hours. Nothing spectacular about it. The goats & miniture ponies were my kids favorite part because you can pet them. Don't use the penny flattener or the animal feed machines. Both took our money and did not work.

As a kid, I just loved trips to the Dakota Zoo. Funny thing is, then I became an adult, and I still loved trips to the Dakota Zoo. It's probably the best zoo in North Dakota, although Wahpeton's zoo is very close. The Dakota Zoo is also a well kept, clean facility, and that's important in a zoo. I've been to other zoos that a re smelly, but you won't find that at the Dakota Zoo. It's also well laid out, easy to get around. Just a fantastic experience.

We have traveled to some great zoos but the zoo in Bismarck is one of the best. We are so lucky to have it in our state.

Nice little zoo. Saw a variety of animals, including bears, camels(which likes to follow visitors around), raccoons, birds, and monkeys to name a few. The place took me about an hour and a half to see, but I could have stayed a bit longer if I wanted to. Once you’re done, go take a walk at Seratoma Park, just steps away.

Excellent family zoo. Friendly staff and easy to observe training session for the animals (Spider Monkeys). Very walkable.

This is a deceptively large zoo. In the summer going in the morning is your best time to beat the heat. Wear good shoes, sunscreen and bring lots of water. The animals are easy to spot in their enclosures and if you can catch the zoo staff doing education or training it is super fun. They have a golf cart train that will tour you around the zoo if walking too far is hard for you. They are $5 a person. Overall it is worth a stop and the zoo is located in a great park for walking, picnicking or playing.

Clean place with lots of space to not get over crowded. Pleasant staff and decent prices. I would recommend seeing this zoo in early spring

First, I love zoo's so we tend to stop at them a lot. There were some bears and wolves which we don't have in our home zoo so that was fun. However, the zoo is small. If you are used to Omaha or Kansas City this is very tiny in comparison. This would have had a better rating but I felt like a lot of the birds were not molting but pulling out their feathers like they do when they are in distress. When a Macaw is almost featherless on his breast he is not happy. I also thought some of the bigger animals were pacing a lot. Which says to me their cages are to small. It made me uncomfortable to watch them.

Train rides, animals, food, and a great time for the kids. Nice to take a relaxing walk and enjoy the day!

We have been looking over the fences from the biking trails and did the Christmas light drive through. Can't wait until spring and we can take our grandchildren there to see the animals and do the rides. A beautiful setting along the river banks.

As a animal lover it was great to see so many different animals. Enjoyed the different birds!
Price of admission was very reasonable. Very friendly in the gift shop!!

Had a great day out with the grandchildren they loved feeding some of the animals, animal food is available at machines. It was a lovely walk around the zoo as it is quite spread out. The baby monkey was hilarious, and put on a little show for us.

Love bringing my kids & my niece & nephew to this zoo. So much for us to do & we never get bored no matter how many times we go. Friendly staff too!

I believe the zoo is doing fundraising to expand and that’s a good thing. It’s a relaxing place to spend a couple of hours. The Bears really need something better. Their Den is desperately in need of an update. It’s inhumane by Todays standards. Visit, support them and encourage them to update the bears. Meanwhile enjoy the rest, especially the river otters. 😊

First off, our zoo membership at another zoo got us in for free here, so A+ for value! We were the first to the zoo on a Wednesday just as it quit raining. There were a few animals missing from their displays, but it wasn't a big deal. The large cat display was really neat and we had a tiger right on top of us! Most on the enclosures were quite large. Only complaint was the deer, moose, elk, etc. area was a lot of walking. Overall great zoo!

It had been about 10 years since I have been to this zoo, so was anxious to go back again on my recent visit. What a disappointment! Most of the animals are not even visible, exhibits closed, some facilities rundown, and while some animals have lots of room to roam, others are stuck in tiny cages. Not sure if it's a lack of funds or just poor management, but I won't go back. So sad.

Great local zoo, this small zoo had a surprisingly wide, The zoo train is a hit with the kids as well as the interactive displays.

The zoo is a good way to burn a few hours, especially if you have kids. Don't get excited to go here and you will not be disappointed. The big cats are cool and the otters are entertaining. It is fun to feed the goats etc.... This zoo does not really offer anything special. They do have "train" you can ride around in so you do not have to walk to all parts, but the charge a buck or two I think. All this said my wife and I go here a few times a year. Spring is the best because of the baby animals, but then you may miss some because of the weather. They are building a new primate house so that should be cool. It is Bismarck, what else are you going to do?

This zoo is clean and has small playground, shaded areas, various animals specific to N.D. The zoo is located adjacent to a park with lots of trees, more playgrounds, small amusement park, the beautiful Missouri River, walking trail, and picnic accommodations.

Whether you're looking to entertain the family for a day or want a unique date spot, the Dakota Zoo is a cool place. It has a good variety of animals, especially for the size of Bismarck. There's lots of things to do and see!

A fine, if not fancy, zoo. A beautiful, natural setting with many interesting residents. Really well done and a great value. Highly recommend, especially for those with little folks.

Visited this smaller zoo. It was nice and a good way to spend an hour or two. They have a pretty decent variety of animals. I thought they had a good size roaming space for them as well.

Visited many times but I/we were not impressed with all the junk, toys, shredded paper & misc. unsightly garbage in the Macaw cages. Can you not make some wooden "toys" or something less unsightly if they need things to do?

We visited on a September weekday morning. We had the zoo all to ourselves. It was good to see that many of the animals were awake & active. I loved the Bactrian camels & the prairie dogs. The zoo is worth the visit.

Average trip. We arrived at approximately 2 pm and made our way inside to buy tickets to the zoo. As soon as we walked in, we were met by the petting area part of the zoo. There, we got to pet horses, donkeys and goats, with an opportunity to feed them as well. The zoo was huge, and contained large exhibits for the animals to roam around freely in. There were informational plaques located in front of each exhibit, that detailed several fun facts about each animal. I wish the plaques provided more background information on each animal. Also, the set up of the zoo was a little confusing. There were many loops and turns on the sidewalk paths and I did not feel like the transition from each exhibit was as smooth as other zoos I have been to. It was very easy to miss an exhibit or overlook something because of how the zoo was set up. I also did not enjoy the frequent train rides that rode past me, requiring me to move over to the grassy part of the park, in order to allow the train to pass.

Tip: I recommend spending 4 hours here if you truly want to see everything.

Dakota Zoo is a great place for young families with all age children. They have a nice variety of animals and exhibits. A zoo train to ride if you are tired of walking. Feeding snacks from vendor machines is available and so fun for the little ones to do. They have a wonderful wild CAT selection and great viewing window. Very fun to do with family!!

I love going to the Zoo and with their new monkey exhibit open it is even better. I like going on the train ride to find out more about the animals and their concession stand is great to!! I have nothing bad to say about this place.

When ever we go on vacation if there's a zoo we go and I must say this zoo is as good as any of the smaller zoos. All the paths are paved which is really good for people in wheelchairs or the elderly with a walker. Now for the really cool stuff. There is quite a variety of animals for a smaller zoo. There is a couple of small trains to ride on to get a guided tour of the zoo. There are a lot of big cats which are my favourite. There are bears, camels and so much more. It is definitely a must see for me. I would go back in a minute. The people working there are friendly and very knowledgeable about everything about the zoo. The concession stand is also really good. The only thing that I would say negative about it is that I believe that there is only one bathroom. That can be a bit of a problem for people with kids or the elderly. But it isn't enough to make me not go back and knowing that just make sure to use it at the beginning of the visit.

We had a wonderful time, friendly staff. Very clean, nice set up. Enjoyed the train ride.
They are doing a great job expanding the area.

I take my son here all the time. They've done some much needed work to it recently and it looks amazing. It would be nice if they could add in sine new exhibits, but other then that it's a great place to spend the day with your family.

Passing through the area and decided to go here for the day. While not an extremely large zoo, they had a great variety of animals, especially birds - and it was a very pleasant trip at a very good price!

Great zoo to visit with family! We loved the monkeys and feeding all the farm animals! I would recommend this zoo to anyone!!

My family and I visit this zoo alot during the year even though we live in Fargo. This is by far the best zoo in ND. If you are looking for a great place to take you family for a trip to a zoo, do not miss this one.

Every year we get the family plus membership. it is well worth it for when you have people coming to visit you from out of town. it will save them money when they look for cheap entertainment as well as you can still spend time with them. great value.

We are fans of zoos and visit zoos around the country. This is a nice sized zoo for the area (we expected much smaller), however it needs work and funding! Many of the animal enclosures appear smaller than a modern zoo would have for the same animal. Upkeep was generally poor: my husband commented "Give me a weed whacker and I'll have this place looking better in a couple of hours!" There were few employees as well, so we assumed the zoo lacks adequate funding. We were a little distressed to see a grey wolf alone in an enclosure; I don't know if they have more, but a wolf is not a solitary animal and it would be difficult for the animal to live alone.

We enjoyed the side of the zoo that has extremely large enclosures with large animals: American Bison, a small Elk herd, reindeer, camels, etc. These animals had plenty of room to roam and graze and were a pleasure to view.

Staff in the gift shop/admissions area were very friendly, nice, and helpful. The gift shop was clean and surprisingly well stocked. Overall, we enjoyed the visit but were wishing we were millionaires so we could donate a bunch of money!

The Dakota Zoo has a great variety of animals and I love how many walking paths there are around the zoo. Can't wait til the penguins are there!

Took the whole family to the zoo. Walked around a bit to enjoy the exhibits then took the train to go around the entire zoo.. Everyone enjoyed themselves and it was a beautiful day as well. Had a picnic in the park next door. Our group had ages 3 to 75 and in between - everyone had a great time.

We're originally from Colorado, and we love to go to the Denver zoo, but I have to say I like this zoo so much better. It seems like every time we go the animals are up and playing. It's the perfect size for kids to walk, or run, through without the usual "I'm tired" sayings coming from them. They have a little train that you can ride, a concession stand, ice cream parlor and gift shop as well as a playground for the kids to play on. The exhibits are a little smaller so you can actually see the animals, unlike some zoos where you can't see anything. They're also a raptor rehabilitation and rescue center so there are some raptors that they've saved and continue to take care of. We bought a season pass so we go as often as we can!

My husband and I are zoo members in our own state. We like to visit other zoos in our travels. When we arrived at this zoo, we didn't even get out of the car. Sadly disappointed ! Exhibits(animals) were in small spaces. Looked very "unloved"

I have been to about 90 zoos around the world. This zoo was great! I really enjoyed it. Spaced out well with nice walking paths, nice habitats / exhibits / biomes. Great complement of species.....Transcaspian Urial, Siberian Musk Deer, Pronghorn, Elk, Bison, Aoudad, Mouflon, White Bengal Tiger, Snow Leopard, Grizzly Bear, Coati, Pine Marten, Reeve's Muntjac, Tammar Wallaby, Mexican Gray Wolf, Fisher, North American River Otter, Lynx, Arctic Fox, Mountain Lion / Puma, Bobcat, etc. They also have a wonderful and well-designed children's area.

The admission was only $10.00. A great bargain for a zoo such as this.

I was in the gift shop and was chatting with the two employees working (Paige and Troy). They were GREAT! Very friendly, personable, and wonderful to chat with.

I HIGHLY recommend a visit to the Dakota Zoo!

Decent zoo with lots of animals. Has a nice playground, area to feed animals, a large walking loop and a train you can ride. We visit in the warmer months when we visit Bismarck.

The Dakota Zoo in Bismarck is a treat for all ages. The zoo train is a hit with the kids as well as the interactive displays, the petting zoo, and of course the cotton candy. The zoo offers a very diverse array of creatures both large and small. Spend a day at the zoo, it’s fun and you’ll probably learn a few things too!

We enjoy this zoo. We feel it has a bit more selection of animals than the Minot zoo has. I recommend paying for the train ride around the zoo at the beginning. The kids enjoy it and then you get a good overall look at the zoo and then can walk to the areas you want to spend more time.

I feel like the admission is quite pricey - especially for us Canadians lol. We haven't been back in a few years because I just can't justify the price for something my kids will just want to do for an hour or two since they've seen it all before.

We stopped in Bismarck on a long day’s drive from Rapid City to Fargo and took an hour to explore the zoo. We got there around 6 pm, which was perfect timing for seeing the animals. Almost all of them were up and active, clearly waiting for the guests to leave and get some dinner. The zoo has a nice assortment of animals, including my favorite – otters. It is an older zoo, but the enclosures are a good size and well designed, allowing the animal to be seen but still have places to curl up and be comfortable. If you are in the area, definitely worth the time to swing by and spend an hour or two.

Fun for family . Great staff healthy stock. every thing is keep clean. food is ok and reasonable priced

We went to the zoo early in the morning when they first opened. It was a very peaceful time and we were able to enjoy the animals without the crowds. This is a relatively small zoos so it was easy to navigate. You won't find elephants or giraffes here but you will see bears and large cats. We stayed for around an hour and a half and saw everything.

We have visited all the zoos in ND. This zoo is outstanding in cleanliness, smell and well cared for animals. Something to see summer or winter and we go to this zoo often through the year.

Cute zoo. Great for families with small kids. Good place to visit if in town. Lots of animals to see. Has concession and a cute train ride for 2.50 to tour the zoo.

We ended up in Bismarck a few extra days as our car died and needed something to kill time so we went to the zoo. It was a very manageable zoo to walk and we spent an hour and half there. Delightful!

If you want to go to a fun old time Zoo, this is the ticket. I have taken my grand kids to the Denver Zoo and the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo in Colorado Springs but they still like the interaction of the Dakota Zoo the best

What a nice little Zoo. I say little but it is actually a good size, good selection of animals and well planned out. We really enjoyed it, the kids loved it.

Good Zoo who are doing a good job, quite small, slight shortage of animals but what they have are very interesting.

The Dakota Zoo offers a lot for everyone. The train tour is sure to be a hit for children and adults. Set aside some time and take it all it. It's well worth the visit.

Great place for a pit stop while traveling. I recommend taking the train around the zoo and enjoying the view.

I love the zoo, period. The animals and exhibits are wonderful. There are accommodations for the handicap, and their prices for the food and entrance is great. The parking lot is large enough to pull right next to the entrance. Very nice.....

Bismarck has one of the best zoos around. Many new exhibits over the years. Beautiful setting and a good price for an awesome experience.

We tried to walk it but then took train. It would be nice if train would stop for people to look at animals longer. Some of the animal cages need some work. The monkeys were very cool. I wanted to see the moose but he was hiding

Quite a few different animals! Also a train ride you can do first so you can walk back to the animals you want to visit most! Very nice bear carving from a local man in the center

The Dakota Zoo is a great part of Bismarck that everyone needs to see at least once! It is full of adorable animals and right now have a lot of small baby animals that are full of energy to watch! We always take the train around the zoo at the beginning of our stay because it teaches you about the zoo and on hotter days takes you out to the large animals without having to walk if you do not do well in heat. This year they also have a new primate house and have excellent new outdoor cages for the monkeys! Always a fun summer adventure and is very inexpensive!

Great zoo for family time! They do a nice job of keeping it very clean. Easy to get around. Nice updated monkey and lion habitats.

I grew up around one of the best zoos in the world, but it's big. Coming to this smaller zoo was a great change of pace, and it wasn't so busy that the animals get bored of seeing people. It was a cold day, so the zoo was empty and the animals were feeling ready for something to do. I had Mexican wolves and tigers following me as I ran back and forth around their pens, which was a wild experience. This small zoo had a surprisingly wide variety of animals and was well worth the visit. I had a great time, and would recommend others to go, as long as you're going in expecting a small-zoo experience. Friendly staff, and happy animals!

The Dakota Zoo has it all and that is especially true if you are looking for a fun time with children. There is a wonderful playground, good snacks, train rides and best of all many interesting animals. Kids can even feed some if he animals. It is laid out very nicely and the animals are well taken care of. It is great - what a treasure for Bismarck!

While it's not the biggest or best zoo...after the long winter...ALLL the babies were out. I have never seen so many baby animals: camels, monkeys, kangaroos, reindeer... This is what made my visit here unique and worthwhile. Go in Spring.

Well kept~ animals are happy and they have a great gift shop and Staff is very friendly and helpful The gazebo and rose garden are really pretty and they have some great plans for future additons

This zoo has a large variety of animals to see. I will take several hours to visit it all. They have a miniature train that you can take around the zoo to see all the sights. Snacks are offered here and there is a petting area were you can touch and feed the animals. Really good Zoo.

We travel quite a bit and have been to many many zoos. This is a nice little zoo!! It's very clean & easy to make your way through. It took us about 1 1/2 - 2 hours to peacefully walk through the grounds. The exhibits are clean and it's obvious the animals are well cared for. There is a nice little gift shop and concessions as well. My kids (7 & 10) and I enjoyed our time there!

Nice zoo, lots of variety and well maintained. Great place to take the kids for an afternoon outing.

We take our family here multiple times a year. It is such a wonderful time. The zoo is always neat and tidy and there is some thing for everybody.

I spent a full morning in the zoo. You can make a nice walk through the park and see all animals. There are many trees and, consequently, many areas with shadow. I liked the collection of animals, which are native to North America, very much.
If possible, I would have scored the Dakota Zoo 4.5 out of 5.

This is a cute rather inexpensive simple zoo. The land it’s on is beautiful.
They do have a train that will take you around. We chose to walk.
My mom needed a scooter and that rental was ten dollars, and you get five back when you turn in the keys. That was definitely worth it to her!

Took grandkyds for the day. They enjoyed the train ride and seeing the animals having their noon meal.

I want on the first full weekend and plan on returning later this year. I knew going in that the zoo wasn't as large as others around the country and that some animals might be 'missing' since it is still early Spring (or really late winter in the North).

I am glad I wore comfortable shoes as the paths are either pavement or hard packed dirt. As the day went on more and more animals were being placed in their pens or cages and many were fed while we were watching. I would suggest going during feeding time as the animals are always seen then. The animals that were not fed were more concerned with hiding and this could be due to not be used to people being around.

There are vending machines located throughout the zoo, but the zoo didn't seem to mind that I carried in a bottle of water.

If you plan on going multiple times I would suggest purchasing a year pass or even becoming a zoo member. There are many different plans/packages to choose from.

Some of the animals include:

Llamas, Goats, Sheep, Chickens, Bears, Tigers, Bobcats, Cougars, Otters, Swans, Camels, Elks, Moose, Deer, Donkeys, Bison, Horses, Emu, Ostriches, Hawks, Eagles, Wolves, Coyotes, Foxes, Cervals, Pine Martens, Porcupine, Raccoons, and many chipmunks running around.

There is a petting zoo (for children of all ages) and you can feed goats, chickens, donkeys, and miniature ponies.

We visited here as part of our road trip across North Dakota in the summer of 2023; this zoo was easy to find and has a nice setting in a suburban area. The grounds are very nicely landscaped, with colorful flower beds throughout. Since I love both gardens and zoos, this was a perfect mix for me. We spent just over two full hours here and enjoyed our visit.

Its a good place for young kids, as are most all zoo's. If you have been to some bigger and better zoo's theres really no need or anything special that you must do here.

Normally I’m not a huge fan of zoo’s, but for a smaller zoo I loved it. It was clean and the space for the animals is pretty good. The animals looked happy and healthy and they even give discounts to UMary students with their ID!

There is a variety of animals with very interesting information available. There is plenty of space to roam and very relaxing. We never felt rushed and our favorite part was feeding the the baby goat.

Great exhibits and varieties with good room for the large animals. I love the expansion int he back for all the plains animals. That would make for great walks.

We live in Bismarck and try to get to the zoo several times during the year. Great for adults and kids alike. The grand-kids love the train ride thru the park and enjoy the spring visits when the new babies arrive. A recommended stop for everyone!

Love the variety of animals, size of the zoo, great for all ages and plenty of room to walk and enjoy at ever age and pace.

This zoo is clean and well kept, it is easy to walk through and has a wide selection of animals. There is a small food shop and a nice gift shop. When my son Was young, we bought season passes and would go 3, 4 times a week in the evening.

Dakota Zoo is very nice price to get in is only 7.00$ it very clean not real big but a lot to see nice playground for kids, and a tram to take you around, we have been going here for the past 6 yrs , really nice

Good experience we got after spending 3 hrs to walk through entire area. Worth to stop in to get a look of Animals, Birds, mainly Bengal Tiger, Bears, Red wolf and many more.. Don't expect too much but entry fee is worth collection. Overall nice experience !

This zoo is VERY well maintained and has lots for the kids to see! I've been told that it's better than a lot of them around the state!!

We are from small towns so this was the biggest zoo we had ever got to experience and we still enjoy traveling a couple times to Bismarck to see the animals. We also got to go during the introduction of the monkey exhibit so that was exciting for the girls too. Its a great family friendly, budget friendly place to spend anywhere form an hour to a whole day since you can take a picnic and play on the paly grounds

Lots of close animals to view. Most were out and in good spots to see them. They have some young ones that are very fun to see.

The zoo has come a long ways since it's beginning. I took my grandsons this past weekend, first time I have been there in six years. Love the new improvements, will go back to see primate building when finished. Great place to take young ones and spend some quality family time.

We had a great day walking through the zoo and seeing the animals. The zoo is small enough to see it all within a couple hours. The train ride is a great way to see everything. The wasps were pretty bad while we were there.

was hoping to see more different animals and see more kid interaction programs. for a smaller town it was ok. price was good though.

It was cool when we went and right around feeding time so the animals were pretty active. There is a train (tickets were under $3) that takes you around the property. We walked around the zoo (it was taxing for my elderly parents, but an easy walk and there are plenty of benches throughout the park for people that need to rest). There were several places where you could buy food and feed some animals (bring quarters!). There were several animals here that I haven't seen at bigger zoos.

We're members of the zoo and go often. We enjoy all the animals at the zoo especially the otters, primates, tigers & grizzly bears. Take the train for a great overview of the whole zoo. Don't forget to feed the goats!

We loved the variety of animals; native and exotic. The habitats are well done. We just LOVE the tigers and their whole enclosure. The electric mobility scooter that allowed grandma to tour with us was the icing on cake of our fun day. The train is nice, but I wish the guides gave more info.

The zoo is a good size especially for Bismarck, ND. The animals have a nice natural grassy habitat and I love the river otter! As with all zoos, the animals seem kind of bored except for the bears who love to eat their watermelon!

The zoo is nice for children. It is in a good location. It is a nice zoo but small. If you are looking for the typical "zoo" animals like large African animals or aquatic animals This isn't that type of zoo. It is very nice and children friendly. Very well kept. there is a train to ride at an extra fee. you may also purchase food to feed some of the animals too. Lots of walking so wear comfy shoes.

Nieces and nephews always request to go to the zoo when they visit, love the petting zoo and the monkeys! Many fond memories. A must when visiting Bismarck!

Love the zoo. Perfect for a day of relaxing. Kids love the animals and park. Must try the cotton candy it is amazingl.

Our first visit to this zoo was over 20 years ago. This was our second trip. They've expanded several times and upgraded the exhibits a lot. They have a good selection of animals, a concession stand and a small gift shop. Take the train so you can see where everything is, put on your walking shoes and get a roll of quarters to feed the animals. Took us about 2 hours to go through it. Paved walkways with pretty good shade cover in the afternoon. If you like zoos and have the time, it's worth the price of admission.

I really enjoy visiting this zoo. There is a mixture of native and non native animals with great exhibits. I love taking kids here for the learning opportunities that are provided. I recommend the Dakota Zoo to anyone.

We came at 10am, knowing that it was going to be a hot day, and stayed for over 2 hours. The kids liked feeding the goats and other farms animals. Be careful when going through the tunnels to see the big cats as the ceiling is very low for adults. The discovery centre was also a big hit. We would definitely go back again.

Easily one of my favorite zoos I've ever visited. Amazing opportunities for kids. Lots of big cats and exotic hooved animals. Loved the foxes and birds of prey too! I've never been so close to so many majestic creatures. If you're not up for walking the whole thing, the train ride gives you the opportunity to see everything in about 30 minutes.

The animals on display at the zoo were a joy to watch. My favorite animals to watch are the badgers... though the porcupines were a close second.

Very kind and knowledgeable staff. Exhibits are well done, with animals having both indoor and outdoor spaces. Particularly enjoyed bear exhibit.

We decided to stop by on our trip to Yellowstone and were treated to a pleasant surprise! This zoo was much larger than anticipated and includes a great mix of animals. It was a bluebird day so walking around as most of the displays are outdoors was perfect! We highly recommend making a stop if you have two hours (give or take an hour) they also have "train" rides around the zoo

This place is well layed out and makes for a pleasant walk around the facility. We really enjoyed the openness of all the animal environments.

We really appreciate this zoo in Bismarck. They have nice animal exhibits and are always working to add and improve them. The train is fun and the playground is always a hit, too. Nice small concession stand for snacks.

It's great that Bismarck has a zoo. It's great they offer train rides. Smallest zoo I have ever been to. A lot of animal enclosures seem smaller than other zoo's. I expected more of a variety of animals. A good variety of birds which is currently my child's favorite animal. The farm animals to feed & pet is great for kids. A nice way to spend 2 hours but I wouldn't plan a trip to Bismarck just for this.