On the evening the Giraffe Center opened, KOAA talked with a young visitor named Stella. A giraffe had tried to lick her hair, and she ducked. Giraffe encounters like that have been part of Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for years. The building around this one is what's new.
The International Center for the Care and Conservation of Giraffe opened to the public at 9:30 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 15, 2026, during the zoo's centennial year. Most opening coverage focused on size and spectacle. For people who live on the slopes below the zoo, the bigger change is the timing. The barn has heated walls, natural light and indoor feeding stations, so the zoo's best-known experience now holds up in exactly the months when an outdoor feeding deck would be the hardest sell.
A barn engineered for cold months
KKTV reported that the upgrades include heated walls to keep the herd comfortable through Colorado winters and a large clear roof that brings in natural sunlight all year. Zoo officials told the station it is the largest roof of its kind covering an animal enclosure in the United States. The roof is made of ethylene tetrafluoroethylene, or ETFE. According to the zoo, the material is low maintenance and resists fire and hail. It is also used in stadiums, airports and some European zoos, and it lets both sunlight and moonlight into the barn.
The zoo also designed the inside so that guests can feed giraffes from more places. Giraffe-size garage doors and windows let in fresh air, and guests can feed from each of those openings. A rope bridge or a set of stairs leads to a feeding island in the middle of the barn. KOAA's tour described a sprinkler "rain" system, varied floor terrain and automated winches that move browse branches around the space.
Here is how the new setup compares with the old one:
| Feature | Before | Giraffe Center |
|---|---|---|
| Feeding zones for the herd | 3 | 11 |
| Yard size | Prior footprint | 25 percent larger, with a feeding tower and switchbacks |
The barn itself covers 12,000 square feet, and the zoo says guests can now feed and watch giraffes from every angle, from above, face-to-face and at hoof height.
In its July preview, The Gazette put the project at $40 million and noted that the new paths could let visitors feed young giraffes at hoof height. The zoo says the center was paid for entirely by the zoo and its donors. Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is one of just a few of the 237 zoos and aquariums accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums that operate without tax support.
The design gives the giraffes choices as well. The zoo says the herd can move between the habitat's spaces and activities on its own, without keepers or guests. The giraffes first explored the building at the end of August. Thorn, the youngest, walked in first and Kay followed. By the end of that day, most of the herd had been inside, and a few got what the zoo called excited zoomies.
Feeding hours stay the same as the days get shorter
With a heated, sunlit barn, there is no seasonal pause in the schedule. The zoo lists giraffe feeding daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Those match the zoo's regular daytime hours, which it lists as 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. all year. Lettuce bundles cost $3 each or two for $5. Guest experiences are cash only, so stop by an ATM before you head up the hill.
The calendar has a few exceptions. On Thursday, Oct. 15, Thursday, Nov. 19, and Tuesday, Dec. 15, the zoo opens at 9:30 a.m. On Boo at the Zoo dates, daytime hours run 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. before the evening event starts.
Your visit starts with the ticket
Living close by makes the drive short, but it doesn't change how you get in. The zoo's entry system works the same for everyone:
- Every visitor needs an advance timed e-ticket. This includes members and children age 2 and under.
- Arrive within your window. Each ticket's entry time has a 30-minute arrival window.
- On-site parking comes with the timed ticket. Entry slots are limited, and popular dates can sell out.
- Rideshare tickets are always available, even when timed tickets sell out. Buy one, arrive by Uber, Lyft or taxi, and show your trip receipt with your zoo ticket at admissions.
- Members get free rideshare tickets. The zoo warns that free member e-tickets can also sell out and should be reserved ahead of time.
For a household a few minutes away, the rideshare option means a sold-out day doesn't have to cancel a visit. Opening day drew big crowds, though KKTV didn't give an attendance number.
October brings giraffe visits after dark
The new building matters most when the zoo stays open into the evening. In October, the giraffes are part of the evening program.
Boo at the Zoo runs seven evenings from 4 to 8:30 p.m. Advance timed tickets are required, and so is a costume if you want to enter the contest. On the Friday and Saturday dates, giraffe keeper chats are scheduled at 5 p.m. Earlier in the month, Dog Days lets families bring a well-behaved dog with a separate, limited dog ticket. The one exception for dog owners is that dogs are not allowed in the giraffe barn.
| Date | Event | Giraffe note |
|---|---|---|
| Fri., Oct. 9 | Dog Days at the Zoo | Dogs not allowed in the giraffe barn |
| Thu., Oct. 15 | Regular day, 9:30 a.m. opening | Feeding until 5 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 16 | Boo at the Zoo, 4 to 8:30 p.m. | Keeper chat at 5 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 17 | Boo at the Zoo | Keeper chat at 5 p.m. |
| Fri., Oct. 23 | Boo at the Zoo | Keeper chat at 5 p.m. |
| Sat., Oct. 24 | Boo at the Zoo | Keeper chat at 5 p.m. |
| Sun., Oct. 25 | Boo at the Zoo | No keeper chat listed |
| Fri., Oct. 30 | Dog Days by day, Boo at the Zoo by evening | Keeper chat at 5 p.m.; dogs not allowed in the barn |
| Sat., Oct. 31 | Boo at the Zoo | Keeper chat at 5 p.m. |
Then comes Electric Safari, which runs nightly from Dec. 2 through Jan. 1, 2027, except Christmas Eve. The zoo's calendar lists light sculptures spread over 50 acres. The Electric Safari page counts over 85 one-of-a-kind sculptures and adds a centennial drone show at 7:30 p.m., weather permitting. The zoo is also still collecting stories for its centennial "Share Your CMZoo Story" project. Guests, members and friends can send in photos or written memories.
"If you loved feeding giraffe at the Zoo before, you're going to be blown away at the ways this team imagined to make it even better – for our giraffe and for our community." Dave Ruhl, CMZoo president and CEO
Cool-weather plans closer to home
The same fall weather makes a few other nearby spots easy to pair with a zoo visit. Cheyenne Mountain State Park has guided Fall Hikes on Oct. 7 and Oct. 9 from 10 to 11:30 a.m., plus a Bear Wise talk on the evening of Oct. 9 from 6 to 7 p.m. That evening is the same Friday as the first Dog Days.
At the entrance to North Cheyenne Cañon, the City opened the Mary Starsmore Discovery Plaza on June 17, 2026. The outdoor learning and event space at the Starsmore Visitor and Nature Center added ADA-accessible paths, upgraded restrooms and better parking. The park's address is 2120 S. Cheyenne Canon Road.
For a meal on the way home, L&L Hawaiian Barbecue opened its third Colorado Springs location on April 1 at 2130 Southgate Road, Suite 101, in Broadmoor Towne Center. The 900-square-foot restaurant serves Hawaiian plate lunches daily and stays open later on Fridays and Saturdays. That fits the Friday and Saturday Boo at the Zoo nights.
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo's giraffe feeding has long been a reason people visit this side of town, and now the indoor barn means you can feed them in January too. At Susan Sedoryk, we keep track of the local changes that shape everyday life in the Broadmoor area, including what's new up the hill this winter. If you'd like to talk about what's changing near your home, let's connect.
