Reviews of Living Desert State Park (Zoo)

JENN MCLAIN

Cool. Wear good shoes.

Brandon Sanchez

This is nice walk to go do it's got a decent amount of animals and types of plants that are in the area and their trying to expand and get more

Dana P

Really hot outside - bring water. Lots to see. They even have some fish in large pond. Saw my first 4 ft gar. Staff are friendly and helpful. Animals are spread out, not clustered together. View is very good. Lots of different plants. In Springtime many are in bloom.

Derek Bennett

Awesome structures for these beautiful creatures in need of care. Always have a great time and visit.

Teresa Jett

Take lots of water. Begin early in the cool morning. Beautiful plants. Wonderful animal displays.

Loretta Kappler

Wonderful place to learn about desert Flora. They have animals and reptiles also that are neat to observe too. Worth the trek off the beaten path to visit.

David Hart

A great place to learn about the plants and animals that survive and thrive in the desert.

Anthony Frushour

Very detailed displays about the geology and ecology of the Chihuahuan Desert. The zoo was fantastic too. Really cool to see roadrunner and javelina up close

Alexandria Tremble

We happened to go for a Halloween event which meant that all around the zoo things were covered in fake cobwebs and cheap Halloween decorations. Some of the cobwebs and sponsor cards completely obstructed the descriptions of the plants so you couldn't read the placard. I found the native plants displays truly fascinating. Although the animals were few and far between. A large number of the exhibits were closed or under renovation. I felt this shouldn't really be considered a "zoo" at all. Considering the $5 entry we felt that we got what we paid for and we had a good time. I highly recommend hats with strings so they won't be blown off, sunscreen, and lots of water.

Robin Hays

Great place to spend time with the family. watching the prairie dogs chirp and bark you'll wish you could take one home with you!

Janice Curliss

Interesting, beautiful but not as big as I was hoping for.

Man of Enchantment

Needs some work but low state budget. Should be a non profit private public partnership and would be managed better.

Beverly Craig

Awesome. Very nice facility. And, they have an elongated penny machine, though it's old and particular. If you travel to Carlsbad, be sure to go to the Living Desert State Park.

Darrell Freeman

Really enjoyed the exhibits. Very informative staff, quick to answer your questions. Well maintained facilities and exhibits. Really get a sense that animals are taken care of.

Luida Watkins

Love it! A lot of walking it was great fun!

Richard Vickrey

Beautiful plants and animals! I would suggest taking a guided tour, if you have time.

Misty Thomas

Very beautiful exhibits of local plants and wildlife. Very hot as well. Bring sunscreen and drinks.

Jeremy Standiford

Amazing place to visit. Incredible value for $5 entrance fee. Definitely worth a visit.

Mk Mn

Easy to walk through and reasonable cost. Love that the animals there are ones that needed rescuing and are not able to live in the wild so they have a safe haven. Some neat info inside the visitor's center. Gift shop has some cool things and the manager is really nice and friendly.

Warren Dodge

Nice exhibits of flowers and animals. The animals hide quite well so look close for them. Carry a water with you as it is over a mile around.

Charles Bonetti

Awesome place. Some animals were hiding due to heat but the ones that were out were great. A bit of a drive from the caverns but a good time for a family.

Ashley Jackson

Beautiful natural zoo

i disagree

A wonderful little hiking trail that incorporates what is essentially a small zoo along a nature walk. Very pretty, worth visiting if you're in the area

Trisha Freitag

Great out of the way place to visit. while I'm not overly fond of zoos, they seem to take very good care of their animals and they have plenty of room + toys and other items to stimulate them. The plants were fascinating.

stewart gangwer

A great place to see the majority of native wildlife in there natural environment. A well thought out representation.

Adam Morrone

We we're surprised how well done this place is. And only 5$

Tina Lang

Animals seem hungry and no water cages were empty not kept up cobwebs in doors

Allison Fast

I loved this place. So beautiful and peaceful.

Javier Salguero C

Good place, is mainly focus on trees and vegetation, not animals

Timothy McCray

It was nice place but not to good for handycap

Aurora Garcia

We had so much fun my kids enjoy..❤️

David Schmitz

This was a very nice park and worth the 5 dollars they charge.

Christopher Paslay

Just nice peacefully place to kill some time

David Cook

Very intimate zoo and nature walk. Worth the stop if you are in the area. Don’t miss mountain lion exhibit

Brady Bartolini

Great place! Go and enjoy the animals.

Barbara Miller

An Oasis with so much to teach and impress you with! We spent 2 hours here. The plants and there uses kept us engaged for the first hour! Then the wolves, elk, pronghorn, bison, birds and reptiles were such an informational delight. If you are really wanting to see NEW MEXICO then this won't disappoint! Clean restrooms, gift shop [closes an hour before the park does!?] nice walkways and great views await your arrival. A must experience if you are in the area!

Walter W. Taylor

Great! A lot more & better than expected

Jossie Ramon

Amazinng adventure with my family!

Cecil Henderson

We did the moon light walk, got to see a lot of animals that usually hide in cool places during the day!

Jenna Garcia

This is a nice little zoo me and family went . U do lot of walking here. Lots of the animals are not there or the exhibit is fixing certain exhibits in the reptile exhibit the buttons don't work to push to hear sounds the gift shops really nice but expensive and I bought a jewelry there a ring and an end of coloring my finger some of the exhibits shows you different kinds of plans that was interesting a little bit bored they gotta feel it somehow cuz it's such a small Zoo the big black bear that's so cute it was just kicking back while we were taking pictures

Lasi Leavy

Awesome visitor center & gift shop. Love the self-guided walking tour. Lots of plants & flowers, insects, and animals to photograph. The scenic view of the surrounding area is neat. I would give this location 5 stars if it were not for some of the exhibits. A few empty ones, and some others need a bit of work. Overall, the exhibits are well done.

Terry Kowalski

Nothing especially facinating here, a very clean and well kept facility. Staff is gracious and knowledgeable. Worth the five dollars per person to visit.

Cheryl Tuttle

A beautiful garden and zoo. We had a wonderful visit here with my grandchildren. It is a little hilly, but there are plenty of places to stop and enjoy the beautiful views. The rest areas are also pretty shaded. It was very hot the day we went. I would highly recommend this little glimpse of the largest desert in North America.

Don Watson

A nice nature walk with a few animals to see.

Tommy Bennett

This was a nice place to see. There are many exhibits, though seeing animals depends on the time of day and temperature. A morning visit would be advised. We were there around 12pm and it got hot quick, 103. There are some good views of parts of Carlsbad from points in the park. The gift store is very neat and has some nice items.

Adriana Gowing Quinliven

We enjoyed our visit here. I recommend going when it is cool. The wind was blowing so it kept us pretty cool on the walk. It is very exposed. The desert landscapes are a sight to behold. The animals are interesting too. Some of the enclosures are pretty small which is quite sad. There is a good selection of animals to view from the Chihuahuan desert. Overall, worth the price of admission and a nice easy walk. The end stretch back up to the visitors center is uphill so save your strength and bring some water.

Ryan Johnson

This is a really cute zoo full of local plants and animals. A good way to show the diversity of the area and keep costs down for owners and patrons. This isn't my first visit and it won't be the last!

Dawn Furner

We just love to come here, at the very least once a month! The staff and volunteers do a great job!! Nice to let kids run see and do!!

Nathalia Chadwick

This is always an awesome place to visit! And today we got to see a tarantula just as we started our walk..

Lenore Litwin

Great - you can take your time and really see the desert - but bring water and a hat!

Rich Ward

Very nice park. Plan on at least two hours of pretty easy walking

Robert Engle

Very beautiful and very relaxing

Ross Anderson

Very understated entrance that turns into a wonderful, informative and enjoyable walking tour of southwestern habitats. Great displays, and animal feeding times seemed to be between 3 and 4. Fun to watch the birds of prey eat and move around.

Dun Beaty

Amazing place to visit! Must enjoy this beautiful attraction and atmosphere! The unguided tour is only $5 per adult and unlimited amount of beauty to take in! Lots of interesting plants, information, and animals are on exhibition. Do bring your own water for the walk which is at least a hour or more depending upon you. Breathtaking view from the many observation points and pictures are a must! Family friendly location and affordable entertainment! Hours of operation are 9am-4pm.

Cathy

Nice collection of desert flora and fauna all in one location

Brandon Rucker

Awsome place to check out, and not out of the way. Tickets are cheep and you get to see a lot of really cool animals. Smooth easy walkways. Recommend you go in the cooler morning.

Terra Costin

We went on a really hot day, and many of the animals seemed to be missing. The walk was pretty long for the few animals we saw. We bought an annual pass, though, and intend to go back when it's a bit cooler outside!

B SETH

Not well maintained. But the mountain lions were majestic

Matthew Stewart

Really great place for the family and doesnt cost a fortune to go . I highly recommend stopping by

Kiki Stephen

Great place to visit and spend some time!

Max Pena

Inexpensive, good hike through, lots to see and convenient parking ... Would have given 5 stars but clerk was snarky at first and there was no male elk. We also didn't get to see Maggie the Black Bear. I'm not sure if she was being tended to or was off exhibit.

Leigh Nelson

For 5 bucks a person, it's worth every dime. The walking tour at your own pace is good.(Tip, by the javelina pit is a nice cool,calm spot.) Best to go early, as after all it is the "desert"!

Justin W.

Staff was friendly, penny squashing machine robbed me twice, probably prettier in the summer, birds, bears, and other mammals looked really depressed (would you like to be put in a cage and be able to see the freedom you long for day and night?). Pretty sure I could take a mountain lion one on one, the cats seemed happy but cats are stupid like that I suppose.

Laura Borawski

Very quaint little zoo. I think they did a good job with the space and the funds they have. I love the main building, very informative. My kids loved all of the interactive exhibits too.

William Huff

This is a really unique zoo and gardens experience that you won’t forget. It features plants and animals from this arid region like the majestic mountain lion and a whole building full of beautiful succulents. Very informative and fun for the whole family!

Mary Henderson

Very nice place for families! They have a walking path you can take outside to see animals an flowers an cactus!

Yesenia Aguilar

Its very beautiful. Great way to enjoy a walk and learn about the animals and diffrent kinds of cactus and trees.

Joseph Walsh

Very informative. Lots to read. Some live creatures of the desert.

Daisha Mcpherson

My girls loved it. Small... most exhibits down. :(

Pam Johnson

Family outing the day after Christmas 2017. It was an amazing experience for all of the family. We were able to go at our own pace, see a variety of animals up close & personal. It was very clean, the animals appeared healthy & no smell that is commonly found in such places. The staff was friendly & knowledgeable. Definitely a place to return to. Reasonably priced. Great for family adventures.

James Eason

Great views of the area, large aviary, and lots of native plants. Just about every kind of cacti is in the sunroom. Worth a couple hours if you're nearby.

Trish G.

It's really nice,but very hot. Best time would be early. Also not all animals come out either.

Angela Noack

Most of the animals were not in their cage but it was a nice walk it's about an hour walk around everything plants and animals everyone is very nice

Zylith Forest

Enjoyed this peaceful place. Didn't realize they had animals. That was nice surprise

shelbbyyy

Awsome little zoo great place to see native wildlife from New Mexico

Jane Merriam

So many beautiful flowers in the desert and they are all on display here.

Tidra Bennett

It was awesome, even with two toddlers! It was a pretty warm walk quite a bit of the way, but there are plenty of shady spots, and places to sit and cool off. Definitely bring some water, we were glad we did. Our favorite part was the new baby javelinas. There are three little cuties that were very active the morning we went. We even ended up taking a stuffed one home. There are so many beautiful plants as well; it will make you see the desert in a whole new way.

Dorothy Dodge

Enjoyable place to stroll and take in the views and awesome air. Wonderful display of native plants and bashful wildlife. Very educational for young and old.

Bob Crouse

It was interesting to see descriptions of the desert plants that I was not familiar with. it was disappointing that most of the animals that are in their so-called zoo or not currently present did see bobcats and have a Larry and of course several birds but the mountain golf course in mountain line might have been there just out of sight same thing for the wolf but the elk and other hoofed animals should have been on this play but we're not there perhaps are waiting for memorial day to come around I don't know

Patricia Rodriguez

It was awesome!!

BouvBrain

This scene is so call and peaceful. You will feel like you are on a trail hike with all the plants they have in a natural setting. The trail is clearly marked and the map gives great explanations of the different zones to visit. We encountered several employees that were out checking on the animals and feeding them. Everyone was so knowledge and kind to put family as they asked questions. The park is very clean and the signs are all over to tell you what you are viewing.

Rachel Gutner

The natural enclosures gave us the most amazing experience with the animals. The Panther mother and baby played freely, it felt so intimate!

LIla Van Horn

This trip through nature was very enjoyable. Cacti were blooming & the animals were easy to see. The eagle was especially a treat

epic arachnids

Beautiful, quiet! Coming from Louisiana, we wanted to know about desert animals, not exotics! We were not disappointed! What a jewel!

Adam Harrell

WONDER-FULL! The desert IS FULL of LIFE and this State Park does a GREAT job of displaying it. Great for adults and children...but expect the heat and bring plenty of hydration!!

Kit Smit

Great little place to spend some time learning about the desert and everything in it.

Barbra Sillas

We love visiting this place e

Felicia Rodriguez

Loved this place it was great to walk around and they have strollers here in case you forget yours.

Samantha Cooper

We love it here! We got a family membership and go every weekend.

Michael McNaull

Well laid out zoo and desert botanical garden.

Brenda Pipik

Wow, this place was extraordinary. Great displays and animal viewing, great information about natural history and geology.

Janet Crowder

Loved all the information on the plants and animals. Saw a big rattlesnake on the path while walking back to the entrance.

Rachel Galvin

I love this place and we go every year for the gem and minerals show! I also take my kids often through the animal part. Their animals are always in clean enclosures and I've never seen them without food or water. The employees are always very helpful and I believe they run a wolf rehabilitation program! On a side note they had endangered baby tortoises hatch for the first time in years!

Sofia Cole

Amazing place! Worth the drive absolutely! It's mostly outdoors, so be prepared with water and sunscreen. The layout includes plants and animals, so you really get a look at what's in the desert. It was well laid out, so the animals had plenty of space and there are lots of species.

Richard Collar

Saw the sign and decided to check it out! Wow!! This is truly the best exhibit of dessert wildlife and plants, and it only cost us $5 each as seniors! Also had electric carts for rent @$5.Great when you can't walk far. This is definitely a place to visit and experience the beautiful desert!

Orlando Williams

To semple put it beautiful

Guadalupe L Berton

Beautiful just beware of sun n heat

Dick Samson

An above the usual place. The huge room filled with desert foliaige is amazing. Many cacti you probably will not be able to see in years of travel. Then on to the zoo. Reserve a full day for touring. Wear good walking shoes!

Anthony Yeager

Very nice place for something to do. Bring a bottled water and prepare for a little walk can get hot! In summertime. Baby stroller a must if you have toddlers. Indoor botanical garden is nice.

Amanda Pelletier

This was a really nice treat. They open at eight am (instead of 9 as it says on their website) so get there early. We had a bit of excitement with a loose bobcat (not sure if it was a visiting wild bobcat or an escaped zoo bobcat). The keepers at the zoo were quick to respond when we allerted them to the bobcat. The kids were pretty excited to see that! The animal enclosures allow visitors to get really up and close to the animals. Watch out for snakes and bugs on the trails. Maggie Oso (the bear that paints pictures) was indoors napping. She was the only animal not seen. I would recommend going on a cloudy or rainy day. The animals were all very active.

Jonathan Aurelio

I work for a company that supports indidvudals with developmental disabilities and we go on outings as groups. This place was very welcoming and helped us through our tour. Gave suggestion on what trails they would be better for wheelchairs. Everyone enjoyed our trip.

Vamp the Camp

Alot of the animals werent out. Besides that go and enjoy and support our parks

Philippe Bouvier

Beautifully setup, small outdoor zoo. Very kids friendly.

Allen Buckman

Very pleasantly surprised to visit here!! The succulent green house was amazing, I could have spent hours in there looking at the cool cacti. $5/person is a deal. If any of my family from FL ever comes to visit me here in Carlsbad I’ll definitely be making a stop with them here!

Britt Reynolds

It was my mom and I's first time and it was great.

Cory Strieby

This park is great. It showcases allot of New Mexico wildlife. It's a fairly long hike so be sure to come prepared. Bring water, comfortable shoes, suntan lotion , and maybe a role of quarters.They can be used to purchase animal feed, as well as operate the telescopes along the trail. I would also recommend having a good meal before hand because they do not allow food on the trail. Be sure to see Maggie the bear when you go . This animal is an aspiring artist, she paints. They usually have her art available for sale.

Juan Sandoval

A bit of a walk, but a very enjoyable experience. A must see for the family in southeast New Mexico. Explore the many habitats and gaze at the amazing views overlooking the City of Carlsbad. A definite stop on the road!

Rob Schaffer

Worth the trip to see.

Samuel Mouget

We spent Terrific afternoon at living desert state park

Sarah Socea

Beautiful exhibits and interesting animals. Very informative.

Laura Ramos

Neat place to go take a walk and learn. My 9 year old love it.

Robert Webb

Had a fantastic time seeing all the wildlife and the plants. Wear comfortable shoes because there's a lot of walking. Be sure to go early if it's warm outside because it's going to get really hot. Also if you like to purchase merchandise from the gift shop make sure you bring enough money or your debit card or credit card.

midnight gacha love

Wonderful get away place. Just how I like it, remote and full of natural plants and animals. Friendly representatives and beautiful habitats. Special care given to the habitats of the animals and plants. Set up as a sanctuary for the injured and unreleaseable. Beautiful place. Special hugs to maggie the black bear rescued from georgia. Looking forward to returning.

Amy Coffey

Great experience. Wonderful way to learn about native plants and animals to this area.

Sandy Jill

I give them an A for effort but the place is quite rough around the edges. I think the people there do the best they can with what they have and are probably just very underfunded as is all of Carlsbad. I certainly thought the low entry price of $5 was well worth it and they do help injured animals. It is a good chance to learn about the plants and animals of the area.

Ramon Portillo

It's a really nice trail. I went by the a couple of days back but it was kinda late so I didn't go down the trail. But this time I went during the afternoon the sun was out and it was hot but wanted to experience that. Was there for about an hour or so. It's so quiet and not a lot of people around. Most definitely will be coming back while I'm down here working.

v111pilot V

Large selection of native animals and plants. Very impressive.

Misty Massey

Good little park/zoo. The animals were beautiful. I thought it was more "park" but it wasn't really. Just a small walk around with occasional animals. It was nice and very inexpensive.

Kym Lockwood

Great visitor center with interactive displays and friendly workers. Gift shop looked big but we didn’t go in. Outside it was about a 2 mile hike around the enclosures. The aviary was an excellent find although there were only a few birds there. Other enclosures were small and most were empty. I loved seeing the Bobcats acting like kitties and the Wolf hiding in the bushes. The small fencing on some enclosures make it impossible to take good pictures. The hike was littered with gorgeous plants and trees blooming. Truly beautiful scenery with a few overlooks of Carlsbad down below.

Uphoria Blackham

Great space! Friendly staff. Tons of great information on local flora and fauna. We came in October, and it was not at all crowded. I would love to come here again next time I'm in the area.

Andrew Owens

Really nice park. Needs a little TLC. Animals look well-maintained and were fairly active for as hot as it was.

Greg Kerouac

Great stop. Many kinds of animals to view.

Marissa Montalvo

This was a perfect way to experience desert plant life for the first time.

E Boyd Daniels

Great staff, friendly and helpful.

Deborah Goldberg

Dispite the heat we had a good time

Garry Kepes

Had a nice relaxing time. Lots to see and learn. Good for groups, families and just by yourself as I went.

Paua Schuster

It was very educational and very beautiful

Josh Herrera

Not to big but sweet.

Kelee Dugan

Nice place to go see some animals. Want to take my 2 year old back.

Heart

This is an interesting wildlife park. Well kept trails and nice exhibits considering you are out in the middle of the desert. Staff were very friendly. Prices are fair. Plenty of parking. It's worth the stop if you are passing through.

D Manley

A cross between a botanical garden and zoo. All animals are rescue animals in nicely maintained enclosures. Informative plaques describe various plants along the winding path through the park. Great for kids!

Roger Kliethermes

Could be better could not see most animals

Deb Thomas

Wonderful spot to visit some animals in rehabilitation.

HUNTING OUTFITTERS WORLD WIDE pitt

Really cool place.

Gabriel Villalobos

It's a great experience. I learned several things during my visit too.

Mariola Turnbough

My family really enjoyed it.

Priscila Nevarez

I wish they have a 0 star option but

Wendy Tully

They people ate wonderful. Lots to see....

William Plummer

Fun place to walk around and learn about the animals and plant life in Carlsbad!

Chell BLind

What a fascinating park to visit, especially if interested in learning about desert life. Small children might be bored, but our high schooler was really interested. People are friendly too. One employee told us about the birds, which was interesting. We had a wonderful time!

Heather Ramirez

It was ran nice and had pretty desert views but as far as 'zoo' my kids and I found it kind of boring and they got tired from the walk.

Phil C

We spent an interesting two hours walking the trail and looking at the exhibits. Excellent displays of native birds, animals, reptiles and flora. The lady keeper at the first peccary and bird exhibit was very helpful and told us the stories about the animals she cared for. We also also liked the cacti and succulent greenhouse.Nice gift shop. A good outing for $5 per person

Rich

This is a must see if ever in Carlsbad. It is very educational and kid friendly. There is a nice gift shop and also you can buy native cacti for the garden. The zoo is really cool too. They have lots of neat plants and animals

Larry Whitaker

We enjoyed the visit! $5/person seemed very reasonable. Go early in the day to see the animals. Good info signs about plants and creatures.

Molly Smith

Great combination botanical garden and zoo to learn about New Mexico. Family friendly - even had strollers to borrow. Easy walk along paved surface with some inside exhibits.

Shane Johnson

This place was awesome! It wasn't a normal zoo but the whole family thought that it was amazing.

stephanie cobbe

Alot of things to learn about and see. A very pretty area with a nice little variety of animals and plant life. The gift shop has a wide variety of things as well. Also, there is a plant sale right now. Go check it out!

Shirley Bowlin

Awesome experience!! Do not miss it.

Brian B

Simply amazing! Where else are you going to see all the Chihuahuan Desert ecosystems in one place? A must-see next to Carlsbad Caverns!

Phillip Cox

Does an excellent job summarizing the animals and plans of areas.

Sarah Pegues

It was nice, hot even though we got there early

Danny Garcia

Loved thos place

Laramie jernigan

I'd heard good things about this place and I wasn't disappointed. Took kids here and we spent about 2 hours. It's a 1.3 mile walk through the zoo and gardens.

Steve Shrode

Nice native animal zoo.

Bryan Burns

Good place to go if your i n town.

John Tolk

Not bad. Good place to entertain the kids for a few hours.

Nancy Kremenak

Wonderful day, really nice walk to learn all about the area

Shelle Wood

This was a great place to visit while we were in Carlsbad. There were a lot more animals than I expected and although a few exhibits were closed it was a nice place to get outdoors!

Acapella Ash

This was a nice little walk through! The greenhouse was neat, and all the animals are beautiful!

Rey Taylor

Only 5$! And totally worth it! Don't miss the cactus greenhouse!

ChristinaRenee Altamirano MEZA

Nice. Very good info.. Staff is amazing helpful and nice..

Jackie Felder

Fabulous place! Active animals, great displays indoors, gardens are lovely with excellent views! Extremely reasonable entry fee! Definitely stop.