Reviews of Mill Mountain Zoo (Zoo)

Tyler Myers

Great little zoo. I suggest going in the morning so you can see them feed the animals. Staff was friendly and very nice

Cheryl Johnston

Small quaint zoo in the mountain. I enjoyed it. They're reasonable priced. It was a fun thing to do after we visited the big star. Kids would enjoy it, there was a lil train to ride around the zoo on.

Jeremy Dukette

Cute little Zoo. 9 year old and 3 year old had a great time. The smaller size of the zoo allowed the kids to spend more time at each exhibit, and see every animal. They have a variety of animals, reptiles, birds, fish... It was cool. They have a train ride that we went on. Bought a couple things from the shop. Overall had a great day. Saw some domestic animals as well as some exotic animals. Nice quiet area, I encourage you to visit if you're in the area.

A L

Small zoo but great place to take the kids. Really nice even on hot days because there is lots of shade. They have a really cool 67 year old little train that kids can ride around the zoo. They have some beautiful animals including endangered red wolves ,a lynx, and a gorgeous snow leopard. Great events for the kids especially on the weekends. Plus they do really cool outreach like visiting local schools to teach the kids about the animals.

KC Hazelwood

Awesome animals.

debbie goldbrick

Poor animals looked miserable

dance mom

Lovely little zoo. Very clean and staff very friendly. Animals are well taken care of. It is a small zoo but it is still worth the visit. Glad I found this little gem.

ɱყα

I really hate going to small zoos like these. There is trash covering the cages and no one bothers to clean them out. The most I saw the workers do was spray the corner of the walls with water for the tortoise.

Aiden Sax

Horrible. Not worth the money. 20 minutes will walk you around the whole zoo and it costs a family of four, $40. Not worth it.

Erin Dalton

Mill Mountain Zoo is very small, but full of life! Unlike other zoos we have visited, the animals were all awake, active, and alert. The snow leopard, Bali, put on a great show playing with a baby pool that had just been introduced to his enclosure.

William Lee Schwartz

Awesome day too relax and have some fun up on mill mountain

McCormick Williams

Not very big, but the admission isn't expensive and I felt it was worth the time and money. We went early, right after they opened, and zoo staff was friendly and interactive. Parking by the visitor's center and walking through the wildflower garden is a great way to start and end the visit.

Paige Fitzgerald

The animals were depressed, the zoo was small and none of the animals had water in their ponds. Would rather spend the extra $12 for Natural Bridge than spend $50 to see the animals depressed.

mynxt30yrs2000

Great little zoo. We had a fun experience and my daughter loved the Zoo Choo!

Stevie Nichole Leeson

Small but nice and educational zoo.

Barry Hubbard

Very nice little zoo

Jennifer Patterson

It was good. Small zoo. The enclosures aren't big. But the animals didn't look stressed. The kids loved it. And it's nice on the parkway. Cool view of Roanoke. The staff is very friendly.

Becky Lambert

Love our zoo!

david florea

Neat little zoo, not badly priced, animals enclosures need some updating.

Jenifer Messer

We had do much fun. Its beautiful.

MG

Absolutely loved it!!!! Its not a huge zoo but it sure was fun seeing all the animals the staff was amazing ,very friendly, helpful ,and accomidating. The zoo does have a little train that rides you all around tge perimeter of the zoo which I thought was so cute. Also the day we went they had live music and were serving alcohol inside the zoo it was a cool experience. The adult fee was $8 I'm not so sure on the children's fee I know some children do get in free if they are under a certain age I would defiantly recomend this zoo to anyone just wanting to get out for a weekend outting with children it sure was fun.

Susan Eastman

Small but nice.

Becky Cothran

Small but interesting zoo in a pleasant setting. Lots of shady areas to get out of the sun and natural areas for beauty. Nice place to spend an afternoon.

Patricia Calderwood

Great Day with friends

Stacy Albert

Needs more exotic animals.

John Harding

Small neat zoo. Plenty to do.

Elizabeth Southwood

Some disrepair. Good to see the animals.

John WVWA

Zoo was good for the area, most of animals asleep around 11:30..

Peterrabbit Roberts

Zoo was ok,but the staff was excellent.Needs new upgrades. My grandchild loved it.

Jodi Apice

Although the staff was very friendly, knowledgeable & engaging, the zoo was a mess. It was heartbreaking to see such beautiful animals being housed in enclosures that were far too small & in many cases, in disrepair. My family & I watched a raccoon, who by the attendants report had been trained to be a wake during the day, pace in her pen in a very urgent manner as we passed her on the way in & out.

Sharon Griggs

Not all the animals could be seen. Very disappointed and paid full price when everything isn't ready. What animals we saw were well taken care of.

Aidyn Dowling

pretty inexpensive for the amount of fun you have! plenty of events for families! great for toddlers and young children!

oledirtybassturd

Animals seemed very lethargic. Maybe it was to hot for them.

Leslie Fitzgerald

Perfect for a short family outing, but a little pricey for what is inside.

Bree Vail

Went on a free day, but it was incredibly disappointing. I wasn't expecting much, but the few animals that were there were either sleeping or pacing back and forth in weird ways. Don't even waste your time.

Christina Micaela

Missing some common animals seen at a typical zoo but still great

Alisa Jones

Really awesome! A zoo at the top of a mountain! Seen animals I had never seen before! Small but still a must see!

Elizabeth Jett

Brought my daughter and grandson. It's a nice little zoo. Just wish the wolves and cougar and eagle we're available to see. As far as the price it's reasonable I'm sure the cost goes toward the up keep and care of animals. If your looking for a big zoo this isn't for you. This is more for lil ones learning about animals. Staff is super friendly and location is great just up the road from where I live. We had a blast making memories. As far as the enclosures I did not see any that seemed to be too small for the animals

Christy Heath

Not enough their

Tabitha Shorter

Giving this a 3 star review because I wasn't aware they hardly had any animals. Now as I look at their website, I see they don't offer much. When we checked in to buy our tickets, we had 3 adults, a 8 year old, and a 2 year old so the price came to $38.00 even (which isn't bad) we drove two hours here and got there right at 10 AM when they opened. It was super shady (which I LOVED) since we had children. The zoo is located on the Roanoke Mtn so it's cooler anyways. We were not offered a map of the zoo when we did check in, and the box to get a map were empty...we started going through the paths which were nice, but it was almost like a maze to find the animals and eventually we ended up right back where we started like 3 -4 times. I don't believe they have 175 as displayed at their check in desk. I feel like I saw MAYBE 30? We were in and out within an hours time, so we went to the gift shop which offered nothing exiting. Our 8 year old and 2 year old didn't even pick out anything (which is strange for being that age, guess nothing caught their eye) -- you do have to either walk through the "Wildflower Garden" which is super muddy and has no appealing flowers, or walk on the hot pavement back to your car which is a good stretch...overall, the only thing I was happy about was the shade, and it didn't take us long to get back to town. I'll be sure to do more research next time...you get what you pay for I suppose.

Alexis Wilburn

The reptile exhibit was my favorite! But the raccoon was very lively and the cougar was super sweet just hanging out in the shade. It was honestly worth the $10 and better than my expectations.

Christine Krider

Great little zoo, lot's of activities for the children

Jeannie Kieselburg

Small Zoo, but great exhibits with superb interactive employees helping us at every turn, and answering ALL our questions! Thank you so much!

Tammy Freeze

It was a good place for a visit. Not enough animals to see. The prices was good.

Abdullah Alcharif

Could do better with a larger variety of animals or more activities for kids

Kevin & Mary Liudahl

Nice zoo for a short visit about 2 hours

Dan the Mind Sculptor

Amazing visit. Place is quaint and beautiful. Glad that we stopped on our vacation to see this place.

Jake Altier

This is such a cute place! I did a hike up Mill Mountain and got to see the zoo at the top and was pleasantly surprised! They have a lot of animals you don’t usually see. My favorite was the Red Panda and the Cougar, but they have all sorts of things. The staff is very nice and there are a lot of things to do at the top of the mountain as well such as taking a picture of the star. I would go here again and had a great time.

Mary Witt

A little slice of heaven

anna mosebrook

Great Zoo clean friendly staff

Alyse Nelsen

Cute little zoo up by the star, only $10 for adults, not as big as i expected but still worth a visit. They also have certain things to watch at certain times (I watched the foxes get fed)

Donna Haley

Great place to spend time outside

Clarissa Moctezuma

Small zoo, but has plenty of opportunities for interaction. Last time we got to go in when they fed a red panda, this time we got to help feed the birds in the aviary! We always have a good time when we go here! :)

Kaitlyn Fesmire

Great tiny zoo !

Tmaziing Starrs

Really beautiful, fresh mountain air, butterflies, wildlife and spectacular views

Tasha Miller

Its a small zoo with small animals but had a great time. Its very tranquil.

Kim Kuykendall

Great day trip! Staff is very friendly.

Erin Sullivan

Very sweet little zoo! The aviary was worth the $10 by itself

Emily Guilford

A complete waste of space. The enclosures were far too small for most of the animals. Very sad to see many pacing around in their enclosures! The staff seemed very nice but my vote is that these animals need to go somewhere where they can thrive and live with others of their kind.

Benjamin Paxton

Very small zoo. Spent maybe an hour there after walking around it twice

Jennifer Parks

Took a field trip here with special ed and wheelchair kids. Great place. Cool exhibits.

Katie Mustelier

Cute lil zoo nestled on Mill Mountain. It's a little worn around the edges but has a surprising variety of animals to see. Pretty walk through a wildflower garden from the parking to the zoo entrance (paved path available for those with mobility issues or just prefer not to "hike"). It's priced well. But the exhibits are a bit worn and could use some TLC. We visited at noon on a hot day and all the animals were hiding in their shade so they were difficult to see, except the racoon who seemed to be trying to find a way out of his cage. Didn't get a chance to ride or see the train. It's worth a visit if you're in the area and have an hour to kill, but wouldn't go out of my way to go back.

Michael Houchins

Great little zoo. Very knowledgeable staff!!!

Tony E

Margaret had an amazing time!

Colleen Garcia

We love our visits to the zoo. It's on the small side, but it has so much personality.

Beth G.

So disappointing, we used to have a membership there probably 25 years ago, I have more animals at home than this whole zoo, I think! No monkeys , tiger. Petting area...

Randy Wade

Too many animals show boredom behaviors. There are also often only one animal in each enclosure. All in all it looks nice but knowing animal behavior the are issues that could be corrected.

Brandon Gwaltney

Wonderful staff, the train ride is fun, and our son Loved the animals! A great trip.

Paul Underwood

A little disappointed some of the very few animals weren't even there. Very small zoo than the ones I'm use to.

Ronna Rich

Nice facility and animals seem well cared for. But also small and not a lot of animals.

Sandy Altizer

Zoo was closed, winter hours, walking trails open, beautiful day beautiful views

Justin Moon

A small but very enjoyable place! Took my son here for his 4th birthday and he absolutely loved it! His favorite animal was the raccoon! I loved the snow Leopard I just wish he had a bigger area to run and play in.

420 Dragon

As an animal lover and experienced breeder the place barely meets each animals required needs in each exhibit except for the bald eagles that were the healthiest and most taken care of critters and of course they are due to being on the endangered list. Animals should come first not the displaying for profit this is not a zoo more like a rescue center that desperately needs funds just to maintain itself. Still inhumane to the animals that have no stimulation or social surroundings laying in there feces all day long. If you are in need of funding so badly just ask for donations and funds with advertisements with out making these stressed out animals deal with more exposure to families with loud kids that can harm there well being.

Andrea Ball

Great small zoo with many rescued animals

Ben Dalton

A small zoo with small exhibits, but it makes it easy to take your time and see everything. No concession stand, but drinks and snacks are in the gift shop.

Ryan Fulmer

Not the biggest nor the most exotic, but it's on a mountain and what they do have is very enjoyable. Staff was friendly and knowledgeable. Definitely will be going back

Renee Maxwell

Mill Mountain Zoo is an amazing part of Roanoke. This is fun for all ages. The parking is free. There are many types of animals from reptiles, to cats, to an amazing bird enclosure. There is also the zoo train that runs every hour on the hour and is really fun. The bathrooms are clean and the staff is friendly.

Jesse Alley

Small zoo but cheap entry fee. Lots of shade so it's not bad even on really hot days. Great for kids

Rob Molyneux

Very nice zoo.

Noah Miller

Very small zoo. The people are friendly and the animals are almost always out. I do worry for some of the animals though, they don't seem to be cared for as well as they should

Jon Jarrell

Great staff ok selection of animals just dont reccomend going in the coled weater alot of animals were hiding or moved because of the weather.

Michael Mayer

A really nice zoo to spend about 2 hours of your day. Staff is very nice and willing to chat. Highlights include the red panda the snow leopard for me since I've never seen them before. It is a smaller zoo but it's cute and worth the admission price. I got to see almost every animal there was except the lynx.

chelsea yellets

I took my 2 year old and 8 month old today to the zoo. I wasn't expecting much but I ended up being disappointed. Although my 2 year old loved running around there really wasn't much to see today. I was bored myself. We watched the raccoon walk around in circles for 20 minutes, the snow leopard sleeping, the bull eating and the hogs laying around.

Antonio Mendez

Beautiful

Charles Caldwell

Great place to spend an afternoon. The is very well run and the staff is friendly and knowledgeable.

Wesley Hatchett

My son had his birthday party here; reasonable rate, nice venue, and accommodating staff. Good amount of things to see and do. The shelter is out of the way, yet close you the aviary and otter/porcupine exhibit, so it's easy to see some "critters". Big shout out to the Zoo Choo for opening up to us, and giving all our birthday party people a nice ride around the zoo. We'll definitely go back, and you should think about taking a day to visit!

Matthew Kissel

Absolutely a waste of time and money. Most of the animals that were there are in my backyard and the ones that were different weren't on display. Not very accessible for strollers or wheel hairs. Hugely disappointed.

Jitka Kacerova

Very nice little zoo! I've seen tafted deer for the first time. They have a small aviary with funny birds, also a snow leopard and a raccoon.

Bridget Poole Padilla

Small zoo, perfect for young children and short visits.

Holly Shelton

Very nice clean Zoo. Train ride that came with your admission. Staff is very polite and informative. Would recommend it to anyone. It's a wonderful place to bring the family for the afternoon. Playground for the children as well as picnic tables.

Kayla Short

Snow leopard, red wolves, otters, and a walk in aviary! It makes me elated to see MMZ again.

amanda blevins

Beautiful setting in the mountains ♡ Need a few more animals- I remember when Ruby was there.

tim farmer

Zoo was small, but made up for it with lots of exotic animals. They had a train that goes around for smaller children and a decently priced admission makes this place a good visit.

Banjo Kazooie

Good for little children not a whole lot of animals here

jeanette birkholz

Quaint little zoo. Reminds me of the one I volunteered with while stationed in KS. Small enough to go through quickly, but large enough to enjoy. If you are looking for a big zoo with the bigger animals then this isn't the spot for you, but if you are just looking for a quiet get away which is serene then this is the spot. The painting/pictures of the animals from the zoo is a fabulous idea which adds a personal experience takeaway, not to mention it helps to support the animals. We bought two of them and plan on purchasing more on our next visit.

Joseph Waite

It was great!!!

mycatisaudrey

The zoo is small, so it would be great for people who can't walk far or just want to have a short stop at a beautiful place. It isn't a good place to take older children who want to feed and pet the animals. It is a good place to take younger children to see the animals without them getting scared of animals walking up to them and looking for food. The gift shop is really small, but they have a smashed penny machine (which I love), shirts, stuffed animals, rocks, and post cards. They also have paintings that have been done by the animals, which is cute. There is a small play area for the kids and a cute train that can be ridden around the zoo.

Mark Vest

The Star is great but the Zoo needs some serious work, for the price its a joke the animals are kept in very small enclosures I am surprised PETA hasn't gotten involved. Seems like the money they charge for admission would go toward the animals care.

Steve Browning

A small zoo but the people and displays are great.

Wade Johnson

I grew up visiting the Mill Mountain Zoo. Taking my kids is wonderful, just like I remember as a child.

Leonard Warner

Five Star Plus rating I Mill Mountain Zoo it was a very enjoyable trip got to see the big star on top of the mountain very educational and learning experience my family and I had an excellent time couldn't have been better I will definitely return again tell other people about my experience thank you Mill Mountain Zoo management employee staff for making a very enjoyable trip for my family.

Jeff Smith

One of my favorite places. Great for the family

Michael Davis

Best animals are locked up from veiwing

Kate Donovan

Cute zoo for a 2 or 3 yr old. Nothing to brag about. No more than approximately 10-20 animals. Staff was considerate and helpful with accommodating my broken leg and recent surgery. Wheelchairs are available, if needed and the view overlooking the valley is breathtaking. Their train is free but more of a view of the maintenance department than any real animals. It will carry adults but kids seem to have been the main consideration when building it. If you plan to go, just remember you get out of it what you expect, (Don't expect a lot and you'll be happy. Just enjoy the day)

Anthony's Greatest Life

Love Mill Mountain! Quiet, small and just right for a little day trip with your little ones. It is well managed and people are very nice here.

Owen Jack

I will definitely be going back Enjoyed it all.

Nanette Rippere

Small Zoo/ large animal sanctuary. Indiginous critters that have been rescued but are unable to survive release back to the wild. The staff is dedicated to wildlife conservation and love the inquisitive queries of interested visitors. If you are in the Roanoke area, add a half day here to your itinerary. At the top of Mill Mountain you will find the best views of the valley and the Appalachian mountain range that surrounds.

Jason Crump

Cool animals.

Jerry Bonfanti

I remember it being much larger, but then I was last there back in the mid 70s. I guess everything was bigger back then. I still enjoyed it. And, my great nephews, the main reason why I went, were really happy, and thoroughly enjoyed themselves, even though we didn't get to ride the train. All in all, a good day at the zoo.

Jennifer MacLeod

The staff were friendly. That's the only good thing I can say about Mill Mountain Zoo. The animals, most solo in their too-small habitats, were lonely, pacing back & forth, showing clear signs of distress. It was horribly sad. Plus the mosquitos were horribly thick! And the admission cost was outrageous. Our family will not be returning & we hope those poor critters find a better life somewhere else.

Unicorn Nugget

This is a very small zoo, however I did enjoy walking around and seeing the animals that they do have.

Linda Wyatt

Nice place small zoo but a great day trip especially with small children

Matt Webb

I have always enjoyed coming to Mill Mountain Zoo. 30+ years of fun, excitement and train rides. Now my children are creating memories and enjoying themselves here. You should too. By yourself or with your family it is worth the trip!

George Davis

Nice place stop by check it out

paige rhodes

Good variety of animals.... beautiful vistas..... but not good for handicap people.... gift shop was empty... no food... disappointing... far from parking lot

Timothy Wright

Small enclosures for animals was just sad. Definitely should not have eagles in cages! All the animals seemed to have broken spirits. Poor animals just paced back and forth. Definitely will not go back. Mill mountain zoo should either give their animals to a bigger zoo or set them free!

Terri Gearheart

Animals to hot not out. No train to ride and to high on price.

Robin DeLatush

I have always loved Mill Mountain Zoo, it's a local landmark and the biggest little Zoo around. But at this last visit you can tell they are falling on hard times. The cages need upkeep and the animals need recreation. When I visited 5 years ago the cougar had her own swimming pool and an exercise ball that she chased around. Now the swimming pool has been filled in with wood and brush, and she mostly lays around. I hate to see the zoo needing such obvious financial help, I for one will be attending fundraisers to support our local Zoo

Elder Christy

It's a small zoo but has nice paths and very well taken care of. Enjoyed our visit here.

Christian Daly

Cute little zoo

Brien Halterman

Very nice small zoo with a variety of species.

edean leonard

Nice little place. Way too pricey!

Charlie Song

Love the animals there! Red panda is my favorite! Staff are friendly!

Deborah Updike

Beautiful place, loved the animals, kids loved the train ride. Doesn't have a Restraunt, you can get chips and drink from souviner shop.

Kriste Chase

The worst excuse for a zoo that I have ever experienced. I regret having spent the money on it.

Heidi Parton

Small but very nice zoo. The animals are well cared for, and I love that the zoo participates in conservation programs that help endangered species. The zoo is laid out well and is well maintained, and there are great views of the valley from various lookout points. The employees are always friendly. We have a membership and love to visit. My son loves the Zoo Choo!

Caroline Boughton

I have a membership, arrived at 4:30 with my grandchildren and they shut the gates at 4! I wish that was on the website!

Hans Newton

Nice little zoo. Don't plan on being there long.

Debby Durrett

Love the otters!!

WJ Summerfield

Nice place, wish they had mates for their solitary animals, also wish they had a little bigger gift shop with some animal window decals...

Danfo

Great place to spend some time.

John Whitten

Great zoo for the kids! Train ride was fun

Peter Pak

Just a nice small zoo with a very friendly staff.

Cyndi Haddox

Great small zoo. More natural habitat needed

Bryan Brown

Great place to take kids, awesome little train ride.

Isabella Flinner

We went to boo at the zoo expecting to get lots of candy and there were probably about four candy stations and each only let u get one piece of candy so we only got like 5 pieces of candy it would be good for like a 2 year old not for older children and we payed like 23$ just to get in and spent like 20 minutes in there the animals also stunk and looked very depressed and there was also a raccoon in there which I could have gone into my backyard and saw this zoo is a waist of time not to mention it took more time to park and get in than we even spent in the zoo

Holly Siedlecki

So fun! Train is the best- my kids loved it! Looks like animals are well taken care of.

Rich Creasy

Great little zoo! Try to make time for the tiny train ride and definitely bring your own stroller as they do not offer rentals.

David Hart

A small zoo. Costs $9 per adult and less for children, seniors and the military. Contains about 35 exhibits, and all of the animals appear to be well cared for. I recommend spending a bit of time in the aviary myself. Overall, a good way to spend an hour or two.

B

Cute zoo but is on the smaller side. Wasn't crowded at all!

Dwight Driskill

Small zoo that's a little run down but has some cool animals and definitely set in a beautiful location on top the mountain.

Lisa Brooks

My baby's had an Awesome time at Mill Mtn Zoo recently . They got to see so many animals in their improvised environment. My great niece and her mom and my bro got to visit from WV. We had a blast laughing and learning at the same time. Mill Mtn Zoo plays host to so many visitors in The Roanoke Valley. Our family took away lasting memories of a day spent together .

Tim O'Sullivan

This is a very small Zoo, but they have a reasonable selection of animals to see. On the whole you get the sense the animals are well looked after, but those enclosures are so small. Seeing them is such small cages is hard to take in. The fee to get in is pretty cheap and they even do a free entry day once a year.

Bruce Gabrielson

Much better than it used to be years ago. We and the grandchildren and had a great time

Cyrus Pace

Pretty good zoo. There are a good amount of animals here. They have everything from red pandas to porcupines. They also have a reptile house, a playground, and a little zoo train that takes you around on a ride through the zoo. The zoo isn’t amazing, but they are doing lots to make it better. There is also a little platform within the zoo that has a great view of the surrounding area. The zoo is great for small kids. Overall the zoo is pretty fun and people should go, especially if you have small kids.

Chris Connell

Could use a little updating but worth the $9

Sarah Abigail Ibanez

I came to this place because they have red pandas. I was impressed with the amount of space certain animals got. However some animals got less than seems adequate. The red panda looked a little lonely but I enjoyed watching Novas feeding! Their price was half off for the zoos birthday which was very fun and they had cake! I’m not sure why they breed in captivity when this is not necessarily red panda climate.

Abby p

Barely any animals very small overpriced

Jason Cox

Great little zoo. Explore park and the star are also great for kids of all ages. Hiking trials and a flower garden add to the charm of this attraction. The star and the park close at 11pm. Opens at 6am. Security on site.

Candi Brown

Wonderful place for young children.

Paul Fergeson

Best place to visit in Roanoke, say hi to Dexter, the dwarf Zebu, he is a Rockstar!

Chrisma S Marks

Been going to this zoo since I was a little girl. Good ole hometown favorite <3

Hannah Ferguson

Very small, very minimal "zoo". But still cute for kids

Allan Sklar

Very cute and picturesque....great place to take children

Edwin Sales

Great place for children and adults.

Tina M Foisy

place was clean wish they had more animals.

Lois Peters

Very clean and a nice place to go

moneygaming

Used to be fun now ghetto nothing is hardly there like 10 animals