Oxbow is a great way to spend a few hours outside without breaking the bank. You are welcome to leave a donation however admission into the self-guided zoo is free. There aren't a large amount of animals but new exhibits are being added. There's also trails, a park, and picnic area. Great for the kiddos in the summer but the zoo is open all year round which is nice for those warm fall, winter, and spring days.
8 years ago (17-03-2018)
This is hands down one of the best animal parks in Minnesota. The staff is so well educated and talented and it's obvious they love what they do. Care of the animals is top priority, followed by a deep passion for community education for both students and adults. I've visited both on local school field trips as well as personal family visits and every time have left with both a better appreciation for Minnesota's native species as well as our environment. In addition, their hiking trails are well suited for any level hiker, especially when installing a love for hiking in children. We are honored to support the work of Zollman Zoo and Oxbow Park and will be visiting the animals who have become more like friends often.
8 years ago (14-12-2017)
What a delightful zoo! I love walking through this zoo when I'm in South East Minnesota. They have a good selection of animals that you're able to get fairly close to. Their selection of birds of prey alone is worth checking out. The walking trails are also a big plus.
8 years ago (26-03-2018)
What a great place to visit. My daughter and I went cross country skiing and did a very nice loop by the Zumbro River. To start the loop, out bound from the parking lot, we passed near the otter cage and saw the two of them cavort. After seeing those fun creatures we passed near the wolves and they were howling about something.
When we finished the skiing we did a quick walk about the zoo. Very nice to see the animals. There is a great assortment of animals to see and the price is right -- nothing.
Thank you Olmsted County!
8 years ago (04-02-2018)
This park & zoo are free to attend. The zoo is entirely outside. It's a smaller zoo, but is still nice for a short trip.
There is a park area that has things for little kids to enjoy. The activities are educational, but kids won't realize it. You'd want to visit here only when it's nice weather, as the activities are all outside. One of the activities includes water. My toddler was so muddy due to this. He also kept on slipping on the grass so I had grass stains in addition to the mud.
This is located outside of Byron. It was easy to take back roads there.
This place allows camping, although I haven't camped here in many years, so I cannot vouch for that.