Big Bear Alpine Zoo

It was super hot outside when we went so a lot of the animals weren't out in their enclosures or were asleep in the shade, but it was still such a great time! We went on a Thursday afternoon and there was only 4 other groups there in the whole zoo, it wasn't busy at all. The snow leopard was right up next to the fence enjoying the mist, and the wolves were running around playing. The two employees in the gift shop were super kind and fun to chat with!

A little late here my friends, but I couldn’t not post this review. We visited on a cold, rainy New Year’s Eve and despite the cold, it was fantastic. We basically had the zoo to ourselves. Their holiday lights made the visit extra magical. Many of the animals were within their warm shelters, but the ones we did see were beautiful. The best part of visiting this zoo was knowing our contribution went towards rescuing and rehabilitating animals.

Nice place, animals look well cared for and the mountain setting is cool. Staff seemed decent enough, though a bit too watchful. Still, if anything ever felt off with how the animals are treated, I’d be back asking questions they probably wouldn’t enjoy answering. Fun park.

Interesting local zoo at the intersection of Moonridge Road and Club View Drive. There is a fee to enter, but it is worth the price, plus it goes to maintaining the facilities and taking excellent care of the animals. The zoo does not open till 1000 hours, which means they have already feed the animals and many then head back into their shelters. It would be nice to see them feeding the animals, but it might be for their protection. There are restrooms at both ends of the zoo and a gift shop at the entrance. Most of the pictures center around a single bear, which we were able to see up close during a handler demonstration and lecture.

We found this place while on a morning walk and decided to "put it on our list" before we leave Big Bear. We knew it was small going into it but we were excited about the animals they did have. The positives are the walking paths, new facilities, well cared for animals, and general cleanliness. The areas where it could have been a little better... the chain link is difficult to see through and not great for photos of the animals, a handful of animals didn't have signs identifying them, some exhibits were empty but no sign so you looked for a minute looking for an animal, and finally the gift shop was low on inventory because of an employee being out for a while. This zoo is still very new so I expect that it will keep improving. The wolves, bears, and big cats are well worth the visit.

MISLEADING (in the best way ❤️) The Alpine Zoo is actually a sanctuary. Caring for animals that for multiple reasons could not survive in the wild. We went on May 17th, 2026 around 3:00 pm. Chris, The animal keeper on the floor during our evening, was highly knowledgeable of each resident of the zoo. Including their back story, natural habitat/lifestyle and steps taken on how they were able to rehabilitate them. Every animal looked comfortable, friendly and well nourished. - 10/10 would recommend supporting the Alpine Zoo on your next visit to Big Bear.

I was so impressed with this place! It's clean, employees are friendly, animals were out and visible (your results may vary, there). They are all rescues so you can feel good knowing your entrance fee is going to *good*. Highly recommended.