The Phoenix Zoo was founded in 1962 and is run as a nonprofit. It is organised as trails rather than one loop, and they walk very differently: the Arizona Trail is fully paved and mostly flat with places to rest, the Desert Lives trail is unpaved with steep hills, and the Tropics Trail is the shadiest, with a few cooler exhibit areas.
The one to plan around is the Africa Trail. The path up from the Savanna exhibit has a steep uphill section with little shade, and the zoo suggests that anyone with mobility concerns start the trail from the camel rides instead. With a pushchair or tired legs, that order saves the climb.
For younger children, the Petting Zoo is in the Big Red Barn, and the Nina Mason Pulliam Children’s Trail has two ways in, one of them over a historic covered bridge by the wetlands and the Galapagos tortoises. The zoo works with KultureCity for guests with sensory processing needs, with quiet zones and headphone zones around the grounds. Hours change with the season.
Family FAQ
How much does Phoenix Zoo cost?
Daytime general admission: adults (14+) $39.95, children aged 3–13 $29.95.
Is Phoenix Zoo a good choice in bad weather?
The Tropics Trail is the shadiest trail, with several rest points and a few cooler exhibit areas.
