The Cheyenne Mountain Zoo is touted as America's only mountain zoo. Hmmmm. The only difference I noticed between this one and a non-mountain zoo is that everything is uphill. It's a huge park, and there are no exit signs. But as long as you're heading down, then you're pretty much walking toward the exit.

This zoo has the largest herd of giraffes of any zoo I've been in. The elephant exhibit was closed while I visited because they're enlarging it. But the show the grizzly bears put on for us made up for the lack of elephants.

Just one thing, dear staff: Can't you find a way to wash the viewing windows in the park...and in some cases replace them? It's not so bad viewing, I guess, but they made taking pictures a real pain.

Your admission ticket also includes a trip (in your own car) up to the Will Rogers Shrine, 1.25 miles up the mountain. Too bad I didn't know that until after I left the park.

And, for an additional charge, you can ride the Mountaineer Sky Ride, a chair lift that offers nice views of the surrounding mountains and of Colorado Springs. I didn't do the chairlift...it reminded me too much of my skiing days.