Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo

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Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchell Zoo ZOO IS FREE! Zoo Summer Hours: 9:00 a.m. - 7:00 p.m. Park Hours: 7:00 a.m. - 11:59 p.m. Zoo is FREE, but donations are appreciated. September 26th 8:30 p.m.

For Building Rentals: see http://independenceks.gov/Facilities or call 620-332-2500 Option 3
For General Park and Zoo Questions: call 620-332-2512

Zoo is open EVERY DAY including all holidays, except Christmas Day & New Years Day. A donation box is located next to the Macaw exhibit or may be mailed to Riverside Park and Ralph Mitchel Zoo; 811 W Laurel; Independence, KS 67301. Park is open EVERY D

AY including holidays! Rides closed October 30th - April 8th

Putt-Putt Golf and Ride Hours - (Weather Permitting)

Open on:

Saturday 1:00-5:00
Sunday 1:00-5:00

Concessions Hours:

Saturday 11:00-5:00
Sunday 11:00-5:00

Glow Golf Schedule 2025

August 22nd 9:00p.m. Oct 17th 8:30p.m. Ticket Prices are as Follows:

Train .50 cents
Carousel .05 cents
Putt-Putt Golf $2.00

(Golf ticket sales end 30 minutes before closing)

Concession Hours:

Thursday - Sunday
11 AM-7 PM
(located by Zoo)

Park, Zoo, and Cemetery Director: Scott Patton

Cemetery Sexton: Garrett Davison

Zoo Supervisor: Crystal Sherley

Due to the forecasted temperatures on Saturday, the petting zoo has been moved to 11:00-12:00 🫏🐐
04/09/2026

Due to the forecasted temperatures on Saturday, the petting zoo has been moved to 11:00-12:00 🫏🐐

Scoot on over to see the new bobcat, Scooter, on exhibit for the first time on Saturday, September 19, at 10:00! Refresh...
02/09/2026

Scoot on over to see the new bobcat, Scooter, on exhibit for the first time on Saturday, September 19, at 10:00! Refreshments from Scooter's Coffee will be provided!

02/09/2026

☀️ Weekend Ride Schedule Update ☀️

Due to the extreme temperatures forecast for this weekend, and in the interest of keeping our staff and visitors safe, we are adjusting our operating hours for Saturday, September 5; Sunday, September 6; and Monday, September 7 (Labor Day).

🚂 Train, Carousel & Miniature Golf:
9:00 a.m.–11:00 a.m.

🍦 Miss Able’s Snack Shack:
11:00 a.m.–4:00 p.m.

🦁 Ralph Mitchell Zoo:
The zoo will remain open during its normal hours of 9:00 a.m.–7:00 p.m.

We appreciate your understanding and hope everyone stays cool and safe this Labor Day weekend!

Today is International Primate Day! Over 200 species belong to the primate family. At the zoo, we currently have three d...
01/09/2026

Today is International Primate Day! Over 200 species belong to the primate family. At the zoo, we currently have three different species of monkeys: two brown-headed spider monkeys, one long-haired spider monkey, and ten white-faced capuchins.

More than one-third of primate species are considered critically endangered or vulnerable. Primates serve an important role in maintaining healthy forests and ecosystems.

Happy 9th birthday, Sven!
31/08/2026

Happy 9th birthday, Sven!

30/08/2026

Due to the high temperature and low attendance, the rides, golf, and Miss Able's Snack Shack will be closed for the remainder of the day. Sorry for any inconvenience!

Happy 6th birthday, Rosie!
28/08/2026

Happy 6th birthday, Rosie!

Big vs. littleRalph Mitchell Zoo is home to four elk and two sugar gliders. Next time you visit, see if you can spot the...
19/08/2026

Big vs. little

Ralph Mitchell Zoo is home to four elk and two sugar gliders. Next time you visit, see if you can spot the similarities and differences of our biggest and smallest residents yourself!

17/08/2026

A juvenile yellow-crowned night heron has been spotted at the Duck Pond recently!

Yellow-crowned night herons are fairly small herons with stocky bodies. Adults are cloudy gray with a black head with large white cheek patch, yellow crown, and head plumes. Typically hunting at night and dusk, they slowly stalk prey in shallow water. Their diet mainly consists of crustaceans, especially crabs and crayfish. They visit Kansas during the warmer months and are most commonly found on coasts, shorelines, lakes, ponds, and rivers. Yellow-crowned night herons are considered juveniles from one month until they are a year old and enter the immature stage from one to three years old. During the immature stage, they slow lose their heavy streaking, looking browner or grayer with a developing white patch on their cheek before developing full adult plumage around two to three years old.

The Duck Pond receives fly-in visitors frequently, the most common are mallard ducks, though whistling ducks and other herons have been seen as well.

14/08/2026

Due to extreme heat Train, Carousel, and Golf will not open this weekend.
Concession will open 11-5 Saturday and Sunday.

Address

KS

Opening Hours

Monday 09:00 - 19:00
Tuesday 09:00 - 19:00
Wednesday 09:00 - 19:00
Thursday 09:00 - 19:00
Friday 09:00 - 19:00
Saturday 09:00 - 19:00
Sunday 09:00 - 19:00

Telephone

+16203322512

Website

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