oxbow park and zollman zoo

It's a small animal park with animals that have been found or rescued nearby but can't be released back into the wild. It gives kids a nice place to see these animals close up. I especially like the programs done in the Nature Center. When the weather isn't too cold, it's a nice place to walk and enjoy the winter.

This is a wonderful place to bring children. Yes, the animals are in cages, but they are large and clean. You can see a wolf family, a bear, lynx, bison (these are in a large field), a white deer, prairie dogs etc. right up close. It is a small zoo and easy to handle. The trails in the park are beautiful. This is a place special to my heart. It is oriented toward education and understanding. Several of the animals have been hunted close to extinction and they survive only here. The zoo is an easy trip from Rochester. It is, IMHO, better that Quarry Hill and well worth the short trip.

Although this zoo features minnesota animals, it's still rather sad to see the small cages and limited habitat. Two bald eagles in a small cylindrical cage- even though I know they can't fly. A badger with 10 feet of space to dig. Only the bison and the elk had large fields to run in, but still a far cry from the huge open spaces where they belong. But we wouldn't get to see these animals at all if they were in the wild. So I'm torn between wishing them a better life with high risk of being killed, or having them safe and seen. Moral dilemma!

We went to the zoo this spring and even as adults, it was enjoyable. A lot of the animals had just woken up from their winter slumbers and were out and about. There were baby porcupines and the bear was wide awake. There's a fun variety of animals to check out and the information on them is interesting. The disappointing thing about Oxbow Park in general is that it's not a place to take your dog, even though the trails are so dog-inviting. They're simply not allowed. The trails are interesting and fun to walk, whatever the season. However, the trail maps can be hard to understand. Come with a sense of direction :)Visits are free though a donation is encouraged to help support the enjoyable zoo and park.

Oxbow park is a great little gem in SE MN. Oxbow park is located by Byron which is a short distance from Rochester, MN and is situated along the Zumbro River. Within the park there is a small campground for both RV and tent campers. The campground is mostly quiet during the week and does not accept reservations. The host campers maintain the restrooms and shower facilities. The adjacent park has several picnic areas with shelters and playground spaces that are nicely maintained. The park also has several hiking trails that are also maintained with paths and bridges. The best part of the park is the Zollman Zoo. This is a quaint zoo that is the perfect day with young children. The otters are always a favorite with their a well designed swim pond.

This zoo is a true gem featuring Minnesota animals in much improved enclosures. The otters are always a favorite to watch, and the prairie dogs also often put on a show. Although signs ask for no feeding of the animals, kids delight in feeding a handful of grass to the goat. It's not so big that young children become exhausted. There are nice picnic areas in the park and excellent hiking trails too. A thoroughly enjoyable visit for everyone.

We attended a weekly program that was led by a local fellow. She was very knowledgeable and engaged the children well.

A wonderful place to visit.We used to take our kids there back in the day.We brought 2 of the grand kids now,& boy did they just love it !! Beautiful setting,they both interacted with the animals,our youngest got kissed by one of the goats,she just laughed so hard.Nice area to picnic at.Well worth the drive over,& great way to spend the day.

The Zollman zoo provides a wonderful place to take your family to see animals of Minnesota. The layout of the zoo is well done allowing for a great visit. Oxbow park is an excellent place for a picnic or family outing. The only downside is that you can't take dogs on the trails. Not sure why this is.

Can't beat free! The nature center is worth a visit ... my kids enjoyed the snakes. Quite a good variety of animals on the grounds, including two bald eagles, prairie dogs, otters and, my favorite, a herd of buffalo. We don't get a lot of buffalo down here in Virginia, so this was a thrill for me, and they came really close to the fence so I got a good look (and lots of pictures). This was a great outing for my family. My boys are 5 and 3 and loved it. Quiet and easily walkable, and did I mention it's free? Well worth a visit if in the Rochester area.

We really enjoyed our time at the park, they have huge Bison that you feel like you can reach out and touch! They have other animals too that are fun to watch in the zoo, especially the otters, they're so playful! Great hikes around there too, a nice river and some really well maintained trails.

I spent a recent Saturday taking my kids to the Oxbow park/Zollman zoo near Byron. My kids had been there before on a field trip, but I never had. My parents came with us as well.I was expecting a tiny zoo with just a few animals. And....it is tiny, but I was surprised at the animals they have. A bear, linx, mountain lion, bobcat, coyote, wolves, otters, eagle, owls, bison, elk, prairie dogs, a badger, fisher, snakes, fox, procupines, and probably a few other animals I'm forgetting. The animals looked very well cared for, and had decent sized enclosures with things for them to do. We got to watch the bear dig for apples the zoo keepers had hidden in the rocks by his pond. We also got to see a baby porcupine climb down a tree in the middle of his cage, and the lynx jump from one branch to another in his cage. There was a small petting zoo area, with calves, ponies, and goats people can pet.The zoo has a nature center where you can use the restroom, get information, or borrow a wagon to pull your toddlers around in. The snakes are also located in the nature center. I couldn't believe how huge the bull snake was. There was also a timber rattlesnake which was interesting to see. Besides the actual zoo, there are also several hiking trails. I hiked a ways on one of them; it was very wooded and peaceful. There are several picnic areas in the park, a campground, and a few playgrounds. There's an old house open for display; only the first floor is open but it was still neat to see. A family could easily spend the whole day here. I was really impressed; it appears to be a hidden gem in southern Minnesota. And it's FREE!