Fossil Rim Wildlife Center-Children's Animal Center - Phone Number, Reservations, Reviews

My family visited Fossil Rim today, this time we decided to take the guided tour instead of driving it ourselves, so that we could get a different experience and all enjoy the trip together. The tour guide, Brianna was amazing, and we enjoyed the tour, although the seats are not super comfortable and when the bus stopped to talk more about the animals for long periods of time, it was miserably hot - the metal sides of the bus got very hot to the touch, so we had to be careful that my one-year-old granddaughter didn't burn her legs on them. My granddaughter particularly loved the children's animal center and petting the goats. The facilities were nice, and restrooms were clean. The cafe is a nice stop and offers amazing scenic views for great pictures if you have a good zoom lens.

You are unable to ride in the back of a truck now... Went back to visit on 2-12-23 it was still as amazing as it always is. You get up close and face to face with Giraffes!! It's priceless! All adults were in the back of the truck and had no problem. But now you can't ride in the back of a truck because of a bad choice a parent made putting a toddler in the back of a truck... but it's much safer if you think about it... to be inside a vehicle... there are cheetahs here.... you never know what can happen.... always want to be aware that these animals are wild animals. Be respectful to all the animals, tell your children ahead of time so that they will be respectful to the animals all the animals are wonderful this place is amazing. Love going to Fossil Rim Wildlife Center. Great way to spend priceless time with family. The animals are in a great environment. There was a young guy working in the petting area he was so nice and he actually came up to us and started talking to us telling us about the different animals. I wish I knew his name! He was great! Thank you for allowing everyone to come see the animals up close. We enjoy it every time and it never gets old. Eat at the restaurant and buy something at the gift shop. Support this place!! And support the animals!

We had an amazing time at Fossil Rim. The children’s center has many things to offer. You can visit for free, hike to another area and have a meal at the restaurant. I think this center deserves more time on my next visit. We saw many animals and really had a great family visit at fossil rim.

You get a bag of food to feed the animals, but only hand feed the giraffe and the others throw them beside the car, not too close.

I like how you can drive through and see lots of animals. My kid was able to feed the giraffe and was having so much fun!!!

Rim fossil Anna mom Loves You ❤️

Lots of animals and the giraff were amazing. They came and ate from are hands. It was a wonderful experience!

Fun free area to go to, brush some goats and look at some turtles and other animals.

Awesome place to visit! They have 2 options for tours, either drive your own car or ride on their open caravan vehicles. We chose to drive ourselves. The animals seem healthy and happy and we got lucky and the whole herd of giraffes came to say "hi", the zebras came out of no where in a herd also and chased away some of the dear and were very active l. The ostrich and emu stayed close to the entrance but were pretty bold so keep your windows half way is a good idea. I saw some folks not following the rules and saw the ostrich get a bit aggressive and start pecking inside the car, so keep an eye on your kids. 75% of interactions were with the deers but there were so many different types and pretty that it was still so fun. The giraffe is super gentle and feeding them was my favorite experience. We went at 10:30am and it was perfect, not too many people, by the time we were heading out (12pm) there was a line out the complex so come early!

Would highly recommend to anyone in the area.

This is a Must see Place if your in Texas! The Lady at the Gate gives you your treats for the Animals and Boy oh boy this is one Experience you will NEVER FORGET! AWESOME PLACE!!

Absolutely awesome for the kiddos

This place is a 5 star experience. Just make sure you come early in the day before it gets too hot.

Another fabulous day! The drive is gorgeous and feeding the animals is always fun. Special day with my mom!

We went through VERY slowly and first thing in the morning. We loved it!! In total, we spent about 3 hours here and will definitely plan another trip with our grandkids. The gift shop at the halfway point is awesome, and staff was friendly. We have been to several animal parks, and this is by far our favorite!!! Well worth the admission.

Don't miss feeding Giraffe, wonderful experience.... kids enjoys. Food at Hill top restaurant is good at affordable prices.

Amazing place and adorable animals 😍💗

Love the wild animals but the giraffes were best. They are more than happy to stick their heads in your windows if they feel you are not feeding them fast enough

We went right after a morning storm. They guy in the office offered to let us come back after the sun came out since it wasn't a busy day. We had other plans so we opted to go anyway. We saw most everything on the guide and has fun taking pictures and shopping the gift store.

Fun place to see exotic animals.

Great place to experience wildlife.

We did the S.W.A.T.T. overnight with our Girl Scout troop and it was fabulous! The girls absolutely loved it and our guides, Marisa and Joel, were patient, kind, knowledgeable, and, overall, amazing! The weather was great, the animals were out and about and everyone had s great time.

Fossil Rim is still a great place to visit. I remember years ago they had herds of zebras that surrounded the cars. This time, it might have been only 7 to 10 zebras. I was disappointed about that...the herd is what I came to see. Also, please bring back the teepee cabins' camping grounds. I had the chance to give the camping experience to my children. I I would love to do the same with my grandson.

Great experience, you get to feed animals it was very fun

Excellent place to visit with friends and family.

Spent almost two hours in this magical place. One look at the landscape and I was convinced dinosaurs would have roamed the land not so long ago. The rain just added to the allure. Pretty sure we got to see all the animals mentioned in the species guide

Beautiful, safe, well paced, lots of variety of animals, great company, Astonishing creatures, breathtaking scenery, The complete experience!!!!

The goats are free range and you're allowed to brush them. They must really love to be brushed because they stand still when you brush them ❤️ unfortunately was not able to see some of the other animals. They must've been hiding. I did see some sheep, turtles, a pig, and some spiders. If you go outside to the right of entrance you will see the wolf enclosure and it will run along the fence .

It was great. Really enjoyed the giraffes.

What a cool experience! I did the self guided tour. Estimated to take 1-2 hours but we were in & out in about 45 mins, even with stopping to get footage, mostly due to low capacity. There was probably 5 cars throughout the trail. Which is lead by small signs with arrows that point in the direction to keep you on track. The giraffe literally swallowed up the whole cone, paper and all. 😂 cafe had decent prices, but no meals. have to buy sides and drink separately. Staff was nice. So happy we went, we actually got to see pretty much every. general animal in the pamphlet. Go have fun!

So much fun driving in and experiencing a "drive thru" zoo!

Don't come if it's windy, the animals will be hidden. Don't take a guided tour. Drive yourself. The tour guides are rushed.

Very nice drive through the trail. Have patience, you will get to feed the animals as well, they are always hungry.

Loved this place. Free petting zoo. Beautiful views and great Cafe and ice cream.

Great time for all ages, giraffes were really gentle for all.. some anxious animals to see you at the car (and waiting feed).

Love this place! It is free and beautiful. Great Cafe and free petting zoo for the kids. A MUST SEE.

This is the best petting zoo ever!

We took the kids for the safari and they had a blast! So many animals to see and they get to feed them along the way, too!

As a photographer in the car, it's not easy to get great angles on the shots....on the other hand, I had a ball.

Awesome 😀 Kirin-chan is so cute! Kirin traffic jam is amazing lol

A group of 17 of us decided to book a guided tour while we were all on vaca together. Our tram driver started out great...we were briefed on rules and different animals. We got closer to the giraffes and she saw there was traffic so she slowly went around them on the left. She picked up all of our feed cups and handed out lettuce. We saw 1 giraffe and then she said, the line was too long and she didn't feel like sitting in the traffic, so she had us feed everything to the 1 giraffe and she took a left and went all the way around all the other giraffes. We could see them from the other side of the park but that's was it. When asked if we could go back by them she said no. On the way to the top of the hill for a restroom break she pointed out some deer, but when asked if we could stop to get a picture she was reluctant and said we needed to get to the top. She did allow a picture before speeding off again. Once to the top we had 10min of a break, no time for food she said and no time to explore the other animals...she said we could do that on our own. So we used the restroom and got back in the vehicle. The way back was very rushed, we saw everything from across the park...until we came to the rhinos and cheetahs, which she allowed us to take pictures of and explained about the breeding program. We arrived back at the front with 18min left on our tour and she bid us good day! She told us we could drive out of the park to get to the top or drive through it whichever we preferred. We all paid about 45bucks per person for a guided tour and all 17 of us wished we would have just drove it ourselves! Don't waste your money on a guided tour just to miss feeding the best animals in the park...Giraffes!!!

My partner introduced me to this gem on Valentine's Day, and we had such an amazing time that we couldn't resist bringing my family along for another visit. The self-guided tour was a breeze, and being able to explore at our own pace in our car made it even more enjoyable. The drive, with convenient stops at the restaurant, gift shop, and petting zoo, was a perfect break. But the highlight? Hand-feeding the giraffes! It was an unforgettable experience, especially with them poking their heads through our sunroof. Fossil Rim is a must-visit for anyone seeking adventure and wildlife encounters!

The views were breathtaking. The experience here is one we wont forget. The animals were everywhere. Plenty to see, and feed. They give you an animal identification map and it was a blast trying to find them all. The paved roads are easily traveled and make it a breeze for any type of vehicle loaded with family to enjoy (we drove our dodge charger). I can not recommend this place enough. Will definitely return.

Always fun to see the many species of animals out there. This time we stayed at the Fossil Rim Lodge. Definitely going to book the Lodge again.

The guided tour was wonderful. The guide shared with us the history of the park. We were told all about the animals we were able to see. We fed giraffes, ostriches and other animals. Appropriate food was given to us to feed the animals. The park is huge. My granddaughter loved it. Wonderful place for all ages. Need to get tickets in advance

dont go during spring break! too long of lines. took all day and night to leave the park

We liked this wildlife center. The kids liked feeding the animals. The Giraffes were their favorite. Good place to visit at least once when you are on the DFW area. The game wardens / employees were helpful and looked cheerful. Good facilities for food and restrooms. Good gift center.

Great experience! The kids really loved it!

My one of the best moments in my life to visit such a nice place open zoo Fossil Rim Wildlife Center 10/10 🇳🇵🇺🇸

I can't say enough good things about this place. I've watched it grow and change since I was just a little girl and I'm now 48. The most recent change is wonderful! Paved two lane road through the park is a perfect addition. The gift shop is wonderful also and fairly reasonable on most things. I'm a yearly member and every visit is the same... but different. Each species are interesting in their own right and their own personalities. Do NOT sit by a window if having a random, cute, stinky faced critter stick their faces in your window is going to be a problem. lol These lovely folks are open almost entirely year round. Fall to Spring are my favorite times to be there because well... summers in Texas suck. 😜

Loved that the giraffes ate out of my hand ❤️. Never experienced that before. Very exciting!

Great park, well maintained, and lots of animals. I recommend taking a guided tour , way better experience then driving your car through!

I recently had the opportunity to visit the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center, and I must commend the staff for their outstanding service and honesty. Despite my excitement to explore the center, the staff advised me that due to the cold weather, many animals might not be as visible or active. This level of honesty was refreshing and much appreciated. Their sincerity in ensuring the best possible experience for visitors was evident. Instead of just going through the motions, they took the time to explain how the animals' behavior changes with the weather, which was both informative and helpful. This kind of transparency is rare and showed that they truly care about the animals' wellbeing and the visitors' experience. I was impressed by their knowledge and the way they communicated everything with such kindness and professionalism. They assured me that a visit later in the week, when the weather warmed up, would be more rewarding. Their dedication to providing the best experience speaks volumes about their commitment to both the wildlife and guests. Their advice didn't dampen my spirits; rather, it made me look forward to returning. I plan to visit again later in the week, and I'm excited to see the wildlife in a more active state. I highly recommend Fossil Rim Wildlife Center not just for the amazing wildlife experience it offers, but also for the integrity and friendliness of its staff. They truly make the place special!

Great family experience or wholesome date. Go when the temps are warmer, but not hot. The Giraffes are definitely the highlight, so be conservative with your food until you see them (about half way through.)

Great for young kids who love animals! The tour guide was super friendly and helpful, thanks Emily!

Staff not only were knowledgeable, but friendly!

Beautifully place we love it ❣️

Worth it but not extraordinary. Deers and bucks are more. Children's center is nothing.

Fossil Rim is one of my favorite places to visit. It's so nice seeing all of the friendly little animals and getting to feed them. I love the zebras, giraffes, and deer, but the addax are my all time favorite because they are just so sweet. I would highly recommend visiting here!

Really fun! Animals come right up to the car, and you can feed the giraffes by hand

Excellent place to visit with family. We can see so many animals in natural wild life. From kids to the old people can enjoy the Wildlife here. Very spacious to see various locations. Clear road guidance boards are placed. At the entrance animal feed packets are given to us. We coould hand-feed it to the animals directly. It is a very nice experience. Touching the forest animals in their natural habitate is amazing. Worth visiting again and again when ever we have an opportunity.

I used to be a yearly member. It's amazing. I loved going here.

It's an amazing park to visit especially for kids

As always a great place to go, even when the weather is colder.

So much fun! Well worth the price for a guided tour.

Overall, it was a pretty great experience. My four year old daughter loved feeding all of the "horn horses and goats" my only complaint is we had one scoop of treats, which is fine by itself, but I had no idea how much progress we made in the park. I might have missed them, but mile markers or progress updates would have been great. That way, I could know about how much food she could keep giving out to all of the animals. The merchandise and restroom building was very clean and well maintained.

Had a great time, kids loved feeding the animals.

Mini safari is another name for Fossil Rim. It cost around $30 per person which includes the animal feed as well. The best part is feeding Giraffes, animals are super friendly.

It was real fun to see all the zoo animal so close to our car. I felt all zoo should be like this, we should not cage animals like that. It was knowlegable to kids as well. The view from restaurant on the top is really awesome

Went there as a school family trip. It was amazing. Sadly, the rain prevented us from taking the hiking trails, but it was fun.

It was a wonderful experience,the scenery was so beautiful and the giraffes were the star of the show,so many beautiful animals 🦒🦓🦏🦌🦃

Definitely worth the money. My daughter and I loved every second. The giraffes are definitely the best part! We can say we had one in our car! Highly recommend! Just know it is about a 2.5 hour drive. Younger kids may get cranky.

If you have kids definitely recommending this place. We have a lot of fun here. Real Safari tour. You feel like you are in Africa. Go here!!

So much fun! Feeding the giraffes by hand was amazing!

This was an awesome place. Highlights for me, the giraffes and ostrich.

Excellent place for visit with family especially with Kids

Our favorite place to spend a day as a family! The grounds are well maintained, the animals always look healthy, and the staff are pleasant to interact with.

This place has so many non-threatening animals to see. It’s about 1 1/2 hour -2 hour drive through. Great for a family trip. Best to come around 10-1030 to beat the big crowd. Can’t wait to go back.

The place was awesome we went there afternoon time but animals are not much shows up.

Beautiful adventurous experience. Highly recommend. App is helpful in identifying various animals.

Kids always have fun, and when it is cool enough, you can let everyone ride in the bed of the truck!

A very good experience. There’s not a lot of different animals but it’s very interactive and you can enjoy feeding the animals. The drive takes about 1hr-1.5hrs depending on how often you stop. There’s a nice cafe/gift shop/restroom at a halfway point.

It's absolutely overrated. Few bogus common animals. Not at all comparable to Arbuckle reseve .

Great place for a day outing with kids and family. All age groups would enjoy this car-safari ride.

Amazing staff well cared for animals! Beautiful park!

We loved the whole experience! Please as early as possible due to summertime animals will take shades under the tree you will only be able to feed handful of them. We enjoyed feeding all especially Giraffes.

Went with grandbabies, they lost interest cause all we saw was deer.

Absolutely worth the drive. We will be back!

El contacto con los animales es una experiencia inolvidable

Loved our first visit enough we bought a membership. Love taking a drive here on a lazy Saturday morning and cruising through the park while listening to a podcast, great way to get the weekend started.

Feeding animals from the comfort of our own car was a great experience. Kids loved it. Easy to follow arrow directions through the trip. Halfway stop was where the restroom , gift shop, and cafe is located. Guided safari tours are also available. They do have neat and clean restrooms beside the entrance too.

It was an awesome experience for the entire family. The interaction with the animals is a fantastic one. I honestly recommend Fossil Rim Wildlife to anyone you will not be disappointed.

Enjoyed this place very much. Halfway through, you can stop and eat at the restaurant. And shop at the gift store. Then finish the drive.

This was the best drive through zoos in Texas. The variety of animals and the terrain was all fantastic. You get a really big bang for your buck. It is so much fun having a giraffe put their head into your car from the sunroof. It’s an experience like no other.

We love this place so much. The kids live it, and absolutely enjoy it so much. So cool for the adults as well. Completely enjoyable experience all the way around!

Had an absolute blast with the grandkids. Worth every penny

Very fun to go with kids and famile

It has been several years since I ha e been here, and I was impressed with how it has changed. The roads are better and though it is a shorter route we saw many animals. Everyone was so very friendly. Will definitely 💯 be visiting again soon.

Such a great place for kids! We spent about two hours, saw and fed the animals, stopped for a picnic by the gift shop, visited Children's Animal Center with turtles and goats. It was a perfect way to spend a day with the kids ❤️

We had a fabulous time here. Great place for kids. Lots to see. Up close encounters. Our family really enjoyed it and will be back. Go early.