A Guide to the St. Louis Zoo

Imagine a world of adventure at your doorstep; a world of excitement, amazement, and daring, full of Lions, and Tigers, and Bears, and many more of the most exotic creatures imaginable. Unless you live in the savannas of Africa or near one of the frigid poles, near a rain forest or desert, or within the expanse of the western prairies, "at your doorstep" is a bit of an exaggeration, but do you realize that such a world isn't really very far from your doorstep no matter where you live?

Can you imagine coming face to face with creatures from the great Outback, or perhaps staring down a dangerous viper from a tropical jungle is your cup of tea? Did you realize you can have an adventure in the great outdoors and see these creatures without trekking to the ends of the world? Your local zoo contains many of these wonders along with an opportunity to study and learn about things you may never have contemplated before.

The St Louis Zoo provides daily adventures for anyone wishing to take the relatively short hike through the acres and acres of wildlife. And entry is free! So, grab your hat, your camera, and a pair of stout walking shoes, and then follow me for a trek through the bush, along River's Edge, through Red Rocks and over Lakeside Crossing.

Enter the gates through the South Entrance, amble through the peaceful plaza and bend to your left, cross the train tracks then start up the River's Edge trail. Be prepared to observe (and be observed by) some of Earth's most massive creatures along this trail. Asian elephants, black rhinos, and those stealthy battle ships of the African rivers, the hippopotamus, all dwell along the River's Edge trail as do smaller mammals such as the sleek cheetah, the vicious hyena, and the almost comical appearing anteater.

A brisk walk along the River's Edge trail might end in as little as 20 minutes, but the trekker would see little and learn less. There are ample opportunities along all St Louis Zoo's trails to relax a bit and even buy a bite to eat as well as browse the souvenir shops for that perfect gift, and the Zoo hours provide plenty of time to enjoy. From Memorial Day through Labor Day, the Zoo is open from 8 a.m. through 7 p.m. daily except Fridays when it is open from 8 a.m. through 8 p.m. During the rest of the year the St Louis Zoo is open from 9 a.m. through 5 p.m. daily, and closed on December 25 and January 1. To discover the exceptions to these dates and times, take a quick trip to their web site at www.stlzoo.org.

Back on the trail you will now enter Discovery Corner where, tucked away but easy to find, you will find the Insectarium where the bugs, creepy-crawlies, and butterflies live, the Living World full of amphibians and an enormous education center, and the Children's zoo where the younger members of your safari can run and play and pet some of the more docile creatures of this planet.

Without warning, the trail's meandering path leads you straight into The Wild and around one of the St Louis Zoo's largest lakes. From the frigid South Pole, through Africa's forests, and America's Great Plains, this section of your walk-about is as amazing as the animals living here. Comical penguins and puffins dive and soar through frigid waters, massive grizzly bears might growl, the apes of Africa will entertain with their antics, even the humble prairie dog is available to view.

After that safari, it's time for some R&R at the Lakeside Crossing. Here you will find one of the larger eateries, rests rooms, and, yes, even an ATM machine. But the best part of your rest is the magnificent water view with its array of water birds. From the dining deck you can watch stoic flamingos, beautifully colored ducks, and the synchronized swimming of the pelicans.

Entry into the zoo and the majority of the displays are absolutely free. However, in order to support the displays, educational programs and all the things it takes to operate America's Number One zoo, you will pay for some of the attractions such as riding the Zooline Railroad (a fantastic ride through the entire zoo!), the Conservation Carousel and the Children's Zoo. To find prices pop back to the St Louis Zoo's website, www.stlzoo.org.

All rested up? Great! It's time to get this show back on the road. Saddle up and step off through Historic Hill where you're in for an aviary treat at the Bird Garden, the 1904 World's Fair Flight cage, and the Bird House to see and learn about hundreds of species of our feathered friends. Further along the path you'll have a chance to visit the Herpetarium to see, eye to eye, snakes collected from around the world. Also around Historic Hill you will visit the Primate House then get to watch the graceful and playful sea lions.

Although by now you are getting closer to the end of your journey, there is still much to see as you enter the Red Rocks, home to many magnificent animals. Long-necked giraffes, hissing ostriches and lazy kangaroos from Australia populate these rocks as do striped zebras, two-humped camels and graceful antelopes. By choosing this route you've saved the best for last, the Big Cat Country where the lions, king of beasts live right next door to the ferocious but endangered tigers.

Your feet might be a bit tired as the day comes to a close, but you probably won't notice as you remember the amazing and precious sights you've seen here today. Perhaps you even saw a fair share of the 18,000 animals here at the St Louis Zoo, but did you expect to have such a great time in the Great Outdoors so close to your own doorstep? It's a good thing the St Louis Zoo is open year round (except as noted earlier), because just like this short article, there is no way one day can do it the credit it deserves. Let's go again tomorrow!