colorado gators reptile park

This is a great place to spend a few hours. Needs some maintenance and cleanup, but you go to see the gators, not the landscaping.We watched a guy wrestle a gator. Fun! I don't think I'd do it though.All in all it was enjoyable. We would go back

Who would ever dream of alligators at 7,000 feet in the Colorado mountains. This is one awesome place. The tour was oustanding. The staff very friendly and the gators out of this world. There is one gator that his head was the size of a truck tire. The albino gators were cool. And they have all kinds of different reptiles to look at. A giant tortoise walks around while you are taking your tour and you get to hold a gator and get your picture taken. For $100 bucks you can even learn how to wrestle a gator. Well worth going out of the way to see this place.

This place is so awesome, it is hard to describe. So many animals (not just gators). Had such an incredible time, took hundreds of great pictures. Had a wonderful time & can't wait to go back. Incredible & very knowledgeable staff.

I'm giving an "average" rating because I have mixed emotions about this attraction. I enjoyed seeing the alligators and other reptiles and animals at the facility, but I did not feel like the facility was well-maintained or providing an adequate habitat for them. When you drive up, it just looks like a farm with a jumble of buildings and piles of tires, scrap wood and metal, and farm equipment. We arrived early, at opening time, and had to wait a few minutes before a young man came out to open the gate. He was friendly and welcomed us inside, but I was surprised to see that he seemed to be in charge. We were ushered into a dim, pungent-smelling room full of reptile enclosures where we were invited to hold a young alligator. I held it for a photo, but I was concerned (both for its sake and mine) that there was nowhere adjacent to wash hands. I thought it might catch bacteria from people handling it, or vice versa. Even after we washed more than once, our hands smelled the rest of the day. We proceeded through the maze of enclosures, following footprints painted on the path and reading rustic, hand-painted signs. There are free-roaming tortoises and fowl in the compound, and because poop happens, you have to be very careful where you step. Wheelchairs and strollers can maneuver around the facility (some may need assistance), but the paths are not all paved. Expect some uneven ground, gravel and dirt/mud. The glass enclosures for snakes and lizards in the reptile "house" were small and dark, and the glass on many of the them was very dirty and hard to see through. The alligators appeared well-fed but they are in muddy ponds that are mostly enclosed with wood pallets and poorly-maintained chain-link fence, and it also seemed like they were over-crowded. I don't believe for a minute that chain link will stop an alligator that wants out! Their enclosures were also full of old tires; maybe they serve some useful purpose (?) but they do look trashy. The ramshackle buildings needed cleaning and repair, the grounds needed mowing and scrap/debris hauled away or stored, and the pathways needed mowing/weed-eating. Some of the animals, particularly small turtles and birds, appeared to be unhealthy because their shells were discolored or feathers falling out. I sincerely appreciate that this facility provides a home for abandoned or mistreated animals, but my impression is that they are struggling to make a proper go of it. From that viewpoint, I was happy to pay the $15 admission.

such a surprise to find that many gators in Colorado They do a good job of looking after all those rescued reptiles snakes etc

We had fun checking out the alligators and other animals, taking pictures, walking around and watching gator wrestling. The staff was very friendly! We bought a set of four magnets for only $15. They were a nice souvenir of us holding a gator :)

They don't pretend to be fancy. It's a one of a kind place. Passionate staff. Great for kids. We got to see them feed a 18ft retic python. Yes, it smells, and the grounds aren't pretty, but you should have known that from the handpainted plywood signs on the highway. Def worth the visit!

Just bad Dirty falling apart fences debris everywhere dead fish green water weeds smelled like sewer

It's better than it sounds. Avoid hot summer months as it can get a bit fragrant with the fish they feed the gators. Pretty amazing stuff there, and some hands on. I won't spoil the surprise. Leave your small dogs in the vehicle! Memorable and the kids will love it. Educational too.

It was a great experience watching all the gators and other animals live in their space !!!!! It was a completely different experience holding a baby gator in hand :-))) Add to that holding a non-poisonous snake was something i wouldn't forget for a lifetime :-))))

We had a great time here and learned a ton about these reptiles and crocs. I love that they rescue these animals from people that can't take care of them and give them a good home. Also very interesting to learn about the geothermal springs that keep the waters warm.

My family and I visited the Colorado Gator Farm recently and had the MOST amazing experience ever! It IS a working farm, does smell and I would not recommend you wear sandals. Definitely a boots or tennis shoe kinda place because it is muddy! The staff are very informative, respectful and just pleasant to talk to. If you miss this on your list of places to see and visit, you're missing something pretty awesome! I highly recommend visiting this business. I would visit over and over.

We have visited swamps and gator farms in the south, not the same...but very fun and interesting! We happened to visit on a day when gator wrestling class was being offered, while we didn't take them up on it a couple young woman did. It was fun to watch them learn and work up the courage to take on their fears. It was a nice visit...held a gator, got some bug bites. It was a little pricey, but we thought it was worth it.

Who would of thunk you would be able to find alligators, crocodiles, and snakes all together outside of a zoo; that's exactly what you will find here. Don't expect to find some fancy inhabitant filled with all the pleasantries of a city zoo. This compound houses animals that other people thought would make great pets but unfortunately found out otherwise. Our two girls loved the opportunity to see (and feed) a plethora of alligators and crocodiles. They also had the chance to have their picture taken of them holding a small alligator. Don't forget to hold one of the snakes. This is a place not to be missed.

We weren't sure what to expect, but we were very glad we went. There were a ton of alligators and other reptiles to see with interesting stories. Kind is shocking to find them in Colorado, considering how many they have. People there are nice and knowledgable and is a good cause.