Oxbow Park & Zollman Zoo

5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron, MN 55920, USA

Address:	5731 County Rd 105 NW, Byron, MN 55920, USA
Phone:	+1 507-775-2451
Site:	co.olmsted.mn.us
Rating:	4.6
Working:	10AM–4PM 10AM–4PM 10AM–4PM 10AM–4PM 10AM–4PM 10AM–4PM 10AM–4PM

Location

Photos 100

Reviews 27

Anna P

While this park is very nicely maintained, I have to give it one star for how the rude staff treats the animals. I am by no means a PETA-type animal lover, but I have been raising chickens for 12 years and noticed that the chickens in the farm animal exhibit had no access to water. Both of the hens kept running back and forth frantically seeking the water bowl that was locked inside the coop. It was a hot day and chickens can die very quickly without access to water as they have no natural means of sweating or cooling themselves. I went to the office and of course no one was behind the desk, so finally I knocked on the Staff door for five whole minutes. I could see two staff people inside who kept ignoring me, until finally one angry-looking, young, skinny blond punk came to the door and rolled his eyes when I explained the situation. All he said was that the chickens had been "just fine" in previous days and that "we know how to take care of our animals." He also snottily informed me that there was another "automatic" water fountain in the chicken run, but when I went back again to check, it was not working and the thirsty chickens did not even know it was there: they just kept trying desperately to get into the coop where their water bowl was in plain sight. Why someone would work at a zoo when they dont care about the animals there is beyond me. I hope the poor chickens are still alive, and I hope this insolent dude gets another job. I must also mention that the park was teeming with irresponsible parents and their screaming, destructive, bratty kids who scared the animals and threw rocks at everything that moved, and there were no zoo keepers in sight to make sure the animals (or the kids) were safe. I am sure Dr. Zollman is rolling in his grave. Avoid this place on the weekends and keep your children on leashes.

mnPatriot1911

Great little zoo that showcases animals found in MN and the Great Plains. The kids love to watch the otters swim and slide, and the staff is very informed and polite. They have a nice playground for the kids to unwind after looking at all the animals. They also have some non-venomous snakes, as well as a couple of rattlesnakes. Pack a lunch, take the kids, and have a great afternoon. We go 3 or 4 times every summer.

Tori Flores

This is a beautiful park with a great FREE zoo! There is so much space for children to ruin without worries of losing them in a large crowd. There are farm animals to pet and feed, lots of Minnesota wildlife to observe in beautifully displayed cages, lovely garden areas, lots of various places to have a picnic, and gorgeous hiking trails. You wont be disappointed with this place!

Kyle Button

Great placed to take the family to see some animals and have some family time. Good selection of Minnesota animals and a very small very walk-able Zoo. Play ground has been redesigned and it is great. Find a quite it place to have a picnic too, you will love being anyway around Oxbow Park

Mika Baer

Theres definitely some decent trails if you want to go hiking. The major draw is the free zoo. Its a great place to take kids! There are also picnic tables and camp sites on the property. Sometimes the trails get washed out by flooding though and parts of them will be closed.

Carrie Cross

This is a very nice little park and zoo. We had about an hour to walk through. It was quite busy but it was laid out so that everyone had plenty of room to move around and see the animals. Everyone was super friendly and it was a great little place to visit!

Amy Cluckey

We love coming out to Byron for the zoo. From petting some of the animals, getting a close up view of other animals, then ending at the nature playground, you can not go wrong. Stopping at one of the bridges for lunch and a trail walk is equally as fun.

Chelsey Lockman

Such a cool place to go on a nice day! Both of my boys age 7 and 4 absolutely loved it. The learning/play area is really a neat concept! And the zoo is small but still very enjoyable! Its also free with donation only.

Amanda Engelhart

Completely free! Great exploration guide and park with all the information on the planets, tons of animals including bison! Awesome for families and quite a few places for family picnics and parties on the grounds!

Kyle Pike

This is a large and spacious park that is well maintained and always staffed with knowledgeable park administrators. Very aesthetic scenery and trails. Recommended for both children and adults.

Jessica Linaman

The animals that you see are from all over Minnesota. Has great fact about them too. You can go camping or tubing down the river. They also have a wonderful play area with fun facts for kids.

J Huinker

Very nice park and zoo. I have gone there since I was a child and I have always enjoyed myself. They have various programs offered including "feed the raptors". It is worth checking out!

Ben Wiechmann

This place is a great way to spend a morning with kids. Really cool animals to see and good educational opportunities too. If youre in the Rochester area, its certainly worth a visit.

Nikki Kasper

Nice, smaller zoo with animals found in Southern Minnesota. Currently expanding and active construction is taking place. Free admission but please be generous with your donations.

Gamal Alazme

جدا ممتاز ومكان هادي ولكن للاسف الشبكة للاتصال جدا ضعيفة

Justin Chapman

Oxbow has great trails (with a little bit of backtracking, you can squeeze an eight-mile loop out of the park), nice playgrounds and picnic facilities, and an awesome zoo.

Tyler Markee

This is a great free zoo featuring Minnesota animals. There are also many great hiking trails and a campground. There are many spots for grilling and picnicking as well.

Daniela Gatzke

Great new outdoor natural playground, nice selection of animals for a small zoo with fairly small cages, though. Lots of mosquitos in the summer. Nice walking trails.

A Private User

A very nice place. Great for adults and kids. They have a lot of fun activities, as well as picnic areas. Great for a day out with the family or a loved one.

Kenard Puchalski

A jewel of a park. The small zoo is great for young ones. Plus they have a special activity area for kids. The park has great hiking trails and picnic areas.

Diana Shewmaker

Love trail running here for the great hills and to see maybe 1-2 runners over 4 miles. Not to mention the free zoo is a great place to take visitors.

Daniel Keltner

If I ever head back to Rochester, MN, this will be a definite stop! Small enough not to get lost in, big enough for my toddlers to really enjoy.

Krista Anderson

We loved the zoo and the imagination area. The kids had a blast! Bummed that it closes at 4 pm though, wish it was open just a little later.

Daniel Carrasco

Tons of cool stuff to see! Buffalo, Deer, Bear, Fox, Wolves, Snakes. Its ran by donation. Was truly a gem to find in such a small community.

Brian Pringle

Free zoo and great play area for the kids. They operate on donations, but dont make you feel like you have to donate to use the facilities.

Jake Pilgrim

Free zoo, surprising amount of native MN animals I have never seen up close, great camping area, hard to go wrong with a visit here.