As the cool morning mist lifts from the trees along Cheyenne Mountain, the gates of the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo open to welcome another day of guests. Members and visitors pour through the entrance, where towering giraffes are often the first to greet them. This scene has welcomed generations, but today it carries special significance.
This year, Cheyenne Mountain Zoo celebrates its 100th anniversary. In conjunction, the zoo unveils one of its most ambitious projects: a new, state-of-the-art giraffe center. Its opening also marks the beginning of a new chapter under President and CEO Dave Ruhl, whose leadership helped bring the project to life, and who now takes the reins as the zoo enters its second century.
"It wasn't enough to build a bigger building," Ruhl says. "We challenged ourselves to ask what giraffes actually need and how we could create an environment that reflects the way they live in the wild."
This question guided nearly six years of planning, design, engineering, permitting and construction. Rather than replicating existing giraffe facilities, the zoo's team partnered with local architects, engineers, contractors and animal care experts to rethink what world-class giraffe care could look like. The result is a habitat designed from the ground up that prioritizes giraffe welfare. Large open spaces encourage natural movement. Microclimates throughout the building allow giraffes to choose environments best suited to them throughout the day. Browse feeding mimics their natural foraging behaviors, while a transparent roof allows the herd to live by natural sun and moon cycles.
For visitors, the experience has expanded just as dramatically. The previous facility offered only three zones where guests could feed giraffes. The new center has 11 feeding areas, providing more opportunities to come eye-to-eye with some of the zoo's most beloved residents. Today, 13 giraffes call Cheyenne Mountain Zoo home. The recent birth of Penny, its 200th giraffe calf, serves as a reminder that the zoo’s greatest legacy is measured not only in years but also in the generations of wildlife it has helped sustain.
Rachel Wright, the zoo's communications and marketing director, says the guest experience has always been inseparable from the zoo's mission of conservation. "When people connect with these animals, they begin to care about them," she says. "That connection inspires conservation."
This philosophy has helped define the Cheyenne Mountain Zoo for decades. Each year, guests can participate in the zoo's "Quarters for Conservation" program, which helps fund wildlife conservation efforts around the globe. "We believe people are the key to wildlife conservation," says Bob Chastain, former president and CEO, who led the zoo through many years of growth. "Success isn't magic. It's the discipline of a million small efforts that ultimately defines the outcome."
These efforts continued even during the uncertainty of 2020, when much of the world paused during the COVID-19 pandemic. Behind the scenes, planning never stopped. Designers refined concepts. Engineers solved complex challenges. Construction crews worked through the logistics of building on the side of a mountain while keeping the zoo operating and maintaining accessibility for guests.
The project required patience from staff and from loyal members and visitors who navigated construction zones with enthusiasm for what was to come. Their reward is far more than a new exhibit. Native Colorado landscaping now frames the entrance, new sculptures welcome guests, planet-friendly merchandise fills the redesigned gift shop, and accessible pathways improve the arrival experience for visitors. Every detail reflects the zoo's commitment to innovation, sustainability and community.
As Cheyenne Mountain Zoo reaches 100 years, the new giraffe center stands as a tribute to its past and a promise for its future—one where exceptional animal care, unforgettable guest experiences and meaningful conservation continue to move hand in hand.
For Ruhl, the centennial is more about building momentum than reaching a milestone. "The first hundred years created an incredible legacy," he says. "Now it's our responsibility to build the next hundred."
Cheyenne Mountain Zoo
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"The first hundred years created an incredible legacy," says Dave Ruhl, the zoo's president and CEO. "Now it's our responsibility to build the next hundred."