What are the opening hours?

Monday 9am - 7pm Tuesday 9am - 7pm Wednesday 9am - 7pm Thursday 9am - 7pm Friday 9am - 7pm Saturday 9am - 7pm

Ark Encounter's Ararat Ridge Zoo

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Williamstown, KY
Ark Encounter's Ararat Ridge Zoo

The Ararat Ridge Zoo at the Ark Encounter houses nearly 200 amazing animals from around the world! Camel rides and camel encounters have an additional cost.

The Ararat Ridge Zoo, children's zoo, kangaroo walkabout, and animal programs are included with Ark Encounter admission.

01/12/2025

"God thunders wondrously with his voice; he does great things that we cannot comprehend. For to the snow he says, ‘Fall on the earth,’ likewise to the downpour, his mighty downpour." -Job 37:5-6

📸 Keeper Michael

01/10/2025

Today is Save the Eagles Day 🦅 As apex predators, eagles are vital for the balance of ecosystems. Some species, like bald eagles, are also scavengers that clean up carrion and reduce disease. But did you know that over half of the 68 living eagle species are threatened? They suffer from poisoning, poaching, collisions, entanglement, and habitat loss.

Our General Boone was rescued from the wild after suffering an injury that prevents him from flying. We hope seeing him will inspire guests to take action to save eagles. Easy ways to help eagles include respecting their space in the wild, using lead-free bullets while hunting, properly disposing of fishing line and other trash, using nature-safe products, preserving natural habitats, and supporting raptor rehabilitation and conservation organizations.

📸 Keeper Izzy

01/09/2025

We are incredibly grateful for our hard-working Zoo Facilities Maintenance team. Rob, Maverick, Jason, and Josh have put in dozens of hours clearing snow after Winter Storm Blair. They worked overtime to ensure staff and guests can safely navigate the zoo. Please give a big THANK YOU to this dedicated team!

01/08/2025

Winter has definitely arrived ☃️ We are now only open Wednesdays-Saturdays through March 8. Although it's chilly, the animals would still love to see you! This time of year is great for visiting if you're not fond of the large crowds of the busy season. Most animals will be visible regardless of winter weather because they are viewable in their indoor habitats. Due to the shortened hours and lower crowds, zoo activity hours have been reduced for the winter.

Animal programs will either be outdoor Creature Features at the Animal Actors Stage at 1:15 or indoor shows in the Answers Center's lower level at 1:00. Check your daily schedule for locations, times, and themes.

Camel encounters will be offered Wednesdays-Fridays from 1:00-3:00. Camel rides will be offered on Saturdays from 1:00-3:00.

The kangaroo walkabout and goat barn will be open from 1:00-4:00. Junior's Zoo Adventure will be open from 12:00-4:00 on Wednesdays-Fridays and 12:00-5:00 on Saturdays.

All outdoor activities are dependent on the weather. Stay warm!

01/07/2025

Winter Storm Blair was snow joke ❄ Over the last few days, the region received 6-10 inches of snow. The zoo staff captured some adorable photos of the animals frolicking in the winter wonderland and enjoying snowy enrichment!

01/06/2025

Give a big THANK YOU to zookeepers Brittany, Sarah, Kylee, Amberleigh, Kelley, and Abi, who spent the night at the Ararat Ridge Zoo with the animals during Winter Storm Blair, which is currently causing a level two snow emergency in our region. These ladies volunteered to hunker down at the zoo last night and tonight to save other staff from driving in dangerous conditions and ensure the animals stayed warm and happy. We appreciate their willingness to go above and beyond to care for our animals!

"Whoever is righteous has regard for the life of his beast..." -Proverbs 12:10a

01/05/2025

It's National Bird Day 🪶 Birds are vital to a healthy world. They are pollinators, seed dispersers, pest control, scavengers, ecosystem engineers, habitat balancers, and fertilizers. They also contribute greatly to human economies and recreation.

Unfortunately, 1 in 5 bird species faces extinction. Threats include habitat loss, invasive species, poisoning, persecution, collisions, entanglement, trafficking, and disease. But YOU can save them!

Our birds want to share easy actions you can take to help. Click through the images to read their advice. Be sure to like your favorite tip and/or bird! Who will be the winner?

"And God said, '...let birds fly above the earth across the expanse of the heavens.' So God created...every winged bird according to its kind. And God saw that it was good." -Genesis 1:20-21

01/04/2025

Heading into 2025 be like…

Our zookeepers enjoy designing holiday-themed enrichment that also encourages their animals’ natural behaviors. Binturongs, like Rikki, act as important pollinators and seed dispersers when they forage. By sticking their heads into plants, they scatter pollen and eat seeds that later replenish plant populations. Plus, it’s fun!

📸 Keeper Shelly

01/02/2025

Happy New Year! We are so thankful for the incredible zoo staff who work 365 days each year providing excellent care for our animals. The Ararat Ridge Zoo has big plans for 2025! Our goals include enhancing guest experiences, offering new interactive programs, launching a new animal show, increasing the professional development of our zookeepers, and researching more opportunities to be godly stewards of creation. Stay tuned for exciting updates this year!

01/01/2025

That's a wrap for 2024! To celebrate, let's look at the 2024 Ararat Ridge Zoo Wrapped. We are so thankful for all our visitors this year and our supporters from afar who allow us to care for creation and educate guests on godly stewardship.

12/31/2024

We’ve experienced many joys this year, but living in a fallen world means that we experience sorrows too. The Ararat Ridge Zoo is deeply saddened to announce the passing of Japheth, the llama.

Japheth was one of the first animals to arrive at the Ararat Ridge Zoo when it opened in July of 2016. The zoo staff appreciate your prayers and support as they mourn the loss of an animal they loved. Japheth was known for his large size and quirky personality. He could often be seen proudly strutting around his habitat, ears up and tail held high. He will be greatly missed.

“The Lord is near to the brokenhearted and saves the crushed in spirit.” -Psalm 34:18

12/30/2024

"But when the fullness of time had come, God sent forth his Son, born of woman, born under the law, to redeem those who were under the law, so that we might receive adoption as sons." -Galatians 4:4-5

📸 Keeper Caleb

12/29/2024

At 13 years old, Manasseh is the oldest goat in our herd and has developed age-related arthritis. To keep her comfortable, she gets pain-relieving medicine every other day. Thankfully, it seems to taste quite delicious! She will often run right up to the animal health staff, like Keeper Josie, to take her meds.

12/28/2024

It's Visit the Zoo Day! Did you know that by visiting responsible zoos, you support conservation, environmental education, and research? Zoos have saved dozens of species from extinction, raised awareness and empathy for wildlife, and acquired new knowledge about animals. Zoos also provide homes for rescued animals who cannot return to the wild, like our bald eagle, General Boone. Now, he can act as an ambassador for wild raptors by inspiring guests to preserve and protect them!

📸 Keeper Brittany

12/27/2024

Happy owlidays 🦉 We've had some chilly nights during this year's ChristmasTime event. While many of our animals are staying warm in their heated indoor habitats, Luna is a Eurasian eagle owl and is perfectly designed to withstand the cold. This species can be found as far north as Siberia! Because she seems to enjoy the cold, Luna has been appearing in many of our Christmas Creature Features.

📸 Keeper Karina

12/26/2024

Merry Christmas from the Ararat Ridge Zoo 🎄

"And the angel said to them, 'Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger.' And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God and saying, 'Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace among those with whom he is pleased!'” -Luke 2:10-14

📸 Keeper Karina

12/25/2024

Happy Christmas Eve!

"And she gave birth to her firstborn son and wrapped him in swaddling cloths and laid him in a manger, because there was no place for them in the inn." -Luke 2:7

📸 Keeper Karina

12/24/2024

Hi everyone! I'm Noel, the aoudad sheep, and I just celebrated my "four"-ever wild birthday. When my mom arrived at the zoo in 2020, the zookeepers didn't know she was pregnant. And then ta-da - I was born around the winter solstice! I had to be hand-raised by zoo staff with the help of my surrogate goat mother, Dinah. So, I formed strong relationships with my zookeepers, and they live to spoil me. I'm especially happy when they give me back scratches, toys to spar with, and snacks. They give me lots of treats when they're training me, so I love to learn! I also like to try to steal the wheelbarrows and tools when they're cleaning my habitat. Even though I'm the youngest, I think I should be in charge. I've slowly worked my way up the herd hierarchy, and now I'm second to the boss, Zipporah. My zookeepers threw me a big party for my fourth birthday. I wasn't sure about the boxes at first, but then I realized they were full of treats - delicious! I'm super thankful for my awesome keepers who care so much about me. I hope you'll visit me and my friends soon at the Ararat Ridge Zoo!

📸 Keeper Kelley

Address

1 Ark Encounter Drive
Williamstown, KY
41097

Opening Hours

Monday	9am - 7pm
Tuesday	9am - 7pm
Wednesday	9am - 7pm
Thursday	9am - 7pm
Friday	9am - 7pm
Saturday	9am - 7pm

Website

https://arkencounter.com/zoo/

Alerts

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Videos

Today is Save the Eagles Day! General Boone, our bald eagle, was rescued from the wild after suffering an injury that prevents him from flying. We hope seeing him will inspire guests to take action to save eagles.

It's National Bird Day! This holiday recognizes the many important roles birds play in our world and raises awareness of their conservation. #araratridgezoo #arkencounter #NationalBirdDay #birds #zoo

Zookeepers Answer Christmas Questions

We're about halfway through our ChristmasTime event at the Ark Encounter! Watch as Keeper Stephen (aka "Goose") asks some of our keepers working the event Christmas-related questions. Do you agree with their answers?

Keeper Spotlight: Abi

This month's Keeper Spotlight is Abi, one of our programs keepers! Join us in thanking her for her commitment to animal care and zoo education.

Christmas Camel Encounters

Celebrate Christmas with our camels 🐪 Join us for camel encounters Mondays through Saturdays from 1:00-3:00, or take a camel ride on Tuesdays - Saturdays from 4:00-7:30 (weather dependent). Camel encounters are open to all guests for $3 per person. Camel rides are available for ages 17 and under for $10 per person. Riders must be at least 36" tall and less than 200 lbs to ride.

Happy Thanksgiving!

"Let us come into his presence with thanksgiving; let us make a joyful noise to him with songs of praise!" -Psalm 95:2 Happy Thanksgiving from the Ararat Ridge Zoo 🦃

International Day of Zoo Educators

It's the International Day of Zoo and Aquarium Educators! Help us thank our zoo's incredible Programs team, who focus on educating guests about the truth of Scripture and inspiring them to be godly stewards of creation.

Keeper Spotlight: Zach

This month's Keeper Spotlight is Zach, one of our Children's Zoo staff. Join us in thanking him for his hard work and dedication!

ChristmasTime Camel Rehearsal

ChristmasTime at the Ark Encounter begins in just three weeks 🎄 Our staff have started preparing the camels for the festivities!

Kangaroo Laser Therapy

The Animal Health team provides a variety of unique treatments to heal our animals. Emerald the red kangaroo injured her flexor tendon in her right leg. Tendon injuries can take a very long time to heal, just like in humans. To help her tendon rebuild its strength more quickly, she receives laser treatment designed for musculoskeletal healing three times per week. She stands still for her laser therapy in exchange for snacks. We are extremely grateful to Nutramax Laboratories for their donation of this laser to expedite the healing of our animals!

Meet Dr. Todd!

Meet Dr. Todd, the new Animal Health Manager and resident veterinarian for the Answers in Genesis zoos! We are incredibly thankful that he has joined our team. Please help us welcome him to the ministry!

Keeper Spotlight: Caleb

It's time for our monthly Keeper Spotlight! Help us thank Caleb for his hard work and commitment to caring for our exotic hoofstock.