Utah's Hogle Zoo
Accessibility
- Wheelchairs and electronic convenience vehicles (ECVs) are available for rent on a first-come, first-serve basis and cannot be reserved in advance. Personal wheelchairs and ECVs are permitted for use on zoo grounds. For the safety of all guests, we ask that ECVs be set to walking speed.
- The Wildlife Theater, the Wyatt Fricks Discovery Theater, and the Rocky Shores amphitheater have wheelchair accessible entrances and seating. Please ask any Hogle Zoo staff member for assistance.
- All exhibits have a wheelchair accessible entrance. Zoofari Express and Conservation Carousel have ramps upon request and may require a transfer from the wheelchair to the seat of the attraction.
- All pathways at the zoo are paved, but due to the slope of the landscape some paths are more accessible than others.
- Pets and emotional support animals are strictly prohibited on zoo grounds. All service dogs must check in through our Guest Services office before being admitted to Utah’s Hogle Zoo. Service dogs are prohibited in the following locations: The Wildlife Theater, the Zoofari Express, and the center rainforest exhibit in the Small Animal Building.
- Please note that other areas may be designated off-limits for service dogs on a day-to-day basis, due to sensitive animal care concerns such as new births, breeding, or new animals in exhibits.
- If you wish to visit these areas, Guest Services can temporarily hold the service dog while guests are away. We ask that guests return for their service dogs as soon as possible after exploring these areas. If your service dog needs to relieve themselves, please exit the zoo and visit one of the public parks close by.
- During your visit, please be sensitive to our animals. If any animal seems distressed by your service dog’s presence, please move on with your visit and return to the exhibit later when the animal is calm.
- Large print and tactile Braille maps are available for checkout upon request at Guest Services, courtesy of the Utah Schools for the Deaf and Blind.
- Sensory backpacks, made possible by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums and the R. Harold Burton Foundation, are available for checkout at Guest Services on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each kit includes several items that may be helpful for guests who visit the zoo with a child who is blind or has low vision (see below for backpack inventory). Kits are free for checkout during your zoo visit but require guests to provide a valid driver’s license and contact information to ensure the backpacks are returned for future guest use. We recommend renting a wagon or bringing your own so that the items in the backpack can be laid out for easy access during your visit.
Sensory Backpacks Include:
- Monocular
- Amber and yellow glare-reducing glasses
- Magnifying glass
- Animal artifacts and animal models with labels printed in larger font. Braille labels are available upon request and grade 2 braille labels are also available upon request, courtesy of the State Library for the Blind.
- Laminated list of all sensory exhibits at the Zoo
- Laminated copies of the Zoo Social Stories
Tactile and Sensory Exhibits
The following is a listing of all accessible tactile statues and signs in the Zoo, categorized by exhibit.
African Savanna
- Stylized giraffe statue at entry plaza on a springy flooring
- Sign comparing foot casts of savanna animals at Giraffe yard
- Bronze dung beetle, lion, and zebra skulls at Twiga Terrace
- Model skulls and bones embedded in “cliffs” surrounding lion habitat
Elephant Encounter
- Model elephant skull, femur, and tooth
- Elephant tusk, model rhino horn, and model rhino skin
Great Apes
- Male gorilla statue outside entrance to Great Ape Building
- Female gorilla bust on south side of Great Ape yards with a braille sign
Nature pathway includes bronze statues of Utah native animals just across the fence line. The following are statues that can be reached from the pathway, over the fence.
Nature pathway includes bronze statues of Utah native animals just across the fence line. The following are statues that can be reached from the pathway, over the fence.
Creekside
- Dragonflies on signs
- Fish
- Three ducklings
- Beaver mother and baby
- Tarantula
- Frogs
- Snake
- Mice
- Butterflies
- Mountain lion
Play area includes concrete statues of Utah native animals.
- Raccoons in knotholes
- Woodpeckers
- Great horned owl
- Frogs
- Rabbits
- Desert tortoises
“Hope Springs” is a sensory mosaic that was funded by a generous grant from the Utah Division of Arts and Museums. It was created by community artist Roger Whiting and the children of Matt’s Place.
Rocky Shores
- Sign comparing footprints of small North American mammals
- Bronze model of eagle skulls
- Life-size eagle nest on a springy flooring
- Life-size otter statue
- Hollow log for play on a springy flooring
- Sign comparing seal and sea lion skulls
- Life-size seal statue
- Life-size polar bear and cubs statue
- Bronze models of small sea creatures inside Tidewater Cove by crash tanks
- Skull and bones of whales, dolphins, and walrus inside Tidewater Cove.
- Please note that marine mammal bones are porous and, when the animal is alive, they are filled with oil for buoyancy. Therefore, these bones will have a strong, oily scent if you lean close.
- Soundboard of animal vocalizations at west entrance of Tidewater Cove
- Comparison of polar, brown, and black bear paws
- Comparison of polar, brown, and black bear skulls
Asian Highlands
- Interactive sign demonstrating tigers’ senses of taste, sight, smell, and touch in the Forest View habitat
- Grandma’s House with artifacts from Asian cultures
The following social story is designed for guests with autism spectrum disorders to enhance their Zoo experience, but may be used by anyone.
Please note that some attractions, such as the Zoofari Express, close seasonally and that some exhibits may be loud on days that are crowded. A list of helpful hints at the end of the story can help caregivers better prepare for a zoo visit. If you have any questions about your visit on a particular day, feel free to call member services at (801) 584-1700 to get up-to-date information.
Sensory Backpacks
- Sensory backpacks, made possible by the Utah Division of Arts and Museums and the R. Harold Burton Foundation, are available for checkout at Guest Services on a first-come, first-serve basis. Each kit includes several items that may be helpful for guests who visit the Zoo with a child who has special needs (see below for backpack inventory). Kits are free for checkout during your zoo visit but a valid driver’s license and contact information are required to ensure the backpacks are returned for future guest use. We recommend renting a wagon or bringing your own so the items in the backpack can be laid out for easy access during your visit.
ASD/SPD/Developmental Disabilities Backpack
- “I have autism, if lost please call” stickers
- Laminated copies of the zoo Social Story
- Laminated list of all sensory exhibits at the zoo
- Noise cancelling headphones
- Fidget toys
- Assorted animal artifacts and animal models with labels
Small and medium weighted sensory belts are also available for checkout at Guest Services on a first-come, first-serve basis. Belts are free for checkout during your zoo visit but require a valid driver’s license and contact information to ensure that they are returned for future guest use.
Because it’s so important that guests remain seated throughout the World of Flight Bird Show to protect the birds, weighted lap pads and wobble cushions are available upon request. Ask the theater gate attendant for a lap pad or wobble cushion and please return it at the end of the show.
Are you a teacher that has students with special needs? Utah’s Hogle Zoo offers on-site and outreach special education classes that are taught by a zoo instructors. Classes include sensory experiences with animal artifacts such as pelts, skulls, eggs, and live ambassador animals. Class length can be tailored to the needs of your class but have a maximum of 45 minutes. Follow the links below to learn more about on-site and outreach programs for students with special needs.