A rhino close enough to smell, a giraffe leaning its head over a fence for a snack, and an alligator snapping at a pellet you just tossed off a bridge, all in one afternoon in Kent County. That’s the pitch behind Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park, a family-run zoo tucked into the farmland east of Grand Rapids that’s quietly grown into one of the largest privately owned animal collections in Michigan.
What started as a personal hobby for owners Dave and Dawn Hoekstra back in the 1990s, when they simply began collecting and breeding animals on their own property, turned into a full public zoo in 2011. Today the park sprawls across nearly 100 acres and is home to well over a thousand animals spanning mammals, birds, reptiles, and amphibians, many representing threatened or endangered species.
Best Things to Do
The giraffe feeding is the moment most people remember. You buy lettuce, walk up to a chain-link gate, and watch a giraffe stretch its long neck right down to your hand, no glass, no distance, just an enormous animal a few feet away. It’s the kind of up-close encounter that bigger metro zoos simply can’t offer.
The park’s back property is explored via an elevated, paved walking trail through the woods, which replaced the old safari ride in 2022. From the trail you can spot bison, wildebeest, zebras, antelope, and hyenas roaming in open, naturalistic terrain that feels a world away from the parking lot.
Feeding opportunities go well beyond the giraffes. You can toss pellets to the alligators from a bridge, hand-feed kangaroos and camels, and step inside a walk-through aviary where parakeets will land on a seed stick right out of your hand. Bring a little extra cash, since several of these interactions run on coin-operated or small cash purchases.
Beyond the feeding stations, the reptile house, penguin exhibit, and monkey habitats round out the collection nicely. The variety on display, from ostriches to primates to cold-blooded creatures, gives the park a real zoo-caliber feel despite its small-town setting.
Atmosphere & Décor
This is an outdoor, walk-at-your-own-pace kind of place, with flat, paved paths that make it easy to push a stroller or navigate a wheelchair between exhibits. The grounds feel more rural farmstead than polished city zoo, which is part of the charm, animals are set among woods, open fields, and simple naturalistic enclosures rather than elaborate architectural exhibits.
Covered picnic areas are scattered throughout, so you can pack a lunch and make a full day of it rather than rushing through. A few playgrounds and a gem-mining activity give kids something to burn energy on between animal stops, and the overall pace feels unhurried and low-pressure compared to larger, more crowded zoos.
Other Considerations
How much does it cost? As of the 2026 season, adult admission runs $22, seniors 62 and up are $20, kids ages 3 to 11 are $18, and children 2 and under get in free. Note that credit card purchases carry a 4% surcharge, so cash can save you a little.
How long should I plan to stay? Give yourself at least 90 minutes, though if you want to do the full walking trail, feed the animals, and let kids hit the playgrounds, three hours or more is a more realistic plan.
Is it good for kids and strollers? Yes, the paved, flat pathways make it genuinely accessible for strollers and wheelchairs, and the hands-on feeding stations tend to be a huge hit with younger visitors.
What are the hours? The park is open Monday through Saturday from 10 AM to 6 PM and Sunday from 12 PM to 6 PM during the season.
Should I expect a big-city zoo experience? Not exactly, and that’s worth knowing going in. This is a smaller, family-operated park, so a handful of visitors have noted the enclosures feel more modest than what you’d find at a major metropolitan zoo. Most who visit still walk away impressed by how close you can get to the animals, which is a trade-off this kind of hands-on park is built around.
Boulder Ridge Wild Animal Park
📍 8313 Pratt Lake Ave SE, Alto, MI 49302
Website: https://boulderridgewap.com/
