Colorado Gators Reptile Park

A MUST SEE EXPERIENCE!!! Haven't been here in many years but love it just as much! Grew up going here in the summertime as a kid, so this family and establishment hold a special place in my heart. Jay and the rest of the family are as welcoming as ever! It is a little bit different due to the fire last year but still a great encounter overall! With so much to see! Not only gators, but crocs, snakes, lizards, birds, turtles, tortoises, and more. An enjoyable trip that is also incredibly educational!

If you're in the area, Colorado Gators Reptile Park is an absolute must-visit! Home to hundreds of alligators and some other rescued exotic species, this place is truly one-of-a-kind. Being from the South Carolina coast, I'm no stranger to alligators, but it was definitely a first to see them in the mountains!One of the coolest parts of the experience was getting to see their celebrity gator, Morris -- the one who's appeared in movies like Happy Madison and on TV. And for the grand finale, you get to hold a baby gator! You even receive a certificate of bravery afterward, which is such a fun touch.Pro tip: If you buy a piece of apparel from the gift shop and wear it during your next visit, you'll get free admission.

Earlier this year (2023) the Colorado Gators Reptile Park caught on fire. Many animals sadly lost their lives. On September 3, my oldest daughter begged us if we could go here. Admission Prices:Ages 5 and under = FREEAges 6-15 = $12.50Ages 16-64 = $25Ages 64-79 = $12.50Ages 80 and over = FREEShe ended up holding Morticia and receiving a Morticia-teeth clamped certificate for doing so. This was included in admission. Take your own photos or kindly ask one of the staff members to assist you.There was so much more than just alligators of various kinds. Morris, the 500-pound movie star, was the standout for most onlookers. (He ate Chubbs' hand in "Happy Gilmore.") I was fascinated with Bo Mangles and the other albino alligators. Clever name, Bo Mangles. I bet he does...They was a fish house. My daughters fed the tilapia for free! Turtles. Tortoises. Lizards. Pythons. Emus. Crocodiles. A fig tree brought across country from 1887 still stood.Inside the gift shop, my significant other encouraged me to look at the "lost fingers" in jars. Yikes.I hope they keep building and improving. Some of the signage could be more professional. Some animals could use explaining period.While every single staff member was joyous and friendly, they can't possibly be there to answer every single question. The only other thing I would change is the safety of the parking lots. Flashing crosswalk lights? Crosswalk lines? Better signage? Heck if I know what might help... Folks don't slow down anymore anywhere. There wasn't enough space in the small lot in the same area as the entrance, so we parked across the rural street in a dirt overflow lot. Unbelievable how folks persue to drive like jerks in that area.TIPS+ Some of the brochures scattered all over Alamosa have "free bucket of gator chow! One per group" coupons.+ Free EV (eletric vehicle) charging station is available. Please plan a visit here... most of the animals were rescues. It's definitely a fun please to learn for little ones and cowboys alike.

July 25, 2023. Tuesday. Afternoon. This place rocked! It started as a tilapia farm in '77. They added gators in 1987 to take care of the fish waste. This family farm does a lot of good by accepting pets people no longer want and taking in seized animals. You can fish the ponds in front of the entrance. Rods, reels and line are provided. They have catfish, carp and tilapia. When you catch one, you can either feed it to the gators or take it home to eat. Admission costs $25 a person. You could buy a really cool t-shirt for $35, and admission would be free. Wish I had bought a t-shirt as there were some really humorous ones. Upon entering, my wife and I were presented by an alligator named Morticia, to hold. See attached photo. She had a wonderful calm demeanor and scaly skin. Could have used some lotion. Holding her was worth the price of admission. There were some giant, 10'+ gators that had been in the movies, as well as three, blind, cool looking albino alligators. We enjoyed watching them feed the alligators because they get super active. The four emus had ridiculous hairdos. We viewed stand-up sharks, caimans, box turtles, red eared sliders, green sunfish, redtail catfish and piranha. We saw crocodiles as well. The differences between the two were that alligators can live in very cold weather and can't survive in saltwater. There were signs posted everywhere with fun facts about the animals along with funny jokes. They have indoor aquariums with fish, turtles, alligators, caimans, snakes and crocodiles. There is a huge open tank that you can toss fish pellets at the tilapia. They frenzy after this food and jump out of the water to get it. You could easily spend three or more hours here with the entire family. The signs were super educational, and the critters were active when we visited. Do yourself a favor and visit this tilapia and gator farm in Mosca, CO. Bring a fishing rod and buy a cool t-shirt to support this family run farm.

Colorado Gators Reptile Park is a great place to view various reptiles, birds, and other beasts in a contained and artificial environment. The facility offers many alligators that visitors can view from a variety of distances. Colorado Gators Reptile Park claims to have been launched as a tilapia farm in 1977, so it comes as no surprise that there are many fish. Last I checked, however, fishing is not permitted. Human fishing would disrupt the food supply chain for the many alligators.Some of the alligators are massive and appear passive. Nevertheless, certain signage alleges that these big boys are not passive, as they have murdered partners and attacked innocents. Do not worry, though. The risk to visitors following posted rules seems to be minimal.Admission as of summer 2022 is $20, with reductions for certain people on the sole basis of age and nothing else. As such, it is not a great choice if you're looking to save money.The staff may allow you, your children, and your parents to hold a baby alligator, which is particularly tender on its underside. As far as I know, you are not allowed to eat this alligator or other alligators on the premises."This is a working farm it does smell!!"

After visiting the sand dunes we decided to just stop in Alamosa for the night. At the hotel we found a flyer for this place and our 12 year old reptile enthusiast wanted to check it out! We brought the flyer for a free bucket of food and stopped at the convenience store just south of the farm to get discounted tickets. It was most definitely worth the 45 extra minutes of driving time it added to the trip! The farm was beautiful, all the staff were so kind and happy to answer any question we had. My wife didn't do the tour so she walked out dog along the pond and said it was stunning, my son and I had an amazing time seeing the various animals and holding the baby gators. This is a MUST STOP for anyone with kids or just anyone who enjoy this type of experience. We are already planning another trip to take my niece and nephew with us

We stayed in Salida for a couple of days and decided to check this place out. It was about an hour + drive going and coming back, but it was worth it! They have so many cool things here. So many alligators, snakes, fishes, you name it, they have it! It's well taken care of and they employees were super nice! I had a conversation with one of the gentlemen that works there and he was so nice and helpful! I wish we had a place like this in LA. Next time I am in Salida,Co. I will be stopping by at this place again! Totally worth the drive.

Really fun and interactive. Plus you get to hold a baby gator every time you go. Lots to see

Very interesting and educational habitat to visit, with lots of cool interactive experiences!

Excellent. Tons of gators. Can bring your dog through the entire establishment. Worth it.