Its a great zoo for a small town, with some rare species inside you wouldnt expect. Peacocks roam free and the kids can get up close. Feed the ducks out by the park and take lots of pictures, its a great place to spend time with family. And I think you can go fishing in the lake. Be sure to ride the mini train into the woods and back.

It was a small but very well maintained place. We enjoyed both the animals and the vegetation. My kids especially loved the peacocks rooming around freely and thus the feather hunt :) The Halloween decorations were also a treat.

Awesome place. Great family outing.gorgeous lake. Beautiful train. Not very expensive.

This zoo is a wonderful hidden gem in Lufkin. Even with the smaller size of the zoo, they had a lot to offer from tigers and lions to giraffes and a hippo! You can not beat the low price for the entry, the beautiful hiking trails around a lake, and the super fun Z&OO train all along Zoo Circle. The animals were active and looked well cared for with plenty of coverage surrounding them for a calm feel instead of being in the middle of a city with loud traffic. There was plenty of shade and seating with beautiful greenery all around. Definitely will be stopping by again the next time I come through Lufkin!

Pros: Great zoo! Its not too big but not too small either. Free- roaming peacocks are absolutely beautiful. Price is affordable for families!Cons: Some animals looked bored, lonely. Big cats pacing back and forth looked stressed. The animals looked physically healthy, just sad. Animals maybe need more enrichment and updated enclosures down the line.

This zoo is without a doubt one of the hidden gems of this area of Texas. Though it is by no means large, the animals are well cared for, the exhibits are interesting, and they are constantly expanding into more and more exhibits for the public to see. At only $7 for an adult, its an inexpensive trip too. Concessions are adequate, hydration is available, and navigation of the park is fairly easy, with a helpful staff. It is clean, well maintained, and comfortable.If you have a couple of hours, visit them, and enjoy yourself. Its a wonderful addition to the county and region, and absolutely worth the effort to go see.

Small and charming zoo! We loved that it had a variety of animals, it was shaded, and reasonably priced. After your visit you can ride a train through the park just outside the zoos entrance. The zoo is in the middle of a park surrounded by a beautiful pond and woods.

This zoo was pretty good alot of animals to see although they had some put up on the day we went it took about an hour and a half to get around it. They also had a couple of play areas out side the zoo for the kids which was nice. Peacocks if love them this is definitely the place for you they were all over the place just walking around.

Really nice place if you’re looking for a small zoo close to town. The staff and employees were amazing and super nice! Would recommend 100%

Small and laid back. You can go to this zoo 10 times for the money it would take to go once to Houston. Cool little train ride for $1.00. Nice lake and park also.

Very nice little zoo for a town Lufkins size. My 3 year old son loves the train. There is a nice walking area around a pond and through the woods too.

Clean, well decorated zoo with interesting exhibits. Several animals that arent found at other zoos in the area. Lots of areas to sit and rest, if needed. The Lions club also runs an optional train on the grounds (additional admission) that is fun for kids.

Great zoo for its size. All the big mammals the kiddos love - rhino, hippo, lion, tiger, giraffe. Plenty of birds and small mammals from around the world. Plenty of covered areas to picnic. Relatively inexpensive. Nice place to spend a few hours on a sunny day!

I was really pleasantly surprised at the quality for $8/adult. Its small, but its clean and the animals seem cared for. It also has playgrounds near the entrance, which was nice!

The zoo was really fun and they had lots of animals to see. Was really amazed at how much they had for a little zoo. They also have a nice little train ride that takes you on the outside of the zoo, but the train conductor was very rude. All we had was a $20 because it’s cash only, and he was complaining that we didn’t have smaller bills. If you don’t have the change to give, then accept other forms of payment.

Great if you have small kids . Lots of shade . Having been going all my life . Its small but its great for little ones

For a small zoo there are many things to see. Our favorites are the Hippos, Otters, Sloths and Komodo Dragons. Oh and the Giraffes.... And the Rhinos. Oh and they have a Bald Eagle....and White Peacocks....and Pink Flamingos.......and......We love the zoo. Ah, if that wasnt enough theres a train you can ride across the road!

Good place to visit and spend quality time with family. I love walking around the trail.

I was totally impressed. From Google maps view I was thinking this was going to be small and really rinky dink. Definitely not the case. I was very impressed and would certainly come here again.

Went early and to there when it opened. At that time there were not alot of people and we felt like we had the place alot to ourselves but started getting busy right after lunch. Great place and 2 playground for the kids.

Very nice zoo. Some of the exhibits are closed due to this virus most were open. Concession stand is open but only prepackaged items sold. Oh and bring cash for the zoo and the train.

Wonderful experience! This zoo is great for a morning kids’ activity—or anytime, really! Everything is in great shape. The exhibits are well designed and very aesthetically pleasing! The train is wonderful! It’s always a treat to ride! The playgrounds are great to burn off some energy!

It feels like a jungle and lots of protection from the sun. Several places to sit and chill while watching the animals. Small but fun. Price is perfect and a little train outside zoo to kill a bit more time with young ones. Picnic areas and lake outside of Zoo. Peacocks everywhere and greet you almost immediately.

Ellen Trout Zoo is a family favorite! It takes a little over an hour to walk. The entire path is shaded, which in the Texas heat is important! Convenient, fun, educational, inexpensive, everything you could ask for in a local zoo!

I was on a trip and decided to stop by and take my son on the way home. I was very pleased with the zoo and the experience we had! The zoo itself was clean and had a good variety of animals, the lake was beautiful and he really enjoyed the playground areas as well. It was well worth the price, for one adult and one 8 year old the cost was only $10.50 which was great compared to most zoos. We both really enjoyed it and I would highly recommend it!

Great pricing. Cool animals with Gorillas to come. Will be back.

Our favorite zoo. Year pass is only $40 and it gets you in free to Houston zoo and Waco zoo. Gets you in half price at all zoos that are part of the American zoological association. Small zoo but great variety of animals. Most of which you can get really close to.

Such a nice surprise for a smaller zoo! Not at all crowded so it was great to be able to walk around and really enjoy the experience. The animals all looked better than some you see in bigger zoos. The winding path through the zoo was a bit confusing, but it was nicely shaded and the atmosphere gave you a sense of being in the jungle. I would love to come back many more times in the future. Highly recommend a visit if you’re in the area. The surrounding park and lake seemed well kept and a nice place to fish and walk. Just look out for gators!

Loved it, best zoo Ive been to, actually saw many animals up close unlike other any other zoo

Great little zoo prices are reasonable fun place to take a family with small children

Was nice. Lots of animals missing though. Would go again

The walking trail is pleasant but hot at around noon. It was still nice and plenty of warnings signs regarding any alligators

I really enjoyed it not very big but it was nice and worth every penny plus I have teenagers so yea they even enjoyed their selfs.

They have clean playgrounds, a train ride, and a lot of different habitats for it being a smaller zoo. If youre looking for the bigger animals they DO have some giraffes, rhinos and big cats. However we found this much more enjoyable at just being something a little different. Our kids went nuts over the otters and the peacocks they have roaming around the grounds. Would definitely recommend if you need an inexpensive family day!

We had a blast first zoo trip and it was nice and we were able to enjoy it and get through it in a timely manner. And the train was a hit with our little guy. Highly recommend!!!

Cool smaller zoo no lines or huge crowd easy 2 hr visit and saw all animals

Great little Zoo that is close to home and the kids love it! Not expensive at all, with good animal exhibits. Kids wont get too tired of walking like at the bigger Zoos.

Great place to spend couple hours very nice zoo

Ive been visiting this zoo for over 30 years, and am still visiting. Even in the hot Texas heat, ETZ has plenty of shade and ways to stay cool. Concessions help, as well as a breezey train ride over the lake. A family pass is worth it if youre going to be in the area for over a week, and definitely worth it for the year. The educational programs are a great opportunity, too!

Absolutely amazing we came down for an award ceremony and this one was clean beautiful and made us feel like we were right there with them best zoo I have been to yet.

JUST GREAT,LOVED THE VISIT, WE HADNT BEEN THERE IN ABOUT 10 YEARS,THEY HAVE REALLY MADE THE ZOO A PLUS

Great place for a family. I have been dozens of times. Lots of exhibits, two small parks, a train that crosses the pond. PERFECT size zoo for young kids; See all the animals and play at the park in 3-4 hours. Lots of fun. Great place for birthday. The annual Zoo Boo(the last weekend each October) is a must-do!

I live in Houston. Approx 30 minutes from the Houston zoo.When my kids wanna go to the zoo, we load up and come here.It’s better. Nicer. Less crowded. Friendlier. The animals are always out and most of the time their right in front of you.The train ride is fun. The park is great.We really like this zoo!

I visited the Zoo on July 5th with my daughter and two grandsons, 2 and 4. This is a very nice, clean park with beautiful trails leading to the animal exhibits which are well maintained. The grounds are pretty with plenty of shade and places to rest and/or picnic. Admission and Concession employess were VERY nice and drinks/snacks affordable.We all enjoyed the train ride around the lake area and bridges. The train is cash only so keep that in mind. We live closer to the Houston Zoo, but honestly, this zoo experience was more enjoyable.

Great place, not crowded and plenty of shade coverage throughout the whole zoo walking path.

Very affordable and it was a nice place my daughter loved it, was the first time shes been to a zoo, would definitely recommend it to anyone.

Great even in the summer. Not as big ad houston so its not an all day event. Just perfect for morning to lunch.

Very cute little zoo. Still had several animals out even in cooler weather. This was our grandsons zoo, he was sharing with us on our visit. For a smaller zoo it had good variety of animals. The size if the zoo is also great for little ones with short attention spans.

We love Ellen trout Zoo! The prices are great, the exhibits are amazing, and they even have a little gift shop at concession stand. Its pretty shady so its not so bad in the heat and there are tons of places to rest.

I would say its ready for spring! Its nice and clean, animals are having fun with the nice weather. Right now the bridge for the train is closed, though, so I would suggest putting up a sign that says you go around in a circle twice instead of through the woods. We still had a fun time on the train, though. I hope theyre looking for a new tiger. I know theyre older tiger just passed away, and their young tiger looks a little lonely.

What a nice little zoo.We had a great time.

Fantastic. Most of the walk through is shaded and the entry and train prices are cheep!

Great zoo. Reasonably priced with lots of animals and shade. We love it.

Small zoo but fun for kids and connected to a great park area

Well kept. Lots of animals

Wonderful place, every 3 years we attend. Fishing afterwards.

Great little zoo and all the animals are well taken care off

Incredible zoo with a few rare and lovely species.

So much fun...loved all the different animals.And the Mayan design!

Absolutely love this Zoo! The kids really enjoy it! My 2yr old couldt stop talking to us about everything he saw he was so excited to be here. My daughter a 6yr old and everyone else love the chuchu train! MY FAVORITE ZOO!!

Love this Zoo and the atmosphere. Not very big but its nice and peaceful. Been here many times with my family.

This place is very dirty, and it doesn’t look like the animals like it either. I definitely wouldn’t recommend this place because they never clean. Gotta admit though, at least the fishing is good

I LOVED this zoo. It wasnt super busy at all when we went. It was easy to navigate and the map made complete sense. The entrance fee is great. They have a train that you can ride on the outside, it rained so we didnt get to experience that but it was only $2 a person. They have an AWESOME hippo exhibit where the hippos swim right behind you through glass. There is seating and picnic tables everywhere. It is also a more natural experience as they have lots of greenery, which also serves as plenty of shade. My kids had a great time and we will definitely be going back.

It is such a wonderful Zoo for a small town. Its a tradition when my grandkids come to town. Love going to zoos.

Pretty park, nice trail to walk through the woods, nice place to fish.

Great zoo. Its small but great for small kids

Family fun. Plenty of shade to keep cool. Nice exhibits. Indoor exhibits were closed due to Covi-19.

Great zoo! We took our 3 year old daughter and she had a blast. The exhibits were well done. We made a great memory.

Very easy to navigate with small children while allowing them have the freedom to roam outside of a stroller or wagon. Didnt have as many species as a big city zoo but it also doesnt have the volume of people crowding hop walking paths. The train is awesome and just $2.

This might not be the biggest zoo or have the most animals but it for sure is one of the most interactive zoos ive been to! The Peacocks running around everywhere is worth the trip just in itself!

Small zoo that is easy to get around in. Lots of shade for hot summer days.

My kids and family had a great time. Good family fun

Way more shade than Caldwell in Tyler. Smaller, more manageable when taking kids. Overall, nice.

Peacocks Galore!The Ellen Trout Zoo is known for its peacocks that roam freely throughout the grounds. But, theres so much more than just the peacocks to bring you to the Lufkin Zoo.· Low-cost· Just big enough to hold kids attention, but not so big that your lil ones get bored· Plenty of free or cheap secondary attractionsThis very well might be the most budget friendly (cheap) family experience in East Texas. Rhinos, Giraffes, Lions, Reptiles, Birds, Fish, etc.This zoo has all the attractions you expect from a zoo, but with the added benefit that its surrounded by picnic areas, playgrounds, and a rodeo arena and fairgrounds. Plus, theres a train (also, surprisingly cheap) that takes you on a ride around the zoo. The best thing about all these other attractions - you dont need to pay admission to the zoo to enjoy them.

Great zoo for our town. Beautiful landscape and we’ve always loved the train!

Great little zoo the kids loved and they loved the train ride

A beautiful little zoo! Perfect size and exhibits for kids. There price is very affordable if your a one time visitor or, if your local, buy an annual family pass (it may also work at other zoos!) If you have an annual pass to another zoo you may get a discount or even get in here at no cost! Great spot to visit often, bring a lunch or just to sit on one of the many benchs or patios and enjoy the animals and their visitors.

Not a whole lot of animals takes no time to walk through animals are not interactive before noon the best part is the train ride

Love seeing the animals. I havent been in years and love all the improvement.

Havent had quality time with my son because of my work hours. I took Saturday off to spend time with him. We decided to come to this zoo, and my little boy had so much fun! So many laughs and so many memories. He saw hippos and otters, Rhinos and Lions. He met so many new friends and he had the time of his life. I will cherish these memories forever. 10/10 We will be back.

What a surprise the Ellen Trout Zoo was. It was the best little zoo weve been to. There was a forest or jungle feel to it with easy to walk paths that were clearly marked. Our grand-daughter wanted to see the hippos right away, because it all started 50 yrs with one hippo. We told her to wait shell smell them soon enough. To our surprise there was no smell to any animal enclosures...not even the rhinos. There were peacocks roaming around that werent bothered by people. Enjoyed our visit very much.

Good zoo for the size of the community. I was surprised by the number of large animals that really grabbed my childs attention. Plenty of spots along the way to have a seat and rest of need be but its a small enough zoo to easily walk in a single go. There are a few areas that need some refreshing but not out of bounds when compared to other zoos the same size.Overall a good outing to entertain the kiddos for an afternoon.

Great time with my grandson and family

We have visited several times. That day the sun came out for the first time in a week and the animals were taking advantage of the awesome day. Lions roared and all animals were up and moving all day. The gift shop could have more to offer and the place could be updated a little but we donate every trip to the gorilla habitat and help to renovate. Great place though

We came here with a 2 year old and saw many more youngsters. This zoo is just right for 5 and under children. Just right for me too. The distance of walking isnt extraneous. The animals to see are amazing. Theres a little train to ride. Everything about this place is very comfy. I wish some of the critters had a little more room is all.

Awesome little place. Very small but you get to be up close with the animals.

Very nice, clean and beautiful zoo and park. The price is so reasonable

I always enjoy the Ellen trout zoo. Its a great place to bring my younger children for a educational family day. Enjoyed the park and picnic afterwards.

I absolutley love the zoo. For the size of the town, this is a great zoo with plenty of animals and exhibits! A little fact that people dont seem to realize is that on Sundays/Mondays, its free admission before 10AM. All you have to do is check in at the window! Staff is very friendly and knowledgeable and the train ride is a lot of fun for all ages! The train ride is cash only but only $2 for adults and toddlers 3 and under are free! Definitely visit the zoo if youre ever in the area and you wont be disappointed!

Cute little Zoo!!This zoo is a smaller zoo, can be walked through in an hour or less even.Great for smaller children who lose interest fast.Enclosures were well-maintained, and animals were playing and eating.The train ride is pretty neat too for littles who love riding the choo-choos

I love this zoo. I have been there many times. A great place for kids complete with train ride. I prefer thus zoo to Houston zoo any day.

Great place for smaller kids. My son loved the train. Walking areas are shaded by all the trees which was great. Gift shop is a lil expensive. But great place to go! They have free parking and parks that the kids can play by the parking areas. Picnic tables near by and you can also fish in the pond outside of the Zoo. As long as you have a fishing license.

Had a great time with the kids. Very nice and clean place.

Great place to spend with family and friends...

Good little zoo. Adults are only $8 a piece. The zoo only takes about an hour to get through.

This zoo has been a part of our family for over 20 years. Invest in a membership it is well worth the price.

For a relatively small town, I was not expecting such an impressive zoo. The prices for admission, concessions, and the train are very reasonable. The grounds are nice, with zoomy, accessible pathways and beautiful landscaping. The animals all appear to be well-cared for.

Great small zoo. Clean and staff was very friendly. Needs some work in a few of the exhibits but overall was niceLiked how close you could see the animalsThis is a good place to spend time with familyVery inexpensive, family affordable.

It’s a great zoo!! We loved the peacocks walking around and the little train!! It’s very kid friendly!!

Good zoo for its size and location