Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo
4.4(985)google
4.5(35)yelp
Family
Overview
Tupelo Buffalo Park & Zoo offers an adventurous and wildly unique outdoor experience, sprawling across 210 acres and hosting one of the largest herds of American bison east of the Mississippi River. Visitors can hop aboard an open-air monster bison truck for a guided safari ride directly into the pastures to encounter these majestic, massive creatures up close. The zoo is also home to a diverse array of exotic animals, including giraffes, zebras, lions, and reptiles, alongside a delightful petting zoo for younger children. It provides a thrilling, highly engaging educational environment perfect for families and wildlife lovers wishing to experience hands-on animal interactions and rugged farm adventures.
Practical Info
Mon10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Tue10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Wed10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Thu10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Fri10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sat10:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Sun11:00 AM – 4:00 PM
Suggested Duration2.5-4 hours
Best TimeRecommended from May to October, strictly starting at 10:00 AM opening. Early hours ensure the massive American bison herds and exotic giraffes are active and grazing before the midday heat spikes. Booking the morning's first open-air Monster Buffalo Bus Tour maximizes your chances of herds swarming the truck for treats.
Getting ThereLocated in North Tupelo at 2272 Coley Road. Drive off I-22 via Exit 82 for Coley Road South. Proceed south for 1.5 miles; the zoo gates marked by wooden archways will be on your right, opening into a spacious, complimentary unpaved flat gravel and grass parking field for all visitor vehicles.
Travel Tips
- Observing the massive American bison herds requires a separate ticket for the park's guided rugged monster truck safari; standard civilian passenger vehicles are strictly barred from the bison rangeland.
- The pedestrian walking loops consist of unpaved aggregate dirt and loose rock prone to horsefly swarms in summer; apply maximum-strength DEET and wear enclosed boots to bypass insect bites.
- Animal feeding requires vetted nutritional pellets purchased strictly at the gate ticketing office; throwing outside snacks, stale bread, table scraps, or citrus fruits into enclosures is a strict ban.
Reviews
Positive
- Boasting the largest American bison herd in East Mississippi; riding a specialized open-top truck to feed bison up close maximizes outdoor fun.
- It also houses zebras, camels, and gentle animals; interactive feeding pods live up to the name, perfect for family driving trips.
- Provides a spacious, free private ground parking lot with good driving access; internal food and feed prices are fair, offering high family value.
- Infrastructure features basic accessible viewing decks with lively signs; staff provide warm, patient, family-run management.
Heads up
- Operating as a raw, rustic ranch zoo, animal waste odors get pungent and strong in hot weather, needing better visual cleanliness.
- Public restrooms and basic trash cans are sparse and dated; public benches普遍 lack adequate shaded shelter structures, leaving guests sunbaked.
- Peak weekends pack heavy family visitor density; the truck tour requires long waits in line, and management struggles during human surges.
- Multilingual animal texts and safety signs are in a total vacuum (pure English), making it less convenient for foreign family groups.