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Trip Planner:   USA  /  Nebraska  /  Scottsbluff  /  Riverside Discovery Center

Riverside Discovery Center, Scottsbluff

4.2
#54 of 99 in Parks in Nebraska
Zoo · Hidden Gem · Zoo / Aquarium
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The Riverside Discovery Center, formerly named the Riverside Park and Zoo, is a park and zoo complex along the North Platte River in Scottsbluff, Nebraska, United States.

Riverside Park is Scottsbluff's city park, and has the only zoo in western Nebraska. It includes three lakes with camping and recreation areas, and a riverside trail that runs along the banks of the North Platte River. There are also over 30 garden spots.

December 16, 2017 two brother grizzly bears went on exhibit. In the spring of 2017 their mother was illegally killed in Wyoming. State and Federal wildlife officials hoped the two orphaned cubs would survive in the wild without their mother. After several months on their own in the wild, the two cubs became increasingly habituated to humans for food. State and Federal wildlife officials were concerned about public safety and the well-being of the grizzly cubs. When it was evident the cubs were not going to survive in the wild on their own, State and Federal wildlife officials made the decision to capture the two cubs and try to find them a home. Riverside Discovery Center offered to assist in the rescue of the two cubs and to provide a new home for these two grizzly bear cubs.

Riverside Discovery Center was directly in the path of the August 21, 2017 total eclipse.

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Riverside Discovery Center reviews

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TripAdvisor traveler rating
TripAdvisor traveler rating 4.5
42 reviews
Google
4.5
TripAdvisor
  • Good zoo, my son loved the splash pad and the Dino dog area. Some cool animals to see. The landscaping at the zoo could be better and watered better. 
    Good zoo, my son loved the splash pad and the Dino dog area. Some cool animals to see. The landscaping at the zoo could be better and watered better.  more »
  • What a great little zoo they have here. Shady, easy to walk and not overwhelming. Saw both the chimpanzee and bear training demos. Really informative and very interesting. Will have to bring... 
    What a great little zoo they have here. Shady, easy to walk and not overwhelming. Saw both the chimpanzee and bear training demos. Really informative and very interesting. Will have to bring...  more »
Google
  • Fun, little zoo with some up-close views of tigers, bobcats, goats, bison, spider monkeys and more. Peacock families, swans and ducks roam freely and there are goats in the petting zoo that are so sweet! You can sit 5 ft away from the tiger exhibit- way better than the Denver zoo exhibit. The kids barn is fun and the playground is ample-sized. We visited on a windy Sunday in October and had the entire place to ourselves! The animals were excited to see us! The staff was nice and there were vending machines and a gift shop.
  • What a great little zoo! It was a great first time experience for our daughter. A good selection of animals to see and the petting zoo was neat. We'll definitely go back!

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