Great Bend Zoo
The Great Bend Zoo (formally the Great Bend-Brit Spaugh Zoo) is a medium-sized zoo in Great Bend, Kansas in the United States. Records date it to 1952. Expect 67–82°F afternoons in the mildest months, April, May, September and October.
A zoo & aquarium inside Great Bend
Summers are hot
July highs run 92–92°, and about 70 days a year reach 90°. When to go ↓
Winters are cold
January nights drop to 19°, with about 12" of snow a year. When to go ↓
You can stay in Great Bend
Great Bend Zoo is inside Great Bend, which has 13 places to stay, so you won’t need a base farther out. Where to stay ↓
Best months: Apr, May, Sep and Oct
April, May, September and October are the mild months, with highs of 67–82°. When to go ↓
Established in 1952
Great Bend Zoo dates from 1952. About ↓
Written from NOAA 1991–2020 normals, Overture places to stay, Census town figures, Wikidata and Wikipedia.
The year’s weather
Pick a month for Great Bend Zoo from the weather below.
Great Bend Zoo
The Great Bend Zoo (formally the Great Bend-Brit Spaugh Zoo) is a medium-sized zoo in Great Bend, Kansas in the United States. It is located within Brit Spaugh Park, just off U.S. Route 281 in the north central portion of the city. Founded in 1953, the zoo is one of Great Bend's biggest attractions.
- Type
- Zoo & aquarium
- Animals
- 60 species
- Established
- 1952
Overnight near Great Bend Zoo
The closest towns with hotels, motels or campgrounds are Great Bend (13) and Hoisington (4).
Compare 8 towns
| Town | From Great Bend Zoo | Drive | Places to stay | People | Typical home | Safety |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Great Bend | in town | — | 13 11 hotels · 1 lodge or cabins · 1 RV park | 14,266 | $134K | C |
| Hoisington | 10 mi north | 15 min | 4 4 hotels | 2,598 | $95K | B+ |
| Ellinwood | 10 mi east | 15 min | 3 1 hotel · 2 inns & B&Bs | 1,969 | $109K | — |
| Great Bend Township | 2 mi northeast | 5 min | 1 1 hotel | 1,397 | $203K | — |
| South Bend Township | 5 mi south | 10 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 563 | $116K | — |
| Larned | 22 mi southwest | 35 min | 5 3 hotels · 1 motel · 1 RV park | 3,596 | $95K | C |
| Claflin | 16 mi northeast | 25 min | 1 1 campground | 542 | $107K | — |
| Independent Township | 19 mi northeast | 30 min | 1 1 lodge or cabins | 644 | $107K | — |
Getting there
Nearest airports with airline service
Combine it with these
A wider trip can take in these, within 64 miles.
46 mi LandmarkFort Hays
51 mi MuseumKansas Cosmosphere and Space Center150K visitors a year
129 mi National Historic SiteFort Larned National Historic Site21K visitors a year63 mi Zoo & aquariumRolling Hills Zoo52 mi Zoo & aquariumHutchinson Zoo
46 mi MuseumSternberg Museum of Natural HistoryPhoto credits
Fort Hays: IveGoneAway, CC BY-SA 4.0 · Kansas Cosmosphere and Space Center: Patrick Pelletier (Ppelleti (talk)), CC BY-SA 3.0 · Fort Larned National Historic Site: Nathan King / National Park Service, Public domain · Sternberg Museum of Natural History: FUBAR007, CC0
Great Bend Zoo: common questions
Is Great Bend Zoo in Great Bend?
Yes. It’s inside Great Bend, KS.
When is the best time to visit Great Bend Zoo?
April, May, September and October, with highs of 67–82°.
How far is Great Bend Zoo from Wichita?
About 90 miles southeast of Wichita, as the crow flies.
What is the closest airport to Great Bend Zoo?
Hays Regional (HYS), about 43 miles away. The nearest big hub is OKC Will Rogers World (OKC), about 216 miles.
Where should I stay near Great Bend Zoo?
Great Bend (in town, 13 places to stay), Hoisington (10 mi, 4 places to stay) and Ellinwood (10 mi, 3 places to stay).
Tips from Great Bend
Tips will appear here once someone posts in Great Bend’s Town Square.
Sources: National Park Service · ski areas © OpenSkiMap / OpenStreetMap contributors · Wikidata · Wikipedia readership · NOAA climate normals · U.S. Census.