Fun at Fox’s High Rock Petting Zoo in Hocking Hills
Next time you’re in the Hocking Hills area, take the youngsters a few miles south of Logan to Fox’s High Rock Farm and experience their Petting Zoo. The animals and hosts are very friendly. Get up-close to gentle animals that love extra attention.
Some people naturally love animals. Aaron and Cindy Fox grew up with dogs, cats, and horses all their life. So in 2016, when they found a small farm near Logan, they thought it would be the perfect place for a Petting Zoo so they could share their love of animals.
The animals here love people, as are well cared for and given special treatment from the time they are born. When animals are handled with kindness, they reciprocate by being gentle and love to be petted, fed, and talked to.
At the Petting Zoo, you will find sheep, horses, a pig, miniature cows, miniature donkeys, many goats, and friendly cats. While this is a small petting zoo, guests receive significant attention. Several college students, who all love animals and children, work here during the summer months. They answer questions and assist children as they find a favorite animal to pet.
Visiting a petting zoo has many benefits for children. They learn how to be gentle and caring with goats and sheep yet learn to be brave when petting larger animals like donkeys and horses. It’s the perfect place to observe the unique behaviors of the animals at close range.
Aaron and Cindy want the Petting Zoo to be affordable so admission is $2 per person. Many children come back often during the year to watch the animals grow and change. Baby animals are always a big attraction.
If you really want the animals to be your friend, buy an ice cream cone filled with Mazuri Petting Zoo Diet for $1. All the animals like this food which is purchased in 40-pound bags. You’ll have them eating right out of your hand. Yes, they even eat the cone!
Primary diet for all of the animals is hay from the Fox’s farm. During the winter season, they receive grain in the morning, but throughout the summer when the Petting Zoo is open, animals are fat and happy from all the food they are fed from the ice cream cones.
Get up close and personal with many goats that fill the pens. Children love watching the playful antics of the goats. Rub a pig’s belly or hug a lamb before heading out to the pasture to pet a horse, donkey, or cow.
Rules for visiting say:
- Please no hitting, biting, pulling, running, yelling, or screaming.
- Not responsible for butts, scratches, licks, and spit.
- We take responsibility for fun, good times, big smiles, laughter, and education.
Their gift shop is filled with gifts you are sure to enjoy. Find tee shirts, local Hocking Hills products (some made of goat milk), and stuffed animals, of course. Just outside the gift shop is a Penny Pincher machine that turns your penny into a souvenir with a picture of an animal on it. They have a wide selection of animal Christmas ornaments so I had to have one for my Christmas tree that gets decorated with memories of all my favorite places.
Aaron and Cindy are never bored as they also have Hocking Hills Canoe Livery in Logan. Here, the staff helps plan canoe, kayak, and raft trips on the Hocking River.
Once in a while, Aaron and Cindy find someone reliable to watch the animals and take a break in the Smoky Mountains or at Gatlinburg. Stopping at any Petting Zoo they see along the way is part of their journey as they are always looking for new ideas and ways to improve their zoo.
Their goal at the Petting Zoo is to give others the joy they feel being surrounded by animals on a daily basis. The Petting Zoo is open from Memorial Day to Labor Day every day except Wednesday from 10:00 – 5:00. During September and October, they are usually open on the weekends.
Teach the love of animals to your family by visiting the Petting Zoo with super friendly animals just south of Logan on Route 664. Take pictures for memories of a great day in Hocking Hills. The animals are waiting for you!
Gypsy Road Trip 