Little Ponderosa Zoo & Rescue is East Tennessee New Title non-profit zoo, rescue, and rehabilitation facility in Clinton, TN — an easy 35-40 minute drive for Maryville families. Every visit supports the exotic animals who call the zoo home plus the native Tennessee wildlife that comes through their rehabilitation program.

Unlike a big-city zoo, Little Ponderosa is a small, low-crowd rescue zoo built for hands-on family fun. Kids can buy buckets of feed and hand-feed friendly animals like llamas, goats, deer, camels, water buffalo, and lots of birds. There is also a giant tiger and a wallaby among the rescue residents.

Hours (regular season): Monday through Saturday 10 AM - 5 PM, Sunday 12 PM - 5 PM.

Admission: $15 adults, $10 children and seniors, free for kids 2 and under. Animal feed buckets are extra (a big bucket runs about $20).

Seasonal events: Every fall they host their big Fall Festival (Oct 10-11, 2026) with 20+ vendors, a slime bar, live bluegrass, pony rides and more, plus Halloween Trick-or-Treat Nights in October. Check their website or Facebook for current dates.

The zoo also offers Behind-the-Scenes tours and animal experiences (book ahead), and can bring a mobile animal experience to you for birthdays and events (starting around $700). There is no parking fee.

Parents love it for toddlers and young kids because the animals are close and the crowds are small — but it is fun for animal lovers of any age.