Where to Find Huntsville’s Furriest Friends

baby lamb at the Burritt On the Mountain barnyard

Springtime in Huntsville and Madison County can be a beautiful thing – the cherry blossoms bloom in Big Spring Park, the greenways explode in wildflowers, and all of Rocket City wakes up from its winter nap.

It’s a great time of year to take your little ones around to these Huntsville Hidden Gems and visit with the animals. From furry friends to feathered and everything in-between, animal lovers have lots of options to see!

Burritt’s Barnyard

Welcome to the Barnyard, we’re very glad you’ve come,
There’s lots of things to do here… and chores that must get done,
The animals need feeding; the crops need lots of sun,
But most of all we want you here because it’s loads of fun!

The Burritt Barnyard lies at the heart Huntsville’s historic Burritt Park on top of Monte Sano Mountain. The farm animals are friendly and love visitors, and kids can get up close to pet the more social ones. Goats, horses, pigs, cows, sheep, and chickens are all functioning members of the the family. Burritt’s Barnyard Spring Farm Days is slated for April and is always tons of fun.

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Alpacas are Awesome!

Located just north of Huntsville in Meridianville, AL, RockHouse Alpaca Farm is a great place to go for a close encounter with these llama-like cousins. They usually have babies to coo over in the Spring and you can even feed them!

Harmony Park Safari

This drive-thru park opens its season in March and should be on every family’s Must List. Kids will delight in the 2-mile loop where animals enjoy up-close encounters thanks to the animal treat buckets you get at the entrance. There is also a Reptile House and a turtle petting area.

1818 Farms

Sheep, goats, dogs, and several varieties of chickens call 1818 Farms in Mooresville, Alabama home. Pre-Covid you could tour the farm and pet the animals, but now a virtual tour is on their website until they can open safely again. Be sure that you do – their Babydoll Sheep are sooooo adorable!

Get Lost in Nature at the Madison County Nature Trail

Baby Ducks at Big Spring

It’s just not springtime in Huntsville without a visit to Big Spring Park to see the fluffy new baby ducks. Be sure to bring pocket change for the duck food dispensers (not bread!), and if you want to make a day of it, a picnic lunch. If you’re really feeling adventurous, go on a Lucky Duck Scavenger Hunt around downtown Huntsville!

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Note: This post was originally published in 2015 and has been updated with current information.

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Stephenie Walker

Stephenie has worked with and around books and authors for over 12 years, both at retail booksellers and public libraries. She is a rare Huntsville native, mother of two high-energy boys, wife of one, and eerily addicted to community volunteering. When she's not being the Managing Editor for RCM she likes to stalk her favorite authors online, cook with way too much butter, and also manages to conduct freelance marketing and PR work.

View Comments (2)

Rhonda Brewster says:

Jun 27, 2015 at 10:24 PM

Stephenie: What about KidVenture’s critters? We have lizards, birds, a rabbit, rats, and snakes. We frequently allow kids to pet them. I would love to have us mentioned on this list.

Rhonda

- Stephenie Walker says:
  
  Jun 28, 2015 at 9:00 PM
  
  You’re so right! Kidventure is a GREAT place to go to visit furry friends. Thanks for the reminder!