worth the drive
Ann Marie Kennon • annmarie@lhtxdigest.com
Topsey Exotic Ranch 945 CR 118, Copperas Cove (254) 547-3700 • Open Daily, including holidays, March - Sept • Guests admitted at 9am - 5pm, complete your tour and depart by 6pm. October - February • Guests admitted 9am - 3pm to complete tour and depart by 5pm.
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or 34 years, the Friedel family has been working to preserve some incredible wonders of the animal kingdom for Texans to enjoy up close and personal. Topsey is a natural, free-range safari and petting zoo on 350 acres in the Hill Country. Guests can see a great variety of exotic domestic and wild animals from around the world, some of which are endangered and even extinct in the wild.
When Pop Friedel bought the property in 1988, he spent seven years preparing and perfecting the environment and acquiring a wonderful blend of animals that would live and thrive together before opening to the public. That passion for nature, and love of animals is still evident everywhere you look, including his family members who are carrying on the tradition and conservation.
WHEN TO GO When you meet staff like Stephanie Friedel (above), you know immediately how much they love being there, caring for the animals, and making sure every visitor’s experience is memorable and to make sure, the Ranch is open every day of the year, including Christmas. Current operations, other than a request to bring hand sanitizer,
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are completely normal and going very well. Stephanie says there are generally more visitors on weekends, but the drive trail covers hundreds of acres so vehicles are able to safari at their own pace; the trail averages anywhere from 45 minutes to two hours. “Visitors are able to pull over if they wish,” Stephanie says. “If you want to spend extra time taking photos, wait for the zebras to get a drink of water, or enjoy feeding the camels for a long time, there is no worry about traffic on the trail.” For the safety of the animals, ranch rules include keeping your windows all the way up or down for the duration of your drive. So, if you don’t like the heat, you can keep your windows closed and enjoy the view with the A/C on high. Same goes in the winter if you want to keep your heat on and stay cozy inside.
A P R I L 2022 LIBER T Y HILL D IGES T
