WORTH THE DRIVE

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.

For 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, 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.

GET PLENTY OF FEED FOR MIKE AND MONTY >>> THEY CAN EAT A WHOLE BAG AT ONCE— BUT YOU WILL LOVE EVERY MINUTE OF IT!

A GREAT DAYTRIP

To start, Topsey is about an hour from Liberty Hill, and the trip there is a beautiful drive through Texas country. Admission is very reasonable for a day of adventure and you can feed animals all day long for $1 per bag. Everything you see, from the animal pens to the restrooms, is well-maintained, well-marked, and—specifically the humans’ areas—spotless. There is also an air-conditioned gift shop with games, toys, snacks and drinks, and apparel; some purchases help support conservation efforts outside the ranch.

A WILD TIME

On our recent visit, among other spirited moments, we fed dozens of goats, tried to get a non-blurry photo of extremely energetic squirrel monkeys, and visited with Lulu (at right), a pregnant kangaroo with a coat as soft as a chinchilla.

The animals are accustomed to their human visitors and are not shy about getting nose to nose with passengers. They have plenty of furry respect for vehicles and do not block the path or leave any traces other than a dusty reminder from their treat-seeking hugs. While on the drive, passengers must stay in their vehicles but if you have concerns or questions about animal behavior, all of the staff are well-versed on the species they care for, and are happy to answer questions about what to expect.

Plus—and I’m hard-pressed to think of any other adventures that allow this—if you enjoyed the view and want more (and it’s at least one hour before closing), you can turn around and do the trail again.

Left page (clockwise): Stephanie Friedel went on special safari with us to share all the great details about the ranch and the animals. • Ranch entrance • Three-day old chocolate fallow deer • Black ostrich looking after her eggs • Swamp water buffalo • Petting zoo • Squirrel monkey enclosure. The ranch maintains an Enrichment Plan of nutrition and activity to keep the monkeys engaged, healthy, and happy.

Above: Monty the Camel made himself right at home in the car looking for more treats. Monty and his buddy Mike are as gentle as they are persistent; it was the most fun we had all day. • Lulu the Kangaroo has imprinted on Stephanie and is comfortable around her and other humans, even while pregnant. Kangaroos actually have two uteruses and can pause a pregnancy in one to ensure optimum gestation for one and then the other.

Below: Just a small part of the acreage and the view from the trail.