Plumpton Park Zoo is Cecil County’s zoo — a 501(c)(3) nonprofit at 1416 Telegraph Road in Rising Sun, on the same ground where Jeremiah Brown built his mill in 1734. From Elkton, North East, Perryville or Port Deposit it is a fifteen- to twenty-minute drive.
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Getting here from around Cecil County
From Elkton, Fair Hill or Calvert, take Route 273 (Telegraph Road) west. The zoo is on your right about a mile before the Route 272 light in Rising Sun.
From North East, Perryville, Port Deposit or Charlestown, take Route 272 north through Rising Sun to the light at Route 273 and turn left. The zoo is one mile ahead on your left.
From Chesapeake City or the south county, Route 213 north to Elkton, then Route 273 west.
Parking is free and the lot is at the gate. Full directions.
What you will see
More than 200 animals across around 60 species. Three giraffes, white lions, two different tiger subspecies, bears, primates, owls, tortoises, and a barnyard full of animals children can meet at eye level.
This is a small zoo and you stand close — close enough to watch a giraffe’s tongue work around a browse branch. About half the collection came from private owners who could no longer care for an animal, or from facilities that closed. See the animals.
Planning your visit
The zoo is open seven days a week, with hours that change between the summer and winter seasons. Nearly all of it is outdoors, so the animals are more active on a cool morning than on a hot afternoon — the first hour after opening is usually the best time to arrive.
The giraffe feeding station runs at 12:00 noon on weekdays and 11:00am and 1:00pm on weekends (11:00am and 1:00pm daily in summer), weather permitting.
Living nearby, a membership pays for itself in a couple of visits, and the zoo hosts birthday parties, school and camp visits and summer camps for county families.
Questions from Cecil County visitors
Where exactly is the zoo?
1416 Telegraph Road (Route 273), Rising Sun, one mile east of the Route 272 light.
Is parking free?
Yes, for all visitors, and the lot is at the entrance.
Can we feed the giraffes?
Yes, at the feeding station, 12:00 noon on weekdays and 11:00am and 1:00pm on weekends (11:00am and 1:00pm daily in summer), weather permitting.
Is there a membership for local families?
Yes. Memberships cover a year of visits and support animal care directly.
Can we leave and come back the same day?
Yes. Have your hand stamped on the way out and you can re-enter the same day at no extra charge.
Can we volunteer?
Yes. The zoo runs on volunteers from around the county, and there is always work to do.
A piece of Cecil County history
A water-powered corn and grist mill was built on North East Creek on this ground in 1734 by Jeremiah Brown Sr., and the Jeremiah Brown House and Mill Site was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1987. The mill stands beside the admissions area at the front of the zoo and houses the gift shop. Ed Plumstead opened the zoo here in 1986. Read the history of Plumpton Park Zoo.
Coming from farther away? See zoo near Philadelphia, zoo near Chester County, PA, zoo near Wilmington, Delaware, zoo near Newark, Delaware and zoo near Baltimore.
Making a day of it? Here is our guide to things to do in Cecil County, Maryland — state parks, canal towns, orchards and the Turkey Point Lighthouse.