Old MacDonald's Farm
Rapid City, SD
- Admission
- $18.40
- Accreditation
- None listed
not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums
Everything below is directory information drawn from public sources and the zoo's own site.
Animals at Old MacDonald's Farm
8 confirmed
Feathers & Fangs from visitors
What people who've been to Old MacDonald's Farm say
A Feather is something this zoo does well; a Fang is something it gets wrong. Left by people who've been, and read by us before they appear.
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About Old MacDonald's Farm
Old MacDonald's Farm is a hands-on farm animal attraction in the Rapid City area of western South Dakota. KOTA-TV reported in October 2024 that it sits along Highway 16 near Rockerville, halfway between Rapid City and Mount Rushmore. The farm's website lists its address as 23691 Busted Five Ct, Rapid City. The farm is a petting-style attraction rather than a conventional zoo, and it is not accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The state tourism site, Travel South Dakota, describes the farm as a place to meet more than 100 farm animals in a hands-on environment, where visitors can play with, feed and bottle-feed the animals. The listing also mentions pony rides, tours on a kid-sized tractor train, a picnic area, a playground and a gift shop with farm-related toys and keepsakes. The farm's own website lists bottle-feeding baby goats, pony rides and farm chores among its activities.
History
KOTA-TV reported in October 2024 that owner Thane Rose had operated the farm for more than a decade, and that Rose grew up on a farm himself. He told the station, "I love seeing people who aren't familiar with animals get to be around animals" and appreciate them.
Exhibits and habitats
KOTA-TV named turkeys, llamas and donkeys among the animals at the farm, along with others. Travel South Dakota describes the animals as farm animals available for hands-on contact. Visitors pay a fee to pet and interact with the animals, and Rose told KOTA that the business relies on people driving by and stopping to pet animals.
Planning your visit
The farm is seasonal. As listed on the farm's website, it opens May 1 and operates May through October, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with fall hours of 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on September 26 and every Saturday in October. KOTA-TV reported in 2024 that the farm holds Fall Festival Days each Saturday in October with discounted pricing, and that over the winter the animals stay at Rose's ranch south of town, away from public view. Prices are on the farm's website.
What we haven't confirmed
Everything above came from public sources. These specifics we haven't stood behind yet:
- Phone number
- Parking
- Accessibility information
Old MacDonald's Farm compared with nearby zoos
How Old MacDonald's Farm lines up against other zoos in the same state. We don't have coordinates for it yet, so these aren't ranked by distance.
| Zoo | Admission | Hours | Size | AZA |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Old MacDonald's FarmThis zooRapid City, SD | $18.40 | October: Fall Festival — every Saturday in October 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM. Season May–October (daily 9 AM–5 PM in summer). | — | No |
| Bear Country USARapid City, SD | $25 | Oct 1 – Nov 29, 2026: daily 9:00 AM, last entry 3:00 PM (park closes 1.5 hours after admissions gate closes). Drive-through park plus walk-through area. Closed Thanksgiving Day (Nov 26, 2026); may close in Oct–Nov for snow/weather. | 250 acres | No |
| Bramble Park ZooWatertown, SD | $13.50 | Daily 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM. Closed Veterans Day, Thanksgiving, Black Friday, Dec 24–25, New Year's Day, MLK Jr. Day, Presidents' Day; closed during regular hours on Zoo Boo day. | 15 acres | No |
| Great Plains Zoo and Delbridge MuseumSioux Falls, SD | $18.95 | 9 am – 5 pm | 45 acres | Yes |
Distances are straight-line. A dash means we haven't confirmed that detail yet, not that the zoo lacks it.
AZAThe Association of Zoos and Aquariums. Accredited members have passed an independent inspection of animal care and welfare, safety, conservation and education, repeated every five years. Many smaller facilities never apply, so “not accredited” isn't a verdict on its own. What accreditation means · How we check this
Old MacDonald's Farm: common questions
Where is Old MacDonald's Farm?
KOTA-TV places it on Highway 16 near Rockerville, halfway between Rapid City and Mount Rushmore. The farm's website lists 23691 Busted Five Ct, Rapid City.
When is it open?
The farm's website lists May through October, seven days a week from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., with fall hours on Saturdays in October.
What animals are there?
KOTA-TV named turkeys, llamas and donkeys. Travel South Dakota says the farm has more than 100 animals.
Where do the animals spend the winter?
KOTA-TV reported that they stay at the owner's ranch south of town.
Something wrong here? Tell us — we correct in place, with a dated note.