Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch - Amusement Parks, Outdoor Recreational Activities
In a day when homegrown roadside attractions are waning, here is one that has started in recent years (website linked above). Why is it growing? Location, location, location.
Living in Tucson (Arizona), I have done the hundred mile drive on Interstate 10 between Tucson and Phoenix many times. So do a lot of people as it is the most heavily travelled corridor in the state. It is also arguably the least scenic and least interesting stretch of highway in the otherwise picturesque state of Arizona. There are only two sites of interest, located adjacent to each other. One is Picacho Peak State Park (a unique mountain formation next to the interstate) and the other is Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch in the southern shadow of Picacho Peak.
Originally the small ostrich farm had pens set back from the highway. Then they expanded with ostriches going right up to the frontage road that parallels the freeway (and ends at the ostrich farm gate). Travelers started pulling off and parking by the fence to look at the ostriches. The entrepreneurial owners realized they had something and posted a small stand at the fence to sell ostrich feed. When this grew in popularity they added pens to feed small domestic animals and then fallow deer. Then (taking a cue from zoos) they added an aviary with lorikeet feeding. The newest addition (also taken from zoos) is a stingray feeding and touch pool.
If you look at the website you will see they have no pretensions. It is a highway stop that does not take itself too seriously and appears to exist for nothing more than the enjoyment of families. The owners even describe themselves as Rednecks from Oklahoma.
In a day when homegrown roadside attractions are waning, here is one that has started in recent years (website linked above). Why is it growing? Location, location, location.
Living in Tucson (Arizona), I have done the hundred mile drive on Interstate 10 between Tucson and Phoenix many times. So do a lot of people as it is the most heavily travelled corridor in the state. It is also arguably the least scenic and least interesting stretch of highway in the otherwise picturesque state of Arizona. There are only two sites of interest, located adjacent to each other. One is Picacho Peak State Park (a unique mountain formation next to the interstate) and the other is Rooster Cogburn Ostrich Ranch in the southern shadow of Picacho Peak.
Originally the small ostrich farm had pens set back from the highway. Then they expanded with ostriches going right up to the frontage road that parallels the freeway (and ends at the ostrich farm gate). Travelers started pulling off and parking by the fence to look at the ostriches. The entrepreneurial owners realized they had something and posted a small stand at the fence to sell ostrich feed. When this grew in popularity they added pens to feed small domestic animals and then fallow deer. Then (taking a cue from zoos) they added an aviary with lorikeet feeding. The newest addition (also taken from zoos) is a stingray feeding and touch pool.
If you look at the website you will see they have no pretensions. It is a highway stop that does not take itself too seriously and appears to exist for nothing more than the enjoyment of families. The owners even describe themselves as Rednecks from Oklahoma.