The Minnesota Zoo is one of the largest in the country, covering almost 500 acres.
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When it first opened, a monorail was included as part of the zoo’s design to help visitors traverse its massive footprint.
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The monorail operated for nearly 30 years until it was decommissioned in 2013.
Since that time, the empty track has been a dominant feature in the zoo’s landscape.
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After several years of planning, the concept of turning the old monorail track into an elevated pedestrian walkway emerged.
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Plans were drawn and approved, and ground broke on the $37 million project in 2022.
The zoo’s concept for the trail includes programming and events, such as information stations and yoga classes, at the wider areas along the boardwalk.
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Visitors to the treetop trail, shown here over the bison habitat, enjoy birds-eye views of the animal exhibits below.
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The trail is as high as 32 feet and passes through some of the zoo’s most natural, undeveloped areas.
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The Treetop Trail tracks many of the same exhibits as the ground-level Northern Trail. Pedestrians have views of animals ranging from moose and bison to Amur tigers and brown bears.
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I, for one, am pretty excited to hit the trail and see the zoo from a different perspective. I remember riding the monorail but was always a little disappointed that the views through the windows weren’t always clear and that I couldn’t linger when I wanted. It seems like the Treetop Trail should offer the best of both worlds: an elevated perspective with clear views and the time to enjoy them.
