The Minnesota Zoo is set to offer patrons a bird's eye view of their numerous exhibits starting in summer 2023 with the help of a new 1.25-mile, 32-foot high pedestrian trail.
The Treetop Trail, which replaces the zoo's original monorail track, looks to connect the northern and southern halves of the zoo.
"It's going to pretty spectacular," said Minnesota Zoo Director and Minnesota Zoo Foundation President John Frawley. "It won't just go through the trees and wooded areas, but above many of the exhibits like the bison, tigers, moose and more."
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Friday morning marked the trail's groundbreaking in Apple Valley. Frawley says construction should move along rather quickly, with summer 2023 targeted as the opening date.
"We wanted to find a new purpose for the monorail and it's a sustainable approach and a great idea of not just repurposing a piece of equipment, but also making it into something that connects people to the natural world," added Frawley.
The idea for the world's longest elevated pedestrian trail came from the High Line created on a former New York Central Railroad spur on the west side of Manhattan in New York City.
"We saw that and new we could do that here in Minnesota," Frawley said. "Except, it's going to be in nature and out in the trees, which is perfect fitting for Minnesota."
Funding for the project came through the “Step Into Nature” Capital Campaign. The State of Minnesota the State of Minnesota also awarded $11 million to the project during the legislative bonding process.