Minnesota Zoo breaks ground on Treetop Trail to replace monorail

Visitors will get a chance to see tigers and camels from new heights next summer after the Minnesota Zoo's old monorail route becomes the Treetop Trail walking loop for pedestrians.

"This is a world class project," Minnesota Zoo Director John Frawley said at a groundbreaking event for the trail Friday in Apple Valley. "It's going to be a marvelous pathway to nature."

The zoo's monorail closed 10 years ago because it was getting old and obtaining parts to fix it was becoming difficult, he said.

The 1.25-mile trail, 32 feet in the air, will give visitors a path through many of the zoo's exhibits, showcasing bison, wild horses and moose, among other animals. The trail will be 8 to 12 feet wide, offering "bump-out" areas for seating and programming.

Dozens of zoo officials, supporters and members of the Minnesota Zoo Foundation — along with Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan — attended the groundbreaking. As each speaker left the podium, they removed one piece of a cloth mural of the old monorail to reveal a colorful rendering of the Treetop Trail underneath.

Zoo officials say the Treetop Trail will cost nearly $33 million. The Legislature gave the project $11 million in bonding money in 2020.

The zoo is in the midst of a $39 million "Step into Nature" fundraising campaign that will fund the trail and also pay for a $1.6 million renovation of its family farm exhibit. Nearly $31 million has been raised so far.

Everyone has a connection to the zoo, she said, adding that she spent most days of her parental leave at the zoo nine years ago when her daughter was born.

Several donors to the project also spoke, including Rebecca Crooks-Stratton, secretary and treasurer of the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community.

"Our missions really align," Crooks-Stratton said of the tribe's and zoo's emphasis on conservation. "This trail is going to connect generations of people to nature for years to come."

Frawley ended the presentation by introducing Quillbur, a porcupine who sat atop a table and munched on vegetables as his handler answered questions about him.

"One of nature's foresters just happens to be here," Frawley said of the animal, adding that there will also be "spokescritters" visiting the Treetop Trail. Other programming, from yoga to musical performances, is also planned.

"The great thing about this project is it's going to have a light footprint," he said. "We're just so excited to get it open and get people up in the trees."

The Treetop Trail is expected to open in summer 2023.

Amanda Rezac, who was walking by the event while chaperoning a first-grade field trip, said she would "definitely use" the Treetop Trail. She liked that it was reusing the monorail route.

"I'm a big believer in taking advantage of what's given to you," she said, adding that the trail — which will be ADA-accessible — would be a great asset for people with disabilities.

As Melissa Gonzalez pushed a stroller, she said she remembered the monorail from school field trips to the zoo when she was a kid.