The Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail Opens New Pathways for Visitors

Riina Ryynänen Loar

The monorail at the Minnesota Zoo closed in 2013 when its operating costs no longer justified its continued use. Ten years later, it has been revived and completely repurposed as an elevated walking trail.

I remember the monorail at the Minnesota Zoo from childhood. Though I didn’t ride it often, I vaguely recall watching through the window as the scenery passed by—every scene, every enclosure, there one minute and gone the next. There was no stopping to enjoy the view; it was a swift shot from point A to point B, and it was over in a matter of minutes.

Madeleine Vasaly

The Treetop Trail changes that, and the artist and photographer in me could not be more thrilled. Here is a chance to linger, turn back, stop, and take everything in. Best of all, no waiting in line. And at just over a mile, one could walk it several times in a single visit if one chose.

The trail, which opened in July, was built with accessibility in mind, with a ramp to its entrance and several benches along its length where anyone could stop to rest or simply pause for a bit. The trail offers a more meditative, purposeful approach to appreciating the zoo from the same perspective the now-defunct monorail offered. The bird’s-eye view of the tiger enclosure, in particular, caught my attention, and I captured one of the most well-timed photos of my life.

Tigers are among the animals visible from the trail. Riina Ryynänen Loar

Maybe it’s nostalgia, but it does my heart good to see something that was part and parcel of the Minnesota Zoo experience not only remodeled but vastly improved. I have always been a person who likes to go at her own pace. This often means backtracking and pausing for long moments, only to suddenly speed ahead. My path is seldom a straight line. Thanks to the Treetop Trail, I control my trajectory, and I can tackle the trail in a manner that suits me.

The Treetop Trail is aptly named, as a canopy of leaves rises to the trail’s height and beyond. Foliage shades many swaths of the path, offering respite from the blistering summer sun at regular intervals. Furthermore, rather than experiencing the zoo from the enclosed compartment of a train car, the trail gets people back into nature. Rather than sit and passively watch the zoo flash by, I had to take a participatory role. The trail got me on my feet, drawing me onward and keeping me moving. Its meandering path piqued my curiosity. I kept walking to find what lay beyond the next bend, and then the next, and the next. Each twist and turn offered a new viewpoint, drawing and holding my interest. Its design inherently encourages activity. I found it almost impossible to keep from completing the circuit.

Occasional benches offer seating and views along the trail. Madeleine Vasaly

From monorail to Treetop Trail, the Minnesota Zoo has revamped a key experience, improving it in many ways rather than letting it remain stagnant and unused. For that, those responsible have my utmost admiration, gratitude, and respect.

I find myself already planning my next visit, and I think the trail will prompt many to do the same.

The opening stretch of the Treetop Trail near the zoo’s main entrance. Madeleine Vasaly