Minnesota Zoo gets its own 'High Line'

Inspired by New York's High Line Park, the Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley is converting its long-abandoned monorail track into the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop, giving visitors a birds-eye view of many of the zoo's animal exhibits.

The 1.25-mile long 1970s monorail shut down in 2013, and will now re-open next year minus railcars and plus extensive landscaping. The Treetop Trail, as it will be known, rises as high as 32 feet above the ground, and will give views of hundreds of acres of forest and wetlands as well as exhibits of bison, tigers, moose and more.

The $39 million project, paid for by a public-private partnership, plays a key role in future plans, according to Zoo director John Frawley, who said “The Treetop Trail is a key component of the Zoo’s future and advances our mission of connecting people to the natural world. It will reinforce our reputation as a trusted nature destination in Minnesota and is an evolution of the role that zoos play around the globe. The Trail also has the potential to become a major tourist attraction and economic driver for the state.”