Minnesota Zoo has Broken an Amazing Record in 2024

The Minnesota Zoo just broke a pretty cool record, and it seems they have a very particular attraction to thank.

I absolutely love the Minnesota Zoo. I really appreciate the conservation work that they're doing. I also love being able to see all of these amazing animals up close (but not too close).

It's an awesome place to visit for all ages and that seems to have been proven with this record that was broken.

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As for the attraction that helped to break this record, that would be the brand new Treetop Trail.

Minnesota Zoo Treetop Trail

The Minnesota Zoo used to have a monorail that would take you around above many of the outdoor exhibits at the zoo. I remember riding the monorail whenever we went to the zoo when I was a kid.

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After the monorail closed, it was quite for many years. And then the idea was proposed to turn the track into a walking path. The idea was tabled for a bit but then revisited in 2018. And then finally, in July of 2023, the treetop trail officially opened!

It's a totally different experience of the zoo because you can walk among the trees above the exhibits. It's a total of 1.25 miles long and is officially the world's longest elevated pedestrian loop.

And apparently that made people very excited to visit the zoo because they just broke an attendance record!

Minnesota Zoo Breaks Attendance Record

The Minnesota Zoo says that their annual attendance is nearly 1.3 million people. But over the past year, they've broken that record, and it just so happens to line up with the opening of the Treetop Trail.

KARE 11 reports that the Minnesota Zoo has now welcomed 1.5 million people through their doors in the past year, breaking their annual attendance record!