Here’s when Woodland Park Zoo’s new Forest Trailhead exhibit will open

SEATTLE — Woodland Park Zoo has announced when its new immersive exhibit will open.

The Forest Trailhead exhibit will open on Friday, May 1.

Canopy Path Visitors will be able to wander through the treetops where tree kangaroos and red pandas will make their home. It will be a two-story elevated pathway. (LMN Architects via Woodland Park Zoo)

Trailhead Pavilion Visitors will be able to meet the wonders of wildlife at all layers of the forest in the Habitat Gallery featuring boisterous keas, tree-dwelling reptiles, colorful amphibians, and fascinating invertebrates. (LMN Architects via Woodland Park Zoo)

Community Power The new exhibit will connect visitors to global communities in mountain forests much like the Pacific Northwest who are leading solutions to protect, restore and sustain forests for animals and people. (LMN Architects via Woodland Park Zoo)

Conservation Action Visitors will be able to discover how endangered wildlife is linked to our everyday consumer choices and practice forest-friendly actions at the zoo, from sipping shade-grown coffee to upcycling green materials. (LMN Architects via Woodland Park Zoo)

The 12,000-square-foot building and one-acre grounds focus on promoting conservation and exploring the future of forests.

The exhibit is located in the heart of the zoo and features a treetop path that will wind visitors through the forest canopy. Guests will experience a whole new view of the zoo from above, with the perspective of treetop-dwelling animals: Papua New Guinea’s Matschie’s tree kangaroos and Nepal’s red panda. This will mark the first time in a decade that guests will be able to see tree kangaroos at the zoo.

At the mid-level of the building, guests will encounter New Zealand’s keas—clever parrots with investigative minds and busy beaks.

Then, on the lower level, there is a showcase of African, Asian, and Australasian tree-dwelling reptiles and colorful amphibians—including four-eyed turtle, Chinese crocodile lizard, Fiji banded iguana, blue-legged mantella—and fish and invertebrates in mixed-species groups.

Throughout the pavilion, open plazas offer interpretive information where animal keeper talks and special events can be hosted, and visitors are empowered to take direct action to help and be active members of the conservation community.

Indigenous art and interpretation are also featured, honoring the cultural heritage of communities that are leading global conservation efforts.

“Forest Trailhead is a dynamic reminder that our lives—animals and people—are connected to forests every day. Forests are our lungs, our livelihoods, our happiness, our home. Forests provide food, medicine, beauty, serenity, resources and more. Forests enrich our lives, creating cleaner air, water and soil,” said Alejandro Grajal, Woodland Park Zoo President and CEO. “Through the immersive forest exhibit and experiences in the wildlife and plant habitats of these ecosystems, guests will discover how to make simple, everyday choices as a consumer and a community member to help forests thrive.”

Forest Trailhead is targeting LEED Gold (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) by the U.S. Green Building Council. The building, habitats, and surroundings of Forest Trailhead embody the zoo’s commitment to sustainability and incorporate strategies to reduce embodied carbon, manage stormwater on site, and promote biophilic design, including bird-safe windows and solar panels.

Forest Trailhead will be free to visit with zoo admission or membership.