Looking for spectacular fall color that is close to home? You can’t beat the blazing fall colors of Minnesota Zoo’s stunning hardwood forests and prairies … and animals! From brilliant red sugar maples, golden birch and bronze oaks to the rich, autumnal coats of our majestic Amur tigers and leopards and native bison, caribou and moose, fall is the most spectacular time to walk the Northern Trail.

Be sure to join us for our Brown Bear Open House and enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime “pawspective” of our award-winning Russia’s Grizzly Coast exhibit! Open during Zoo hours select weekends in October (17/18, & 24/25), as well as Friday, October 16 from 11 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.

The Medtronic Minnesota Trail brings fall colors and animals up close. As the black bears snuggle up for the coming winter and migratory birds fuel up to fly south, this trail offers an inspiring, face-to-face experience with native Minnesota wildlife.

The whole family can fall into fitness while having fun at the Zoo, too! If you count steps, the Northern Trail will earn you about 2500 (and you can nearly double that with a visit to the Wells Family Farm!), and a loop through the Tropics Trail and Medtronic Minnesota Trail will achieve about 1500. And with the Hanifl Family Wild Woods and Conservation Carousel, Crossroads Park is the perfect halfway stop for kids of all ages on the way to the Wells Fargo Family Farm.