The Detroit Zoo has unveiled the opening date for its new 7-acre immersive trail experience.
The Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails is scheduled to open on Saturday, May 23, 2026, over Memorial Day weekend, according to a release from the zoo.
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“Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails is a joyful new addition to the Detroit Zoo, and a wonderful way for families to experience the Zoo together,” said Dr. Hayley Murphy, executive director and CEO of the Detroit Zoological Society (DZS). “This is a place where guests can touch, climb, play and explore while making meaningful connections with animals and the natural world, and every person who enters this space will come away with a new appreciation for the world around them.”
The new Erb Discovery Trails offer visitors opportunities for hands-on animal encounters and nature exploration.
Guests can brush goats, observe burrowing owls and prairie dogs up close, and traverse elevated trails for unique perspectives of the zoo’s animals.
A stingray touch experience will also be available for an additional fee.
The following animals call this new area of the zoo home:
- Alpacas
- Anteaters
- Bamboo sharks
- Burrowing owls
- Bush dogs
- Farm animals (chickens, donkeys, and goats)
- Prairie dogs
- Stingrays
The zoo said the new attraction is intended to help visitors get closers to animals and nature through “play, movement and hands-on discovery.”
“That sense of connection is at the heart of Erb Discovery Trails,” said Randi Hamilton, the DZS’s Chief Experience Officer. “It invites guests to slow down, look closer and be active participants in their experience, creating moments that are fun, memorable and meaningful. We believe those moments can inspire a deeper appreciation for animals, nature and conservation.”
Zoo officials will continue to share updates about the Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails over the next couple of months.
The experience will be free for members and with zoo admission.
To keep up with the latest information and for more on what to expect, visit here.