Zoos in Minnesota

Minnesota's zoos run from large metro campuses to small regional and nature-focused collections. In the Twin Cities area, Como Park Zoo and Conservatory in Saint Paul traces its zoo to 1897 and is AZA accredited, and Minnesota Zoo in Apple Valley opened in 1978 and operates as a state agency. Farther north, Lake Superior Zoo sits on about 19 acres at the base of Spirit Mountain in West Duluth and is the only zoo in northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. Near Rochester, Zollman Zoo in Oxbow Park is a free county-run zoo with more than 30 species, all native to Minnesota. Seasonal and family-run options such as Hemker Park & Zoo in Freeport round out the list, so dates are worth checking before a trip.