It’s time to celebrate!
In keeping with Washington state and CDC guidelines, Northwest Trek Wildlife Park is fully reopening on July 1 with extra opportunities to connect with nature and Northwest animals.
Individual tickets on daily Keeper Adventure Tours, a reopened Zip Wild zipline, no capacity limits, summer hours and in-person events are just some of the changes coming to the park. Here’s the full list:
- Summer hours: 9 a.m. – 5 p.m. daily (including July 4 and Sept. 6)
- Individuals may now book seats on Keeper Adventure Tours around the Free-Roaming Area, now running daily (10:30 a.m. and 1 p.m., $80 member/$90 non-member per person)
- Wild Drive self-drive tours around the Free-Roaming Area continue to run multiple times a day ($70 member/$90 non-member per vehicle)
- The popular Photo Tours are scheduled throughout summer, with Elk Bugling Tours to follow in September
- The Zip Wild zipline will reopen July 10 with three courses: Adventure, Sensation and Aerial Runway
- Keeper Chats will happen twice daily – check the front noticeboard for the schedule
- Summer in-person events include Pride Weekend (July 10-11), Zookeeper Academy (July 17-18) and Feeding Frenzy (Sept. 4-6), all free with admission or membership
- No capacity limits on park entry, which is free with any tour purchase (Wild Drive, Keeper Adventure Tour, Photo Tour)
- Online tickets are no longer necessary, though encouraged
- Face coverings are still required for non-vaccinated guests and encouraged for vaccinated ones
The Kids’ Trek playground and central walking paths will continue to be open, although trams remain paused while the wildlife park builds a new tram tour station.
Health and safety measures remain in place, such as numerous sanitizer stations throughout the park.
“We’re pleased we can continue to reopen Northwest Trek Wildlife Park this summer,” said director Alan Varsik. “We know our guests and members have missed some of their favorite activities at the wildlife park. We’re excited to bring those back and offer our community that connection to nature, which is so vital.”
For more information, go to nwtrek.org/open (from July 1).
Northwest Trek, accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, is a 723-acre zoological park dedicated to conservation, education and recreation by displaying, interpreting and researching native Northwest wildlife and their natural habitats. The wildlife park is a facility of Metro Parks Tacoma and is located 35 miles southeast of Tacoma off State Highway 161.
