Point Defiance Zoo, Northwest Trek reopen with new safety measures

TACOMA -- Ninety-three long days after the Point Defiance Zoo and Northwest Trek closed because of coronavirus, they are reopening to the public with new safety measures in place.

The zoo, known for its hands-on activities for families and visitors, had to get creative in order to reopen while still keeping everyone safe.

Guests will notice arrows to keep the flow of traffic moving in one direction. They will also see paw prints at the animal viewing areas, markers to maintain safe social distancing.

The high-touch areas will also be sanitized frequently and the indoor areas will remain closed for now. This includes the aquarium.



The biggest thing guests will to notice is the much smaller crowd size, since it will be operating at less than 50 percent capacity to comply with state reopening guidelines.

The park opens at 9:30 Thursday. You'll need to pre-purchase a ticket online, and the park is not accepting cash  right now in order to keep as much space as possible between guests and employees.

Northwest Trek also reopens today. You'll need to go online and pre-purchase a ticket for that visit as well.