The Cincinnati Zoo will officially open its newest attraction, The Linda and Harry Fath Elephant Trek, to the public on Oct. 1. The zoo turned what was a parking lot into seven acres of habitat for its Asian elephant herd and other Asian animals. Not only is the area meticulously crafted to get visitors closer to the animals, but the gardens are meant to inspire meditation."The purpose of the zoo is to inspire people," zoo director Thane Maynard said. "And this really helps."The stars of the trek are the elephants and because their new enclosure is five acres, the zoo has been able to add four elephants to its herd, making it multi-generational and giving it the ability to expand."Two years from now we'll hopefully get a baby," Maynard said.About 27 million pounds of sand sit atop a one million gallon capacity stormwater retention tank. The rainwater gathered in it feeds the waterfall, river and 200,000-gallon elephant pool. In that pool, the elephants will cool off and play, with visitors closer than ever."It's a neat opportunity to see all kinds of behavior you might not have seen before. They've got the space to chase, to play, to dig," Maynard said.The entire space also includes a 10,000-square-foot indoor elephant "community room" where the herd will sleep, socialize and exercise out of the elements. That building also has a 250-person event center.Phase Two of the Elephant Trek exhibit will open in spring 2025 and feature other animals from Asia.Elephant Trek is included in the price of the zoo's admission.