diff --git a/plugins/core/resources/resources/software/aws/toolkits/resources/MessagesBundle.properties b/plugins/core/resources/resources/software/aws/toolkits/resources/MessagesBundle.properties
index f7ab0a1ef79..dfedb8023e4 100644
--- a/plugins/core/resources/resources/software/aws/toolkits/resources/MessagesBundle.properties
+++ b/plugins/core/resources/resources/software/aws/toolkits/resources/MessagesBundle.properties
@@ -573,6 +573,8 @@ cloudformation.explorer.stacks.load_more_stacks=Load More Stacks
 cloudformation.explorer.stacks.node_name=Stacks
 cloudformation.explorer.stacks.refresh=Refresh Stacks
 cloudformation.explorer.tab.title=CloudFormation
+cloudformation.explorer.try_new_panel=Try the new CloudFormation panel
+cloudformation.explorer.try_new_panel.tooltip=Double-click to open the CloudFormation panel
 cloudformation.invalid_property=Property {0} has invalid value {1}
 cloudformation.key_not_found={0} not found on resource {1}
 cloudformation.lsp.action.configure_node=Configure Node.js
diff --git a/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/core/explorer/DefaultAwsExplorerTreeStructureProvider.kt b/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/core/explorer/DefaultAwsExplorerTreeStructureProvider.kt
index e88334b7be4..c2244ee825f 100644
--- a/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/core/explorer/DefaultAwsExplorerTreeStructureProvider.kt
+++ b/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/core/explorer/DefaultAwsExplorerTreeStructureProvider.kt
@@ -6,7 +6,14 @@ package software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer
 import com.intellij.ide.util.treeView.AbstractTreeNode
 
 class DefaultAwsExplorerTreeStructureProvider : AwsExplorerTreeStructureProvider() {
-    // By default sort the children in alphabetical order
     override fun modify(parent: AbstractTreeNode<*>, children: MutableCollection<AbstractTreeNode<*>>): MutableCollection<AbstractTreeNode<*>> =
-        children.sortedWith(compareBy(String.CASE_INSENSITIVE_ORDER) { it.toString() }).toMutableList()
+        children.sortedWith(
+            compareBy<AbstractTreeNode<*>> { it !is PinnedFirstNode }
+                .thenComparing(compareBy(String.CASE_INSENSITIVE_ORDER) { it.toString() })
+        ).toMutableList()
 }
+
+/**
+ * Marker interface for nodes that should always appear first in alphabetically sorted lists.
+ */
+interface PinnedFirstNode
diff --git a/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/services/cloudformation/CloudFormationExplorerNodes.kt b/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/services/cloudformation/CloudFormationExplorerNodes.kt
index d082139f548..b6be703c303 100644
--- a/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/services/cloudformation/CloudFormationExplorerNodes.kt
+++ b/plugins/toolkit/jetbrains-core/src/software/aws/toolkits/jetbrains/services/cloudformation/CloudFormationExplorerNodes.kt
@@ -3,19 +3,29 @@
 
 package software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.services.cloudformation
 
+import com.intellij.icons.AllIcons
+import com.intellij.ide.projectView.PresentationData
 import com.intellij.openapi.project.Project
+import com.intellij.ui.SimpleTextAttributes
+import com.intellij.ui.treeStructure.Tree
+import com.intellij.util.ui.UIUtil
+import com.intellij.util.ui.tree.TreeUtil
 import icons.AwsIcons
 import software.amazon.awssdk.services.cloudformation.CloudFormationClient
 import software.amazon.awssdk.services.cloudformation.model.StackStatus
 import software.amazon.awssdk.services.cloudformation.model.StackSummary
 import software.aws.toolkit.jetbrains.utils.toHumanReadable
+import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.AwsToolkitExplorerToolWindow
+import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.PinnedFirstNode
+import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.ToolkitToolWindowTab
 import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.nodes.AwsExplorerNode
 import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.nodes.AwsExplorerResourceNode
 import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.nodes.AwsExplorerServiceNode
 import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.core.explorer.nodes.CacheBackedAwsExplorerServiceRootNode
 import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.services.cloudformation.resources.CloudFormationResources
 import software.aws.toolkits.jetbrains.services.cloudformation.stack.StackWindowManager
-import software.aws.toolkits.resources.message
+import software.aws.toolkits.resources.AwsToolkitBundle.message
+import javax.swing.JComponent
 
 class CloudFormationServiceNode(project: Project, service: AwsExplorerServiceNode) : CacheBackedAwsExplorerServiceRootNode<StackSummary>(
     project,
@@ -24,6 +34,17 @@ class CloudFormationServiceNode(project: Project, service: AwsExplorerServiceNod
 ) {
     override fun displayName(): String = message("explorer.node.cloudformation")
     override fun toNode(child: StackSummary): AwsExplorerNode<*> = CloudFormationStackNode(nodeProject, child.stackName(), child.stackStatus(), child.stackId())
+
+    override fun getChildren(): List<AwsExplorerNode<*>> {
+        val hasCfnPanel = ToolkitToolWindowTab.EP_NAME.extensionList.any {
+            it.tabId == message("cloudformation.explorer.tab.title") && it.enabled()
+        }
+        return if (hasCfnPanel) {
+            listOf(TryCloudFormationPanelNode(nodeProject)) + super.getChildren()
+        } else {
+            super.getChildren()
+        }
+    }
 }
 
 class CloudFormationStackNode(
@@ -49,3 +70,32 @@ class CloudFormationStackNode(
         StackWindowManager.getInstance(nodeProject).openStack(stackName, stackId)
     }
 }
+
+class TryCloudFormationPanelNode(project: Project) :
+    AwsExplorerNode<String>(project, "try-cfn-panel", AllIcons.Nodes.Favorite), PinnedFirstNode {
+
+    override fun getChildren(): List<AwsExplorerNode<*>> = emptyList()
+
+    override fun isAlwaysLeaf(): Boolean = true
+
+    override fun displayName(): String = message("cloudformation.explorer.try_new_panel")
+
+    override fun update(presentation: PresentationData) {
+        presentation.setIcon(AllIcons.Nodes.Favorite)
+        presentation.addText(displayName(), SimpleTextAttributes.REGULAR_BOLD_ATTRIBUTES)
+        presentation.tooltip = message("cloudformation.explorer.try_new_panel.tooltip")
+    }
+
+    override fun onDoubleClick() {
+        val toolWindow = AwsToolkitExplorerToolWindow.toolWindow(nodeProject)
+        toolWindow.activate {
+            val explorerWindow = AwsToolkitExplorerToolWindow.getInstance(nodeProject)
+            val tabComponent = explorerWindow.selectTab(message("cloudformation.explorer.tab.title"))
+            (tabComponent as? JComponent)?.let { component ->
+                UIUtil.findComponentOfType(component, Tree::class.java)?.let { tree ->
+                    TreeUtil.expand(tree, 1)
+                }
+            }
+        }
+    }
+}