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Aerial adventure parks—also know as high ropes courses—offer people the chance to travel treetop to treetop on a variety of rope, wood and cable bridges and obstacles. Aerial parks are growing in number across the country as more people find the rewards of these challenges. These parks often feature elements such as zip lines, rope bridges, log bridges and cargo nets to offer challenges in balance, strength and overcoming fear. While there are aerial parks in nearly every state in America, these 11 are worth your travel time and effort.
Ramblewild Aerial Adventure Park Course
Location: Berkshire County, MA
Cost: $100 per person
What to expect: This park in western Massachusetts has a lot to offer through its eight aerial obstacle courses. Each course consists of 15 to 17 elements varying in difficulty. There is also a 200-foot suspension bridge that lies 80-foot above a ravine.
In terms of sustainability, Ramblewild took special care to not damage any trees during construction. Park employees also harvest maple sap and lease a portion of the property to a wind-power project. For the park itself, zero electricity is used. The lights in the parking lot are solar-powered and completely independent from outside electricity sources.
With excellent sustainability and some of the most amazing thrills, Ramblewild offers one of the best options for the environmentally-conscious thrill seeker.
Location: Gaston, OR
Cost: $85+ per person
What to expect: This aerial park in Oregon offers some fantastic thrills such as wobbly bridges, balance beams and zip lines, with one stretching over 1,200 feet. On top of just offering individual thrills, Tree to Tree provides half-day and all-day team-building programs on both low elements and aerial courses to challenge and build trust between members of work teams or schools. Reservations are required at this park.
Location: Lincoln, NH
Cost: Seasonal; for prices, please visit the website
What to expect: Test your balance and agility traveling between trees up to 40 feet above ground. A Smart Safety Belay (SSB) system keeps you secure even when switching between courses. At this course you will encounter ziplines, a trapeze bridge, an oscillating walkway, a Tibetan bridge, chain loops, log tightrope, log suspension bridge, Himalayan bridge, hanging wooden blocks and more. The five courses to choose from varying in difficulty for every member of the family.
Trinity Forest Adventure Park
Location: Dallas, TX
Cost: $15/$50/$55 for kids based on age, $60 for adults
What to expect: Like many aerial adventure parks, Trinity Forest is a family-friendly place offering six courses varying in degrees of difficulty on seven acres in Dallas, Texas. The ropes course is entirely self-guided and includes military-style obstacles such as cargo nets, wobble bridges, tight ropes and ladders, with the addition of participant-controlled zip lines.
Trinity Forest offers a fun challenge for summer camps, birthday parties or corporate team-building groups. The 200-year-old post oak trees offer an ideal environment for this aerial adventure park.
Location: Harpers Ferry, WV
Cost: $64/$69 for zip lines or $39 to $48 for adventure park; combo packages available
What to expect: Aerial Forest Adventure Park offers 72 challenge elements spread over six courses set on four acres in beautiful hills of eastern West Virginia. Just like a ski resort, the courses are labeled from green to black for easiest to hardest, respectively. The park features a “Mega Zipline,” which is a superman style racing zip line where guests lie on their bellies and shoot down the zip line head first. The park is located just an hour from Washington, DC and Baltimore, MD, which makes it an easy day trip from these bustling cities.
Location: Tahoe City, CA
Cost: $59 to $73
What to expect: Offering beginner, intermediate and vertical climbing elements, this aerial park has a lot to offer the whole family. This park’s 65 tree platforms are connected by bridges, wooden obstacles, rope obstacles and about 1,000 feet of zip lines. Color-coding denotes the level of difficulty. The green level has eight elements between 8 and 10 feet off the ground. The blue course introduces zip lines and has eight elements that are slightly more difficult. On the black course, adventurous kids and adults can travel between trees over 40 feet in the air via zip line. The park also has a 120-foot suspension bridge between two 500-year-old cedar trees.
Location: Rice, VA
Cost: $55 to $65
What to expect: With over 60 obstacles and 20 zip lines, this is central Virginia’s largest aerial adventure park. Its five trails range from yellow to black diamond (easiest to hardest), providing three hours of fun for families or groups.
Location: Canandaigua, NY
Cost: $25 to $48
What to expect: With seven courses and two kids courses, there’s something for everyone at Bristol Mountain. This park has 5,000 feet of zip lines and more than 125 elements to make your way though. Challenge elements include tight rope walk, rope ladders and bridges among zip lines and other elements. Reservations are encouraged but not required.
Pocono Tree Adventure Park Zip Line
Currently closed.
Location: East Stroudsburg, PA
Cost: For prices, please visit the website
What to expect: This place doesn’t just have zip lines, it has two 1,000-foot racing zip lines. Prepare yourself to see the world from 40 feet off the ground when you go on the advanced course. This park has 66 elements from rope ladders, aerial tightropes, swinging log steps and more. In addition, this park is open year-round, so you can brave the cold for off season adventures.
Location: Dresser, WI
Cost: Seasonal; for prices, please visit the website
What to expect: Trollhaugen was established in 1950 and is one of the longest-running snow sports resorts in the Midwest. The summertime aerial adventure park includes 112 challenge elements, plus six zip lines. This places is like a giant, floating playground with six circuits and four levels of difficulty. If you’re close to Minneapolis or western Wisconsin, this course is definitely one to look into for your adventure thrills.
Kerfoot Canopy Tours
Location: Henderson, MN
Cost: $95 to $110
What to expect: This canopy tour southwest of Minneapolis lasts for nearly three hours and is guided by an experienced belayer. It follows 14 zip lines with over a mile in length, a 170-foot suspension bridge and spiral staircases. It offers beautiful views of the Minnesota River Valley with some of the most lush scenery and mature woods in the Midwest.