From mountain biking and hiking to whitewater rafting and rock climbing, Western North Carolina offers countless ways to explore the great outdoors. One of the most awe inspiring and adrenaline inducing is ziplining, traveling down a cable wire over an open span as fast as gravity can propel you.
With our majestic mountains and old-growth forests, WNC offers many wonderful locations for zipline adventures. Aerialists as young as four years old can travel from treetop to treetop, exploring protected forests from above.
Here is your complete guide to zipline adventures in Asheville, Lake Lure, Bryson City, and nearby locations across Western NC.
Asheville Treetops Adventure Park
The Adventure Center of Asheville’s outdoor adventure park is as unique as the city it lives in. Asheville Treetops Adventure Park has five different adventure trails that let you enjoy only the obstacles you feel comfortable with. Think of it as ski slopes in the trees and a true “jungle gym” for all ages, strengths, and adventure levels.
Asheville Treetops Adventure Park
85 Expo Drive, Asheville
(877) 247-5539
ashevilletreetopsadventurepark.com/asheville-treetops-adventure-park
Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures
Take flight on a zipline canopy tour just minutes from downtown Asheville, yet surprisingly set amongst 150-year-old majestic white and red oaks. Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures offers the best of many worlds. It is convenient and exciting, with urban views of downtown Asheville. But it’s also set on a 124-acre resort and designated tree preserve amongst some of the oldest and largest oak trees in the region.
Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures
85 Expo Drive, Asheville
(866) 319-8870
wildwaterrafting.com/adventures/asheville-zipline-canopy-tours
Boulderline Adventure Programs
Boulderline specializes in programs tailored for churches, camps, schools, and civic organizations. Six thrilling ziplines take you from ridge to ridge through 40 acres of forest woodland. From the Bunny Slope to the Warrior Run, fly over trees as you step off platforms of varying heights from 2–25 feet high.
Boulderline Adventure Programs
456 Boland Drive, Lake Lure
(828) 625-4913
Canopy Ridge Farm
Soar through the lush green forests of the Blue Ridge Foothills for a truly unique and exciting nature experience. The park is nestled into 120 acres in the beautiful Hickory Nut Gorge, just a stone’s throw from Lake Lure. Pleasant weather conditions and a plethora of natural vegetation mimic the feeling of sailing through a tropical rainforest.
Canopy Ridge Farm
7115 US-64, Lake Lure
(828) 625-4500
French Broad Adventures
Have you ever wondered what it feels like to fly? Zipline with French Broad Adventures and experience the beauty of the Appalachian Mountains while you soar from tree to tree in a scenic mountain setting. Their tree-based zipline adventure course features 10 lines ranging in length from 75–1,000 feet—that’s more than one mile of cable!
French Broad Adventures
9800 US-25, Marshall
(800) 570-7238
The Gorge
Are you ready for America’s steepest and fastest zipline canopy tour? The Gorge begins your experience perched on the rim of the Green River Gorge and plunges into untouched wilderness. Descend an unprecedented 1,100 feet in elevation, zipping from treetop to treetop on 11 ziplines. Traverse a sky bridge and descend three huge rappels, all through stunning old-growth forest overlooking 18,000 acres of protected gamelands.
The Gorge
166 Honey Bee Drive, Saluda
(828) 749-2500
Highlands Aerial Park
Zip rain, shine, or snow! Highlands Aerial Park’s World Class Canopy Tour consists of eight ziplines spanning 44 acres—including the 1,550-foot long, 210-foot high Squealing Mare! First-timers can enjoy the Mountain Top Canopy Tour, which features the first four zipline rides of the World Class tour. Work your way up from 10 feet to 45 feet off the ground.
Highlands Aerial Park
9625 Dillard Road, Scaly Mountain
(828) 526-8773
KidZip Nantahala
KidZip Nantahala offers adventure park elements for kids 4–12 years old. Ziplines are situated in a scenic wooded setting within view of parents. With a continuous cable system, kids don’t need to wait for clipping and unclipping. Participants 4–6 years old must have a paying adult accompany them on the course.
KidZip Nantahala
10345 Highway 19 South/74 West, Bryson City
(828) 488-8899
wildwaterrafting.com/adventures/nantahala-gorge-canopy-tours
Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tour
The first canopy tour in the Nantahala Gorge Region, this course takes you deep into the woods and high into the treetops with spectacular views of Fontana Lake and the Nantahala Gorge. This fully-guided trip is of moderate intensity and does not require previous ziplining experience.
Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tour
10345 Highway 19 South/74 West, Bryson City
(828) 488-8899
wildwaterrafting.com/adventures/nantahala-gorge-canopy-tours
Nantahala Outdoor Center
Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC) offers five aerial and zipline adventures with something for everyone and every budget. Their signature course is the Mountaintop Zipline Tour. While most zipline tours glide from tree to tree in forest canopies, the Mountaintop flies from ridgeline to ridgeline, culminating in the longest zipline in the region, a dramatic half-mile mega zip. Or explore the nation’s first 100% net-based aerial playground, Treetop Adventure Nets, which is great for adventure seekers ages 3+.
Nantahala Outdoor Center
290 Macon Avenue, Asheville
(828) 785-5082
Navitat Canopy Adventures
Navitat is an experienced company whose sole focus is tree-based adventure. They opened their Asheville location in 2010 with the original tree-based canopy tour, the Moody Cove Adventure. An unprecedented mountaintop zipline tour, the Blue Ridge Experience, opened in 2014. Enjoy the ride. At Navitat, you’re in great hands.
Navitat Canopy Adventures
242 Poverty Branch Road, Barnardsville
(828) 626-3700
Wildwater Ziplines
Wildwater is the oldest outfitter in the Southeast. In addition to whitewater rafting, Wildwater offers kayak clinics, SUP and kayak lake tours, Raft & Rail© excursion, climbing walls, and a high ropes course. Their WNC zipline and canopy tours operate under the names Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tour, KidZip, and Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures.
Wildwater Ziplines
(866) 319-8870
wildwaterrafting.com/zipline-canopy-tours
*All photos taken from respective websites
Which is your favorite zipline adventure near Asheville? Let us know in the comments.
We Dare You to Try All 12 Zipline Adventures in WNC! https://t.co/JMdrjDhHPX #wncoutdoors
— Beverly-Hanks WNC (@beverlyhanks) April 3, 2018
