Grab your helmet and harness and get ready to fly. Recreational ziplines, once limited to exotic locations, are now common in the U.S., with more than 400 courses splitting the horizon from Myrtle Beach to Long Beach. In recent years, two have even pierced Greenville’s skyline.
The evolution from function to fun has been explosive. Many believe the ancient Chinese were the first to use wire and gravity to move supplies and cattle across treacherous rivers and mountainsides. Centuries later, in 1979, Donald “Monkey Man” Perry soared high above Costa Rica’s forest canopy to conduct scientific research. Canadian entrepreneur Darren Hreniuk wasn’t content just reading about Perry’s adrenaline rush; he wanted his own. Less than 20 years later, Hreniuk built the first recreational zipline, allowing people to fly alongside the colorful quetzals in Monteverde. An extreme adventure for the masses was born, and today, seventy-two countries across six continents feature commercial ziplines.
Guinness World Records lists Ras Al Khaimah at Toro Verde Park in Dubai as the longest line (9,290 feet) and fastest (92.3 mph) in the world. Can’t travel that far to hang by a wire? No problem. Check out these courses nearby.
Zipline Around the Upstate
Zipline Around the UpstateFlying Rabbit Adventures
821 Laurens Rd, Greenville
Cruising Altitude: 58 athletic experiences, topping out at 80 feet.
Bonus Flight: Five-acre course designed by hometown boy Jonathan Simmons, who’s consulted on courses around the world.
Treetop Quest
16 Alma St, Greenville
Cruising Altitude: 60 obstacles topping out at 60 feet.
Bonus Flight: Family-friendly. Conveniently located inside Westside Park.
Driving Distance
Driving DistanceCanaan Zipline
3111 Sand Island Rd, Rock Hill, SC
Cruising Altitude: Nine-zip canopy tour over the Catawba River that starts with “Flight School.”
Bonus Flight: Try your night vision, with night flights back and forth across the river.
Nantahala Outdoor Center
13077 US-19, Bryson City, NC
Cruising Altitude: Two miles of zip lines, topping out at 350 feet.
Bonus Flight: 360-degree views across the 500-acre park, deep within the Nantahala Gorge.
Navitat
242 Poverty Branch Rd, Barnardsville, NC
Cruising Altitude: Mountain and treetop tours, with as many as six ziplines topping out at 350 feet.
Bonus Flight: Those who don’t like heights can watch their friends from below on the guided RTV Shadow Tour.
The Gorge
166 Honey Bee Dr, Saluda, NC
TheGorgeZipline.com
Cruising Altitude: Eleven ziplines and three rappels, descending 1,100 vertical feet.
Bonus Flight: Nominated as one of USA Today’s 10 Best Aerial Adventure Parks.
Zipline Destinations
Zipline DestinationsHistoric Banning Mills
205 Horseshoe Dam Rd, Whitesburg, GA
Cruising Altitude: Multiple lines, towers, and sky bridges serving four different ability levels, topping out at 200 feet.
Bonus Flight: Guinness World Records lists The Screaming Eagle as the “Longest & Largest Zipline Canopy Tour” in the world at 39,127 feet.
Shallotte River Swamp Park
5550 Watts Rd, Ocean Isle Beach, NC
Cruising Altitude: Ten ziplines and an aerial park tucked among 100-year-old cypress trees on the coast.
Bonus Flight: Look for wild boar, owls, raccoons, turkeys, deer, and gators on the grounds.
