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Carolina Adventures

Adventures in the sky

High Gravity

At least two new aerial parks have recently risen on North Carolina’s adventure landscape to challenge children and adults.

High Gravity Adventures, next to Tweetsie Railroad in Blowing Rock, is an aerial adventure park specializing in unusual outdoor recreation activities for ages 5 and up. Guests can experience 75 different elements, such as tight-rope walks, a maze of cargo nets, spiders’ webs and ziplines, requiring various levels of stamina at heights from 15 to 50 feet. Young children and those who prefer staying closer to the ground can enjoy the specially designed kids’ course, with lower, easier-to-navigate challenges. 828-266-0176 or highgravityadventures.com

Skywild treetop adventure park above the Greensboro Science Center Zoo offers 60 challenges, including ziplines, bridges and nets, that range from 15 to 50 feet above the ground. Adventurers can choose from seven courses, from beginner to advanced, with most features designed so participants can experience a variety of animal behaviors to better understand the diversity of life. They can leap like a frog or hop from nest to nest like a bird while enjoying an exciting workout. 336-288-3769, ext.1402, or skywild.org.

More sites

The nation’s first zipline canopy tour opened in 1998 at Earthshine Mountain Lodge in Lake Toxaway. Today, the numbers of aerial parks and ziplines in North Carolina  keeps climbing. They include:

The Gorge
Saluda
828-373-2389
thegorgezipline.com

ZipQuest Waterfalland Treetop Adventure
Fayetteville
910-488-8787
zipquest.com 

Navitat Canopy Adventures
Barnardsville
828-626-3700
navitat.com

Nantahala Outdoor Center Zipline and Adventure Park
Bryson City
866-336-1037
noc.com 

Nantahala Gorge Canopy Tours
Bryson City
866-319-8870
wildwaterrafting.com

Asheville Zipline Canopy Adventures
Asheville
866-319-8870
wildwaterrafting.com 

U.S. National Whitewater Center
Charlotte
704-391-3900
usnwc.org

Sky Valley Zip Tours
Blowing Rock
828-264-0002
skyvalleyziptours.com

Hawksnest
Seven Devils
828-963-6561
hawksnestzipline.com

Carolina Ziplines Canopy Tours
Westfield
336-972-7656
carolinaziplines.com

Richland Creek Ziplineand Canopy Tour
Asheboro
336-736-5623
richlandcreekzipline.com

Earthshine Lodge
Lake Toxaway
828-862-4207
earthshinenc.com

The Beanstalk Journeyat Catawba Meadows
Morganton
828-430-3440
thebeanstalkjourney.com

Kersey Valley
Archdale
336-431-1700
kerseyvalleyzipline.com

Canopy Ridge Farm Zip Line Tours
Lake Lure
828-625-4500
canopyridgefarm.com

Xtreeme Challenge
Weddington
704-236-6729
xtreemechallenge.com

Shallotte River Swamp Park
Ocean Isle Beach
910-687-6100
shallotteriverswamppark.com

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