Zip (Line) It in the South

Whether they are long or short, medium or fast – zip lines seem to have one thing in common – the thrill factor.

Appealing to both the adventurous and less-adventurous, zip lines provide you with the opportunity to see the South in a whole new way.

So, whether you’re in Lansing, WVa., or St. Cloud, Fla., or places in between, there’s a good chance that you are near a zip line.

• At Eagle Falls Ranch Zipline Adventure in Eminence, Mo., you can choose from three different packages based on your interest. First-timers will enjoy the easy Explorer Tour, while those more experience will gravitate toward the Challenger Tour or perhaps the night zips.
• Leave it to Texas to have many zip lines to choose from. There seems to be one (or more) in every part of the state. There’s the Cypress Valley Canopy Tour in Spicewood with three tours. Wimberley Zipline Adventure features eight different lines that provides awe-inspiring views of the Texas Hill Country. Wired in Canton has four lines, including the longest zip line in the Lone Star State.
• In Tennessee, you’ll find the Wahoo Zipline in Sevierville. This particular one features six mountain zip lines. SkyTrek, also in Sevierville, has a zipline that is over four football fields long. In addition to their six lines, the layout also includes swinging bridges and viewing towers. Dollywood also offers six different zip lines on the SkyZip. You can choose from the Flying Squirrel Bluff, the Red Fox Run or the Bald Eagle Swoop – each varying in their length and level of challenge.
• How about trying out the Screaming Eagle Zip Line Canopy Adventure Eco-Tour at historic Banning Mills in Whitesburg, Ga. This course is said to be one of the longest and highest in the world. Be sure to check out their newest addition that includes a 120-foot tower and a 2,400-foot high zip line.
• Glide over the lagoon at Baytowne Wharf’s zip line, located in Sandestin. It’s a line for those who want to easy into the adventure of zip lines. Grande Lakes Orlando has a zip line with their ropes course.
• In North Carolina, there’s the Scream Time Zipline in Boone, where you can choose from the regular tour that includes six zip lines; the regular tour plus super zip (almost a half-mile long line by itself); or just the super zip. Ride through the forest during Richland Creek Zip Line Canopy Tour, near Asheboro. Check out their special night rides on October 29-30. Carolina Ziplines in Westfield offers two courses, “The High One,”  which features a finish with a long cable and “The Web” that lives up to its name.
• Enjoy the view as you zip to the bottom of the ski slopes at Bryce Resort in Basye, Va. Featuring ten zip lines, the tour takes anywhere from one hour and fifteen minutes to two hours.

photo credit: Gliding over Spring Creek; photo is courtesy of Adventure West Virginia Resort and Class VI-Mountain River.