Ropes courses are not just a team-building destination for corporate retreats. They are also a relaxing combination of a few favorite outdoor activities: The best ropes courses involve hiking to and from the site. Climbers can often put their bouldering skills to work along the course. And, of course, ropes courses give you a few hours to enjoy yourself in nature.
Here is a look at some of the best ropes courses in America.
Ruby Falls ZIPstream, Lookout Mountain, TN
It is easy to forget you’re high above one of Tennessee’s largest cities when you are harnessed into Ruby Falls’ ZIPstream. This course takes you into a canopy of trees on Lookout Mountain and gives peaks of Chattanooga far below.
While the ropes course itself is incredible, the surrounding area makes this a go-to destination. Camping and climbing enthusiasts flock to the region year-round for its incredible climbs and campgrounds.
Go Ape! Course, Rock Creek Park, Rockville, MD
Rock Creek Park is a glorious natural escape for residents of the Washington, D.C. area. In an extremely urban area, the national park is a refuge for coyotes and white-tailed deer, as well as the camping enthusiast.
After a night of camping, head to the Go Ape! ropes course to get high into the treetops of the park. The highlights of this course are two Tarzan-style rope swings that let you fly through the deliciously refreshing air.
Catamount Aerial Adventure Park, Hillsdale, NY
It’s hard to deny the appeal of something called an “aerial adventure park.” This ropes course, located in Hillsdale, NY, is on 10 acres of land and is one of the biggest ropes courses you might encounter. In the heart of the Berkshires, you can rest assured you’ll be enjoying incredible views from the top of the 170 platforms in the course. Ski lovers may recognize “Catamount,” as the park shares its name with a ski resort, of which it is a part.
Ropes Course at C Lazy U Ranch, Granby, CO
There’s no denying the allure of the wooded areas of the Eastern U.S. While the West is startlingly different, its rugged beauty is breathtaking and offers a different outdoor experience.
C Lazy U Ranch has been a guest dude ranch for 90 years and brings guests into the heart of Colorado’s great expanses of plains and towering mountains. Their ropes course takes adventurers high into the air with a backdrop of blue skies spreading out for miles. It’s an utterly different – but amazing – experience than flying through trees in a wooded forest.
Mother Lode, Lotus, CA
The Mother Lode River Center boasts incredible whitewater rafting, beautiful campgrounds and a top-notch ropes course. This combination makes it the perfect weekend vacation for the outdoor-lover.
While the center does specialize in trust building group activities, it also features a half-day high ropes activity. The highlight of the whole course is the 370-foot zip line over the American River.
