Zip lines have been around a long time, but they have only recently grown into a recreational phenomenon. The zip line has many aliases. Among them are: zip wire, aerial runway, flying fox, aerial rope slide and tyrolean crossing.
A zip line is basically a pulley which runs along a cable suspended over a variety of terrain. The area beneath could be a forest floor, a rocky canyon, a body of water—pretty much anything. The zip line is a means of traversing and observing these often pristine areas without disturbing them.
Some of the most popular zip lines are in areas of rain forests where they are called canopy tours because the rider zips along at treetop level. A zip line is one case where getting there really is half (or more) of the fun.
A rider is usually trussed up in a harness which is hooked to the pulley running on the cable. A helmet is pretty much standard equipment. The cable moves riders quickly over expanses of terrain. At the end of the ride there is usually a platform where the rider comes to a stop.
For shorter zip lines which are closer to the ground, there may or may not be a harness involved. If you want to get a better idea of what you’re in for, take a look at this YouTube video of a zipper in action.
Historic Mill Creek Discover Park just south of Mackinaw City is one of the zip line locations in Michigan. You can also find one closer to home at Sherman Lake YMCA in Augusta.
I recently received word of a zip line opening for the winter season at Boyne Highlands Resort in Harbor Springs. It offers zip liners thrilling rides as they soar along five sections through trees and open valleys.
The total experience is about two hours and sections range from 200 to 500 feet. There is also a zip line under construction at Boyne Mountain Resort in Boyne Falls.
The only states in the Midwest with no zip lines are North and South Dakota. Indiana tops the list with four. Illinois, Kansas, Minnesota and Missouri all have one. Iowa, Ohio, Nebraska and Wisconsin have two each, and – as we have seen – Michigan has three (four if you count the two at Boyne separately).
Ozone Zip Line Adventures at the YMCA Camp Kern near Oregonia, Ohio, is the biggest zip line canopy tour in Midwest with more than 10,000 feet of zip lines across nine individual cables.
Riders sail over deep ravines and pass through beautiful wooded settings. This course is also home to the longest individual zip line in the continental United States – more than 3,400 linear feet.
Zip lines are throughout the United States, Canada, Central/South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, New Zealand and Asia. For a complete listing, visit this zip line directory.
While costs, of course, vary with the complexity and size of the course, the fees from Mill Creek will give you a place to start. Here adults can try the zip line for $7.00 per person in addition to the general admission to the park which is $8.00 for adults and $4.75 for visitors 5-17.
Photo courtesy of the Shenandoah Valley Travel Association
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