Guide to Zip Lining Blue Ridge Mountains of North GA (2023)

Ziplining is the perfect mix of adrenaline and the slow appreciation of nature, and one of the most breathtaking places to zipline is in the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains! However, if this is your first zip-lining trip, there are a few things to know before you fly over the tree tops of this mountain range’s deciduous forests.

Before ziplining in the Blue Ridge Mountains, it’s important to find a reputable zip line tour guide with well-kept lines and equipment. Guests should be familiar with zipline safety and how to use the equipment for an area with drops ranging from 25ft. to 550ft., often over white water rapids.

If you want to be better prepared for this adventure, or just want to know what the best zipline tours are for this area, then you’ve come to the right place. Keep reading to learn more.

Why Should I Zipline in the Blue Ridge Mountains?

All we really need to do to answer this question is ask you to look up a picture of this phenomenal mountain range. There’s no place like the Blue Ridge Mountains in Georgia. Even if you’ve ziplined before in other mountainous regions, it’s a different location entirely.

Ziplining over the Ocoee river or Chattahoochee river as the sun starts to sink, casting orange highlights through the trees and deep shadows over the forest floor while the river stays impossibly blue is without compare. Surround yourself with the awesome beauty of mountain views. If you want to experience more of this mountain beauty, maybe check out the State Parks and camping in the area, or perhaps the golf courses in the North Georgia mountains.

Basic Zipline Safety

We need to take a break from the excitement here. While definitely one of the safer sports out there, it’s still possible to get hurt while zip-lining by:

Falling
Colliding with the rider in front of you
Catching pinch points at turns

Getting hair caught in the line

It’s important to know how to avoid these problems by getting you familiar with the basic safety instruction you should always get from your guide.

The first thing to know: the weight limit of each line. Normally, groups go on a line one after the other, so get the collective weight of the group as well as your own weight.

Next, you need to know what to wear to be safe.

Closed-toe shoes will always be required to avoid broken toes and trips.
Anyone with long hair must have it in a ponytail so that it doesn’t get caught in the equipment.

Pockets should be completely empty so that nothing is lost or hits someone; even cell phones should be out.
Lastly, you should have the helmet you’re given on your head at all times.

Then, you should be taught how to use the equipment, which is tested daily. You will be attached to the safety line by a lanyard and a carabiner attached to your safety harness. On top of the safety line will be a bar that will serve as your brake.

NEVER under any circumstances grab the cable in the event of an error with your brake. If it breaks, there should be an emergency arrest device (EAD) attached that should automatically activate. To avoid issues, don’t jump off the platform until instructed. Wait until the other riders are cleared.

Is Ziplining Safe for Kids?

Ziplining requires no special training outside of the standard safety rundown for anyone to join, making it the perfect way to give your children an exciting summer. Many zipline tours even have zip lines specifically designed for children.

The tour groups will always specify an age limit on their websites so that there’s no worry about whether your son or daughter is too young. For example, Zipline Canopy Tours won’t take children younger than 6 and no older than 9, and children between the ages of 6 adn 8 must have an adult present or participating with them.

How Long are Zipline Tours in the Blue Ridge Mountains?

Zipline tours are usually either 1 or 2 hours long. The time it takes you to finish a line will depend on how fast you choose to go, but the two-hour tours will have about a mile of cable, or 5280 feet of cable, and several “zips,” which are zip line sections between trees, canopy decks, etc. where the lines are anchored.

During that mile of air time, you almost know what it’s like to be a bird, zipping past branches and flying over streams. The one-hour tour will have half the length of a two-hour tour, but will still give the same amount of thrill. At the end, your tour guides will have a vehicle to help take you back to the offices.

Best Zipline Courses for the Blue Ridge Mountains

Finally! We get to the part you’ve been waiting for! Where can you go to experience the best of ziplining? Some of the best zipline courses that show off the Blue Ridge Mountains include,

Zipline Canopy Tours

The Zipline Canopy Tours of Blue Ridge is one of the top-rated zip line canopy tours. Their two-hour tour has a mile of cable with canopy decks reaching 75ft. high. Their route has 3 sky bridges that are almost as thrilling as the zips. They’re also home of the Blue Ridge Adventure Park which offers all the challenges for the thrill-seekers in your group.

Between the obstacle challenge course and the zipline canopy adventures, anyone looking for adventure will find more excitement than they could hope for. You can find them at 891 Old Cashes Valley Road, Blue Ridge, Georgia, but they suggest putting the name of their company into your GPS system.

Chattooga Ridge Canopy Tours

This company leads their flyers near the Chattooga River with a half-mile of air time (approx. 1 hour), right over Academy Lake with 2 sky bridges for you to cross! After that, why not go white water rafting? You don’t have to stop there, either. Just a short hike away is another location they have: the Ocoee River Canopy Tours, which is just as breathtaking.

In Short…

You just can’t appreciate beauty like this by driving in a car or taking a walk in a small area. A zip line tour is a great way to make sure everyone has a great experience! Whether they’re speed demons or prefer to appreciate the beauty of the beautiful Blue Ridge Mountains at a slower pace, they’ll all enjoy it!

Resources for Ziplining:

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