If you are craving an adrenaline rush with a scenic twist then a zipline adventure in Texas offers the perfect way to soar above most stunning landscapes.
Zipliner is an adventure that requires no introduction. It is now popular all over the world.
By the way, how it all started? Would you like to know a bit about the history behind this crazy adventure?
Brief description of Zipliner:
It involves hanging onto a metal rope that runs from one elevated structure, usually a hill to another point across the hill, with a slight descent.
You will be safely harnessed. You either hang on in a standing position or lie horizontally.
With a gentle push by the zipline operator, you slide across the rope to reach the other end.
The distance of the zipline varies from 500 meters to a few kilometers. Similarly, the time you spend on sliding varies from a few seconds to a maximum of one and a half minutes.
Oh, there are exceptions. In one particular place in UAE, the length of the zipline is about 2.8 km. It takes 3 minutes to cover the distance.
Personally, it is too long a duration during which, the participants may panic.
Zipline is built across a valley, a hill, or a water body, invariably a lake or river, and even across the cliffs in a canyon.
When you look down and ahead as you zip through the metal rope, you catch a glimpse of terrific views.
This is the essence of this adventure.
How it all started, and where?
This is not an invention of modern man, folks, It has its beginning in ancient times, and that too in China. The neighboring country Nepal too joined the act.
It was useful in rescue operations, and also in carting essential commodities to inaccessible places. For example, monasteries that were deliberately built on cliff tops that had limited access on foot or wheels were reachable quickly through zipline.
So, when it came into the picture of recreational adventure sports?
Somewhere in Costa Rica, sometime about 50 years ago, ziplining was used by botanical research scholars to study different flora in unreachable terrains.
The tribes of the lush rainforests in South American countries, and in some Latin American nations, employed zipping techniques to reach distant places for harvesting, and hunting purposes also.
This paved the way for the tourism developers to think of offering zipping through ropes for adventure purposes only.
Trivia:
I read somewhere that, as a participant, you need to weigh over 45 kg! Strange eligibility condition! I thought the less you weigh, the faster you slide through.
Zipline Adventure in Texas: 10 Best Places to Soar
In this post, I will tell you about 10 places for Zipline Adventure in Texas, where you can indulge in ziplining adventure sports.
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Lake Travis Zipline Adventures
This is rated number one Zipline Adventure in Texas, because of its length. 2.8 km is the length of the zipline.
In addition, the speed at which you will reach the destination is a whopping 104 km! It means the descent is rather steep.
Take a look:
Here, you slide over Travis Lake, located in a village called Volente, Travis Countty, Texas.
Austin, one of the big cities in Texas, lies 40 south of Travis Lake.
Since there are 5 ziplines, you may not have to wait for long to get your turn
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LaRue, Texas
This time, it is Dallas City that is near the site of adventure. 140 km southeast of Dallas is where LaRue is located.
It is a highly visited site by the Zipline enthusiast. Incredibly, there are as many as nine ziplines available here.
The name of the operator is New York, Texas Zipline Adventure. This will help you to do your due diligence.
In this adventure, you are in a half-lie down position, while stretching your legs horizontally.
The place is scenic, and there is some wildlife to spot. The zipline is from one tree to another tree. The distance between the trees is 948 feet. You will be hanging 100 feet above the ground.
They have a Facebook page too for more information.
The setting is beautiful, and I am sure, you will enjoy the adventure. You can reach LaRue in two hours from Dallas, Texas.
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Wimberley Zipline
Wimberly is only 60 km southwest of Austin. You can consider it as the heart of Texas.
San Antonio City is also not far off from Wimberly City.
In this city, you can go ziplining. It is a well-organized adventure. There are 10 ziplines. This is the first time I have come across a 10-line zipping adventure at one place.
Despite so many lines, you have to book your slot in advance. That speaks about the popularity of Wimberly Zipline.
The ropes are over Wimberly Valley. Adventurers will really appreciate the woody valley view.
Beginners can choose a shorter length zipline that measures just 150 feet long.
Veterans always opt for a 900-foot zipline. However, for both short and longer lines, the sliding speed is only 50 kmph.
By the way, are you aware of the fact that Wimberly is known for several ranches? You can even think of a ranch stay and enjoy the wilderness of Wimberly Valley.
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Cedar Creek, Texas
If you are touring Austin, Cedar Creek is the nearest place where you can go for a ziplining stint. Only 43 km is the distance between Austin and Cedar Creek.
The view below is stunning. Texas Colorado River is flowing below you. In addition, there are groves of pine trees.
When you see the pine trees, neatly standing one after the other, you would feel like landing amidst the trees, and go for a long walk, or enjoy a picnic snack.
As a matter of fact, the adventure is named, “Zip Lost Pines”.
When I read the speed of sliding is only 15 kmph, my heart sank. There is really no fun to experience zipline at such a low speed-right?
Children who are below 15 years of age are also allowed to experience. Dual lines facilitate this feature.
My spirit again soared when I read there is a bar at the base camp.
Suspension bridges invite the touring to walk on them.
You will see the adventure action after the one-minute mark in the video.
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Helotes Hill Country
Just 32 km northwest of San Antonio is where the Helotes Hill Country Zipline Sport is available.
You can safely say, that the site of adventure is outside the San Antonio Downtown. That is very convenient for the tourists who are touring San Antonio.
It occupies the 7th position in the list of the top 10 most populous cities in the United States.
Helotes Hill County Zipline has 10 zips, each with a different length, starting from as low as 100 feet and up to 1000 feet maximum.
For those who are afraid of zipping adventure, there is a safe, land-based fun game known as ‘disc golf’ or ‘frisbee golf’.
I think you understood what you have to do by looking at the photo of disc golf. Just try to throw the disc in the basket.
There are 18 such baskets, each with increasing difficulty to basket the disc.
Coming back to our zipping adventure, if there is a minimum weight requirement of 27 kg, there must be a maximum-eh? If you weigh more than 120 kg, you are now allowed to zip. Understandable!
In Helotes Hill County Zipline, you can slide down the rope only at a little more than 50 kmph.
Well, still an enjoyable adventure it is.
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Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches, what an odd name for a place! It is supposed to be the oldest town in Texas. Shreveport is the nearest popular city, located at 150 km away, in the southwest direction.
This oldest town’s major attraction is a zipline adventure. I think the presence of numerous trees is the reason for the zipline to have come up.
Nacogdoches is very near to East Texas Timberland.
In addition, there is also some elevation that is required to construct a descending zipline.
You can expect 5 lines of zip. The length varies from 225 feet to 900 feet!
The view is not so attractive but still an adventure in a small town.
For more details, your search term should be, “zip nac”.
The town has some more attractions in the way of parks that include a water theme park. Banita Creek Park receives the maximum number of people daily.
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Plano, Texas
Plano is one of the big cities in Texas. It is located 32 km north of Dallas.
The sport is located in Oak Point Park and Nature Reserve.
The main adventure is named Go Ape Zipline & Adventure Park!
The zipline is between two tall trees. When you do the dazzling act, you will be hanging 28 feet above the ground level.
From start to finish, the rope is just 430 feet long. I think you can reach the finish line from the base camp in about 30 seconds. But it is not so.
Here, the zipline adventure involves rope walking, walking on a hanging bridge, sliding on a rope, and many challenges numbering 40!
I think you might be engaged in the adventure for nearly 2 hours until you reach the finishing point.
The video below will throw more light on Go Ape Zipline Adventure in Texas. I think your different performances on ropes, and tree branches will be imitating an ape!
If only adventure travelers came to know about this fantastic place, they would come in large numbers to Go Ape Zipline.
In fact, Plano City has much to engage you for a weekend. I would like to mention a few attractions in Plano, Texas.
- Arbor Hills Nature Preserve:
Obviously, wildlife spotting is the main activity. That also means you have to hike on trails.
- Cavanaugh Flight Museum
If anything that has to do with flying in the past, this museum will engage you. So, this is mainly for aviation buffs!
- Crayola Experience
This is a fun place for children that attracts them with interactive activities.
I think this video will prompt you to take your children to Plano where you will forget about Go Ape Zipping adventures and focus on this Crayala Experience.
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Cypress Valley Canopy Tours, Spicewood, Texas.
The destination is Spicewood which is located about 50 km northwest of Austin.
The word canopy tours can you make imagine many adventures in a forest. Apart from zipline, walking on a suspension bridge will be challenging. It is not easy to walk on a bridge that is hanging, and it will sway as you walk.
Interestingly, this is the first zipline sport to have come up in the U.S.
The entire activities are carried out in a forest full of cypress trees.
The place has received acclamation from several sources and it is considered as one of the top spots for canopy-related adventure enthusiasts.
Look for “Cypress Valley Canopy Tours, Spicewood, Texas: to gather information about reaching the place and about the outdoor activities.
While these 8 places are the main for zipline adventure in Texas, a few more places in the state might capture your attention. Here are they, buddy!
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Typhoon Texas Water Park, Pflugerville, Texas.
Apart from offering numerous water-based slides, sliding down on a zipline is also available in the water theme park.
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San Antonio, Texas
The name of the adventure park is called Natural Bridge Caverns Zipline. The name indicates the Zipline Adventure involves entering cavers too.
