BLOWING ROCK, N.C. - Sky Valley Zip Tours provides a high-flying adventure across an Appalachian mountainside. And despite its Blowing Rock address, the attraction is located only a few minutes from downtown Boone.
The canopy tour operates on a 140-acre site that was formerly Camp Sky Ranch. It involves nine zips, a controlled jump, and a walk across a 120-foot rope bridge. All this takes place in a rugged forest just three miles from Boone Mall.
"We're giving folks the chance to see the Appalachian environment in as natural a form as possible, while creating a little bit of excitement," said general manager Jack Sharp Jr. "You're in the trees, you're in the woods, you're in an old-growth forest. People don't see that when they're sight-seeing and walking around."
The Sky Valley course also has zips that soar above the trees, including one that is 300 feet above the ground and reaches speeds up to 40 miles per hour.
"I describe it as Indiana Jones meets an Ewok Village," added Sharp. "You fly through the air seeing for miles in all different directions, they you're in the tree tops with the squirrels and the birds. We insert you into a real adventure."
A full tour at Sky Valley lasts approximately three hours, including equipment fitting, safety instruction and ATV rides to and from the course.
Hours are 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. seven days a week through the end of November. The cost is $79 per person, or $69 per person for groups of 10 or more. Participants must be at least 10 years old and weigh between 70-250 pounds.
"It's always great to add to our tourism offerings, especially with such a high-quality attraction as Sky Valley," said Wright Tilley, executive director of the Boone Tourism Development Authority. "This fits well with our message that Boone is a top destination for outdoor recreation."
For information, call toll free (855) 475-9947, or visit: www.SkyValleyZipTours.com.