Zipline

A zipline tour sends you along a series of steel cables between platforms, often through trees or across canyons, with guides clipping you in at every line. It's one of the easiest adventure activities to try. 238 zipline companies are on Seeking Adrenaline. This guide covers cost, age and weight limits, what to wear and what a tour is like.

What ziplining is like

You're fitted with a harness and helmet, given a short ground lesson, then you walk or climb to the first platform. A guide clips you to the cable, you sit back in your harness and step off. Most tours have several lines that get longer or higher as you go. Adventureworks in Hot Springs, Arkansas, runs 10 ziplines in about 90 minutes, and Flagstaff Extreme in Arizona runs a course of 32 ziplines.

What it costs

Prices checked Oct 2026.

• Adventureworks (Hot Springs, AR): $65.90 for adults 18 and up and $49.90 for ages 7 to 17.
• Flagstaff Extreme (Flagstaff, AZ): $60 for ages 12 and up on its zipline course.
• Screaming Eagle (Alexander City, AL): $49 to $74 per person (closed for the season; check with the operator).

Who can go

• Ages: Ozark Mountain Ziplines in Eureka Springs, Arkansas, takes guests from 3 to 103. AVA Rafting & Zipline in Colorado takes ages 6 and up, and Adventureworks takes ages 7 and up.
• Weight: Ozark Mountain Ziplines has no minimum weight and a maximum of 275 pounds, and everyone is weighed. Icy Strait Point in Alaska requires 75 to 275 pounds. AVA requires 50 to 250 pounds, and Adventureworks recommends 50 to 250 pounds.
• Health: Icy Strait Point's tour isn't suitable for expectant mothers or guests with back or neck injuries.

For more on limits, see Zipline vs ropes course.

What to wear

At Ozark Mountain Ziplines, wear comfortable clothes and shoes, with pants or longer shorts, and no flip-flops. Flagstaff Extreme recommends fingerless gloves on its treetop courses; bring your own or buy a pair at its Welcome Center. Tie back long hair and secure anything in your pockets.

Rain and weather

Many zip tours run in the rain. Ozark Mountain Ziplines zips rain or shine, and Captain Zipline in Salida, Colorado, operates rain or shine with ponchos provided, canceling only for lightning or high winds. Some courses are seasonal: Screaming Eagle in Alabama is closed for the season, and Arizona Zipline Adventures is closed Monday to Wednesday. Adventureworks runs Halloween moonlight zip tours on set October nights.

Safety and nerves

Guides clip you in and check your gear at every platform. If you're nervous about heights, start with a shorter tour; at Ozark Mountain Ziplines, the Express Tour takes about 30 minutes, compared with about 1.5 hours for the Full Tour. For more, see Are zipline tours scary?.

Your first tour

Arrive early: Captain Zipline's check-in is 30 minutes before departure, and Alaska Canopy Adventures in Ketchikan asks you to arrive 10 minutes before your start time, with round-trip transportation included on all its tours. Tour length depends on group size; plan for 1.5 to 3 hours on a full tour.

Where to zip

• Arkansas: Hot Springs and Eureka Springs.
• Arizona: Flagstaff, and Oracle (Arizona Zipline Adventures, 35406 S. Mt. Lemmon Road, an hour north of Tucson, with a 5-line EcoTour).
• Colorado: Salida and the AVA locations (Buena Vista and Idaho Springs).
• Alaska: Ketchikan and Hoonah.
• Alabama: Alexander City and Guntersville.
• Tennessee (Smokies): Gatlinburg, Pigeon Forge and Sevierville have many parks close together, including family courses. Park-by-park ages, prices and rain rules are in the Smokies zipline guide.
• Hawaii: Maui (Kula and Lahaina), Oahu (Kahuku), the Big Island (Hawi, Hilo and Honomu) and Kauai (Koloa). Heat and sun are the main gear problem, so bring sun protection and water.

For mountain views out West, look at the Arizona and Colorado courses above. Weather and weight rules still apply on every line.

FAQ

How much does a zipline tour cost?

$65.90 for adults at Adventureworks, $60 at Flagstaff Extreme and $49 to $74 at Screaming Eagle. Prices checked Oct 2026.

What is the weight limit for ziplining?

It depends on the course: up to 275 pounds at Ozark Mountain Ziplines, 75 to 275 pounds at Icy Strait Point and 50 to 250 pounds at AVA Rafting & Zipline.

How old do you have to be to zipline?

From age 3 at Ozark Mountain Ziplines, 6 at AVA Rafting & Zipline and 7 at Adventureworks.

Can you zipline in the rain?

Often, yes. Ozark Mountain Ziplines and Captain Zipline both run rain or shine, and Captain Zipline cancels only for lightning or high winds.

How long does a zipline tour take?

About 90 minutes for Adventureworks' 10 lines, and about 1.5 hours for Ozark Mountain Ziplines' Full Tour or 30 minutes for its Express Tour.