Zip lines, alpine coasters and more: 6 ways to catch a thrill at Colorado tourist attractions
Riders plummet 200 feet into Williams Canyon at speeds of 100 MPH on opening day of Cave of the Wind's newest attraction, the Terror-Dactyl, Thursday, July 17, 2014. Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette
Michael Ciaglo, The Gazette
The whole family can catch a thrill at Colorado’s many tourist attractions. That’s assuming the whole family meets some height and weight requirements. And isn’t prone to queasiness.
Here are some wild diversions to consider:
TERROR-DACTYL
Riders plummet 200 feet into Williams Canyon at speeds of 100 mph on opening day of Cave of the Wind’s newest attraction, the Terror-Dactyl
So named for the creature one imagines gliding between the ancient, 200-foot cliffs at Manitou Springs’ Cave of the Winds. Wait, did pterodactyls fly 100 mph? That’s the billed speed of your chair swinging through the air.
BREATHTAKER ALPINE COASTER
In building more for all seasons, alpine coasters have become common at Colorado ski areas. At Aspen Snowmass, this one aims to live up to the lofty name. It notches speeds up to 28 mph as it zips and zooms for more than a mile.
ROYAL GORGE VIA FERRATA
Tracy Harmon slowly walks across a bridge during this week’s sneak peek of the Royal Gorge’s guided via ferrata experience, which will debut to the public this weekend. The new course has climbers harnessed in and attached to a steel cable by carabiners as they traverse the south rim of the Royal Gorge.
Via ferratas — Italian for “iron paths” — have been popping up all over Colorado’s vertical landscape. But perhaps none is as iconic as this one, spanning the world-renowned walls of the Royal Gorge, high above the Arkansas River.
ESTES PARK AERIAL TRAMWAY
There aren’t many European-style cable cars like this one still running, in operation since 1955. And there aren’t many views that rival this. You’ll rise 1,100 feet to a classic, postcard view of the scenery shaping Rocky Mountain National Park.
Treehouse Adventure Park in Bailey. Photo courtesy Kevin Snyder, Treehouse Adventure Park
DURANGO ADVENTURES
This is a hub of adrenaline in the heart of the San Juan Mountains. Zip lines running treetop to treetop. Off-roading tours rumbling across bone-rattling terrain. Rafting trips navigating through Animas River rapids. And axe throwing.
TREEHOUSE ADVENTURE PARK
Of all the state’s zip lines and ropes courses, this place west of Denver has set itself apart. In the pine thickets of Bailey, creators have arranged a compound they say “closely resembles an Ewok village, or a Swiss Family Robinson treehouse.”
Read more:
Rafting bucket list: 3 iconic spots for whitewater rafting in Colorado
Colorado's state sport? Burro racing. Here's where you can catch the races this summer.
Wet ’n’ wild: A whitewater excursion on the Arkansas River | Spencer McKee
Eating, drinking and adventure in Chaffee County: Local tips for your next trip
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