New River Gorge Zipline Tours

Trip Description:

The only New River Gorge zipline tours with views of the New River Gorge National Park, ACE’s  New River Gorge zipline tour includes 9 cliffside zips. It is as exciting as it is beautiful. The dual zips mean that you can race your friends for bragging rights, and with two sky bridges, you can look down below on the trees and a mountain stream. Experience this incredible zipline journey during the day, or at night, with your path lit only by a headlamp attached to your helmet.

Trip Highlights:

• Scenic overlooks and sight-seeing perches at all launch points and dismounts.
• 9 zip lines and 2 sky bridges (suspension bridge).
• Ziplines range from 150-750 ft.
• Season: year-round

More Details:

Check-in in at the new Store and Trip Check-in located halfway up the mountain on our main paved road. Next, your shuttle will depart from the Adventure Operations building located just before Trip Check-in. You’ll embark on a short, on ­property bus ride that will take you to the start of our New River Gorge Zip Line Tours.

All of our zips have dual lines so you can race your friends to the finish!
Each line is calibrated to utilize gravity brakes. That means you won’t have to wear bulky gloves or touch the cable, ever! Your guide will teach you how to position your body to ensure that you arrive at the dismount platform on the other side at the proper speed.

Here’s a rundown of our new river gorge zipline tours!

Zip 1: Parallel Plunge: We kick off our zipline course on a dual-line that launches you and your friends a whopping 490­-feet through the trees on the rim of the New River Gorge. This line offers you your first glimpse of historic Thurmond, an old railroad town with a rich history and legendary characters; it is the only surviving town in the Gorge. Great overlook here of the gorge, mountains, and Thurmond. You may even see a train rolling through Thurmond.

Zip 2: Cruise Control: This 380-­foot zip keeps the adrenaline flowing. Located on the lip of the New River Gorge, this line offers spectacular river and mountain views. From Zip 2’s dismount platform, you can see Jump Rock on the Upper New River, a guest favorite on ACE rafting trips. Another great overlook of the gorge.

Zip 3: Rigor Mortis: A guest and guide favorite! This zip is 680-­feet long and over 100­-feet above the ground. This line is also one of the fastest, reaching speeds of up to 40 miles­-per-­hour! White water rafters on the New River can see you zipping through the trees far above them, so don’t forget to wave. Best view of the gorge while zipping – make sure to look to your right and take in the panoramic view of the trees, mountains, and river!

Zip 4: Mighty Mouse: Small but mighty, this line is over 200-­feet long and 40­-feet high. It offers moderate speeds, giving you a great view into the Rush Run Canyon and the Gorge.

Zip 5: Sunshine: This zip offers some of the most stunning views on the course, taking you flying on a 200­-foot breathtaking ride from White Wall to Natural Arch rock formations. Clinging to the cliffs nearly 60-­feet in the air, you will pass an old Hemlock, affectionately known as Graybeard. This zip was the site of our world record zip-line challenge in 2012!

At the dismount, make sure to get a picture on the platform with the incredible view in the background, it’s one of the best!

Zip 6: The Racer: Zip Backwards if you dare! You can choose to zip forwards or take a leap of faith and zip backward! This was our original, and only, dual zip. Due to its popularity, it was the inspiration for our complete course overhaul, making all of our zips tandem.

Wobble Bridge: A fun swinging bridge about one-­and-­a-­half-feet wide, this 150-­foot long wooden bridge gives adventurers a change of pace with unique views of their surroundings. It does wobble, but it has rope and cable railings on both sides. Don’t worry. You’ll be clipped into the safety cable overhead the entire time.

Zip 7: Boulderdash: This is a crazy 525­-foot “blind” zip. You can’t see the other side from the launch! A great thrill as you zip to who knows where… specially calibrated to maximize your speed this unique dual zip has two settings. One zip is for those weighing 130 pounds or less while the other zip is for those who weigh more than 130 pounds.

Zip 8: Terminal Velocity: After a short hike (a tenth of a mile with a sustained moderate uphill grade) we come to the longest and fastest zip of the day. Everything else has been a warm­up for this monster. At over 800-­feet long and over 120-­feet off the ground, this zip will blow you away as you soar across the beautiful Rush Run Canyon. There is no way to describe the pure thrill of this one. You are going to have to experience it yourself.

Sky Bridge: This graceful suspension bridge is over 250­-feet long (almost a football field), high above the cascading Rush Run Creek (a native trout stream), providing breathtaking views of the surrounding forested mountains. Maybe it’s because it seems like you are floating in the air, but for some reason, everyone seems to whisper as they cross this bridge?

Drop Tower: At the end of the bridge you come to a really cool 55­-foot tall, dual decked tree house that marks the end of your journey. Take your time as you enjoy more great views and get ready for the final zip…

Zip 9: The Plunge: The final zip is one of the most unique and thrilling. You’ll have the option to take on this zip forward or backward! You’ll drop off the edge for that momentary free­-fall feeling before plunging the final 45-­feet to the ground. It is an awesome ending to a great day of zipping. A short hike to the bus ends your incredible adventure of soaring through the trees. ACE’s New River Gorge zipline tours? An experience you will never forget.

Trip Tips:

• All of our new river gorge zipline tours have dual lines so you can race your friends to the finish.
• All of our lines are calibrated (angled) and use gravity breaks. For maximum speed, the hands free break system allows you to ball-up to go faster or spread your arms and legs out (starfish style) to slow down and adjust your speed.

What To Wear:

• Wear closed-toe shoes for your safety!
• Longer shorts or pants are recommended.
• Hair should be pulled back, please.

What To Bring:

• Water bottle & snack
• Sunscreen and insect repellent
• Personal prescription medication
• A small camera you can clip to your harness (Trust us, the views are great!)

ACE Provides:

• Harnesses, helmets and all needed safety equipment.
• Friendly and professional zipline guides.
• Shuttle from the Adventure Operations building to our private zipline course on our Gorgeside resort property.