If you’ve ever spent any time exploring North Georgia, you’ve undoubtedly witnessed the region’s exceptional natural beauty.
And while seeing the region from the ground may be rewarding in its own right, getting a bird’s eye view of the dynamic landscape offers an entirely different perspective.
Zipping through the canopy of the forest, at speeds up to 75 mph, over gorgeous lakes and meandering rivers, is an invigorating experience that’s worthy of adding to your Georgia adventures bucket list.
Some of the parks that offer ziplining in Georgia also have other activities, including aerial rope courses and obstacles that will challenge you both physically and mentally.
Most of them have multiple different tour options and package deals, with varying degrees of intensity to choose from.
To help you decide which adventure best suits you, we’ve compiled this list of the best places to go ziplining in North Georgia, including info about the different tour options and packages you can choose from.
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Ziplining in Georgia Guide
- Screaming Eagle Adventures at Unicoi State Park
- Nacoochee Adventures
- Sunburst Adventures
- Cool River Adventures
- Blue Ridge Adventure Park
- Aerial Adventure Tour at Amicalola Falls
- Treetop Quest
- Chattahoochee Nature Center Screaming Eagle Adventures
- Zoo Atlanta Treetop Trail
- Historic Banning Mills
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Ziplining in Helen GA
1. Screaming Eagle Adventures at Unicoi State Park
1788 Highway 356, Helen GA • 706-878-4740 • Official Website
Surrounded by magnificent mountains, Unicoi State Park is one of the most scenic North Georgia state parks, with unique barrel cabins and some truly spectacular hiking trails.
The Unicoi Zipline & Aerial Adventure Park allows you to see the sights from a whole new vantage point, including one zip that goes over and across Unicoi Lake (a.k.a. Smith Lake).
The state park offers family-friendly challenge courses, nature treks, and zipline canopy tours that range in difficulty for all types of visitors.
Tours
The Level 1 Zip Line Canopy Tour is perfect for those who are new to ziplining, or want a quick adventure.
It includes 6 zip lines ranging from 50 to 300 feet in length, 4 suspension bridges, and a 40-foot staircase. It takes approximately one hour to complete and costs $49 per person.
Level 2 ups the difficulty and the payoff, with common sightings of red-tailed hawks, deer, raccoons, and even the occasional bald eagle during the 2-hour tour.
There are 11 zip lines ranging from 75 feet to 400 feet in length, 7 cable and wood suspension bridges, and two 40 foot staircases. The cost for this level is $79 per person, and it includes the level 1 course.
For levels 1 and 2, you must be at least 8 years old, and the minimum weight is 50 pounds.
Level 3 is a more challenging 4-hour course, and requires solid balancing capabilities.
You’ll tackle all 17 zip lines (ranging from 50 feet to half a mile in length), 7 suspension bridges, and 3 staircases ranging from 40 to 65 feet high. The total cost is $139 per person.
Whichever tour you choose, it will include free photos of you during the experience. Reservations are not required, but are highly recommended to ensure there is a slot available.
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2. Nacoochee Adventures
7019 S Main St, Helen GA • 706-878-9477 • Official Website
Nacoochee Adventures offers a unique ziplining experience filled with incredible views, adrenaline-pumping fun, and interesting history.
The tour operator pays homage to Helen’s rich history by providing info about the Native American inhabitants, the Georgia gold rush, and the bootleggers who made moonshine during the Prohibition era.
They also have other activities, including ATV excursions, a giant swing, and campgrounds. But if your main goal is to zip through the forest, there are plenty of options.
Tours
The ever-popular Moonshine Canopy Tour begins with a 10-minute ride along old logging roads before you start on the ziplines, with the highest platform 70 feet above the forest floor.
This tour takes anywhere from 1 to 1.5 hours and costs $49 per person, with no age restrictions.
The Big Zip Intimidator is 1.5 miles long, and ranks as one of the longest dual zip lines in the country. It’s an amazing experience, especially when Mount Yonah is lit up with the vibrant colors of Fall in the mountains of North Georgia.
This tour costs $30 per person, has no age restrictions, and lasts 30 to 45 minutes.
The Gold Mine Canopy Tour starts with the Moonshine Canopy Tour, but adds one more zipline. It also includes a short hike into an authentic 1800s gold mine, where you learn a bit more about Helen’s early mining history.
The tour lasts 1.5 to 2 hours and costs $69 per person, but you must be at least 5 years old to participate.
The most adventure-packed option is the Big Bear Canopy Tour, which includes all of the above options plus a nature hike past a bear cave and an extra zip line at the end. It lasts 2 to 2.5 hours, costs $99, and has a minimum age restriction of 5.
For all courses, there’s a weight restriction of 40 to 250 pounds. Advance reservations are recommended.
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3. Sunburst Adventures
251 Sunburst Lane, Clarkesville GA • 800-806-1953 • Official Website
Opened in 1986, Sunburst Adventures boasts thousands of acres (about 10 miles east of downtown Helen) for all sorts of outdoor activities, including horseback riding, ATV trail rides, ziplining, and more.
Aiming to make ziplining fun, safe, and accessible for all, Sunburst Adventures offers hands-free zipping that doesn’t include any tall towers, swinging bridges, or ladders. No prior experience is necessary, and anyone ages 2 and up who is between 20 and 250 pounds can enjoy the fun.
The lack of towers and bridges doesn’t make the experience any less invigorating. Their ziplines will have you soaring up to 100 feet in the air while overlooking the forest and valley below.
There are three levels to choose from, all of which include a 4-wheel ride through a miniature animal farm.
There, you’ll take an easy 400-foot “sea leg” zipline to get everyone acclimated before the actual tour.
Tours
Level 1 includes 5 ziplines, lasts up to an hour, and costs $39.95. Level 2 includes 7 ziplines (including one that zips through a cool cave), lasts 1.5 to 2 hours, and costs $59.95.
Level 3 includes 10 ziplines as well as the cave zipline, lasts 3 hours, and costs $99.95.
There’s also a Sunset Tour, which is basically the Level 3 tour, but it takes place at night. You’ll travel into the opening of a gold mine cave, crossing over two pastures and a large pond before descending back to the forest floor. This tour costs $119.95.
If for any reason someone in your family or group doesn’t want to or can’t zipline, they can still enjoy a visit by following along on the Tally-Ho Wagon Tour. Anyone can participate for $19.95.
Note that tours must be booked online prior to your visit, and they also offer cabin rentals on site.
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4. Cool River Adventures
112 Poplar Stump Rd, Helen GA • 706-878-9471 • Official Website
Located at the edge of the Chattahoochee National Forest in Helen, Cool River Tubing & Adventures is the perfect place for visitors of all ages to enjoy some outdoor fun.
The adventure park offers three aerial adventure courses, a climbing wall with four lanes, and ziplines over the world-renowned ‘Hooch.
Tours
If you’re visiting just for the ziplines, the Cool River Zipline course is a 1- to 1.5-hour tour that will have you zooming over the headwaters of the Chattahoochee River.
The course costs $35 a person and includes 2 aerial bridges and 4 ziplines. It’s totally suitable for first-timers or those looking for a less intense ziplining experience. The weight restrictions are 70 to 250 pounds, and all children ages 12 and under must be accompanied by an adult.
The Little Adventure Course includes 5 elements and a zipline, and it’s great for young kids. It costs just $15 and lasts about 30 minutes, but you must be over 40 pounds to participate.
The next step up is the Big Adventure Course, which is twice as long and includes double the elements. It costs $25 and has a minimum weight of 70 pounds. Note that children age 6 and under must go with an adult.
The Extreme Adventure Course includes 13 elements (some of which cross the Chattahoochee River) and a zipline at the end. It takes 30 minutes to an hour to complete, and participants must be over 70 pounds.
Aside from the Extreme Adventure Course, all of the others can be pre-booked online. If you want to tackle the extreme course, talk to the guides about availability on the day you plan to visit.
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Ziplining in Blue Ridge GA
5. Blue Ridge Adventure Park
2087 East First Street, Blue Ridge GA • 423-496-3388 • Official Website
Built to be one of the most adventurous ziplines in Georgia, the Zipline Canopy Tours at the Blue Ridge Adventure Park guarantee an invigorating experience.
Their courses take you zooming through 165 acres in the heart of the North Georgia Mountains, so the views you’ll see while you’re soaring through the air are bound to be breathtaking.
There are two main courses here, one for more thrill-seeking individuals and another for those who want a less extreme, beginner-level course.
Tours
The One-Hour Zipline Tour costs $59.99 and features 7 zips, 6 canopy decks that are 25 to 50 feet high, one sky bridge, a 35-foot tower, and 150 to 550-foot ziplines.
The Two-Hour Zipline Tour is $89.99 and features 13 zips, 12 canopy decks ranging from 25 to 75 feet high, 3 sky bridges, 2 towers (35 and 75 feet high), and 150 to 1,000-foot zips.
For both of these courses, you must be at least 10 years old to participate.
There’s also a more mild Kids Zipline course for children ages 6 to 9. It includes 5 zips, one pole bridge, and a 20-foot tube slide for $44.99.
Note that all of these Blue Ridge zipline tours must be purchased online in advance.
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6. Aerial Adventure Tour at Amicalola Falls
418 Amicalola Falls Road, Dawsonville GA • 800-573-9656 • Official Website
Famous for the tallest of the North Georgia waterfalls, Amicalola Falls State Park is located in the Chattahoochee National Forest about 30 minutes south of Blue Ridge.
One of the most popular state parks in GA, Amicalola has no shortage of breathtaking scenery, with numerous hiking trails surrounding the highest cascading waterfall east of the Mississippi River.
The Amicalola Lodge boasts a ton of fun activities, from guided hikes and scavenger hunts to Georgia birds of prey demonstrations and archery. They also offer some of the best ziplining in Georgia.
Tours
The Level 1 Canopy Tour, which costs $29, is designed for younger kids and offers a great intro to ziplining.
It requires one suspension bridge crossing and has 4 ziplines. Participants must be at least 8 years old and weigh over 50 pounds.
Level 2 ups the challenge and fun, with 3 suspension bridges (ranging from 20 to 100 feet up) and 9 zip lines ranging from 75 feet to 1,000 feet in length.
It costs $59, and you must be at least 8 years old and 80 pounds to participate.
The most extreme course is Level 3, which costs $99 and and offers an additional 7 zip lines that go up to 2,000 feet long! There are also 3 added bridges that range up to 250 feet in the air.
All participants must be at least 10 years old and weigh a minimum of 95 pounds.
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Ziplining Near Atlanta GA
7. Treetop Quest
2341 Peeler Road, Dunwoody GA • 770-365-0356 • Official Website
Located in Dunwoody’s Brook Run Park (with a 2nd location in Buford), the Treetop Quest aerial adventure park offers a chance for visitors tackle more than 60 different obstacles and ziplines.
All visitors are given a harness and gloves, while children ages 4 to 6 will be given a helmet as well.
Once you have your equipment fitted, you’ll get brief safety instructions before being set free to zip through each course as many times as you want for up to 2.5 hours.
Tours
The first tour offered is the Chick Pea Course, which is designed for kids ages 4 to 6 years old. Ground supervision by an adult is required for each child who participates.
Level 1 is a beginner-level course for kids and adults, while Level 2 is an intermediate course that offers a family-friendly challenge, and Level 3 features all of the Treetop Quest ziplines.
Level 4 is the most difficult course, challenging both your strength and balance.
For the first three levels, participants must be at least 7 years old, but Level 4 participants must be at least 12 years old.
Minors under 18 must be under constant supervision of an adult, and the weight limit is 250 pounds.
Booking online is highly recommended to ensure you have a slot. Plus, online reservations save you $3 off the cost of each tour!
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8. Chattahoochee Nature Center Screaming Eagle Aerial Adventures
9135 Willeo Road, Roswell GA • 770-992-2055 • Official Website
Situated on the Chattahoochee River in Roswell GA, the Chattahoochee Nature Center is made up of 127 acres of beautiful gardens and native plants that provide a home to 50+ species of wildlife.
The center offers a variety of outdoor adventure options, including environmental education, horticulture, hiking trails, and wildlife programs.
But this North Atlanta zipline course offers a truly unique way to see the area from a bird’s eye view.
Tours
The main Zipline Canopy Tour costs $59 and guides you through a 1- to 1.5-hour tour of the Nature Center. Visitors will reach up to 55 feet in the air while zooming across 7 different ziplines.
There are also 12 challenge elements for guests to complete as well. But you must be at least 8 years old and weigh 60+ pounds to participate.
Their new Aerial Adventure Course includes up to 4 ziplines, suspension bridges, ropes, and other fun obstacles.
This course costs $49 and is designed for children ages 6 and up, with no minimum weight restrictions.
Note that walk-ins are welcome here, but advance reservations are highly recommended in order to guarantee you have a place on your preferred tour!
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9. Zoo Atlanta Treetop Trail
800 Cherokee Avenue SE, Atlanta GA • 404-624-9453 • Official Website
Between the adorable animals and educational shows, Zoo Atlanta is an awesome place to enjoy a day full of exciting activities and attractions.
One of their newer additions, the Treetop Trail, is a thrilling kid-friendly adventure that allows guests to feel as though they’re exploring the tree canopy along with the fascinating birds of Zoo Atlanta.
The attraction is located atop the playground close to the main gate, and is open to visitors of all ages. But children must be at least 48 inches tall if they want to participate without an adult chaperone.
Tour
The trail is divided into two sections. The lower section is called the SkyTrial, while the upper section is called the SkyRail and includes the zipline.
The course includes 22 different elements that vary in difficulty, including obstacles such as ladders, bridges, tightrope-style walking, and more.
The cost for the course is just $14.95 for regular guests, and $11.95 for members.
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10. Historic Banning Mills
205 Horseshoe Dam Road, Whitesburg GA • 770-834-9149 • Official Website
Home to the Guinness World Records-verified longest and largest zipline canopy tour in the world, Historic Banning Mills is the place to go if you’re looking for the most thrilling ziplining in Georgia.
Banning Mills also strives to be one of the safest places in Georgia to zipline.
They use a patented closed-belay system from start to end, which means that you are never disconnected from the cables until you’re safely on the ground.
Tours
Level 1, the Forest or Woodland Tour, was designed with families in mind. It costs $59, includes 9 ziplines and lasts 1 to 1.5 hours, and has a minimum weight of 50 pounds so kids ages 8 and up can get in on the fun.
Level 2, the Flight Pattern Zip Line Canopy Tour, gets a bit more adventurous. It costs $89 and features 12 ziplines up to 1,000+ feet long, 9 sky bridge walks up to 80 feet high, and passes over stunning sights such as the Snake Creek Gorge.
If you’re ready for some serious speed, try Level 3, the Flight Pattern Plus Zip Line Canopy Tour. It costs $109 and includes the double Big Daddy Zipline, which is 1,500 feet long and allows you to soar at up to 60 mph!
Level 4, which lasts up to 4 hours and costs $169, is appropriately called the Extreme Zip Line Canopy Tour.
It takes you down the Big Daddy Zip Line, across a 600-foot suspension bridge that’s 100 feet above the creek, through a 1,000-foot long zip line, and over a 100-foot-tall tower. Then it sends you down the Screaming Eagle, a 2,500-foot long zipline, at speeds up to 70-75 mph!
You must be at least 10 years old and weigh 90+ pounds to tackle Levels 2, 3, or 4.
They also offer the 8-hour All-Day Rush Zip Line Tour ($279, including lunch at the lodge) and the Two-Day Rush Zip Line Tour. The latter includes two consecutive 8-hour days and tackles the entire Banning Mills zip line course for $519 per person. –by Christina Maggitas; lead image via Canva
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