In the last few years, zip line or canopy tours have become popular adventure activities in the Caribbean and Central America. But Americans don’t need to travel abroad to experience the thrill of soaring above the treetops. One of the best (and safest) courses is near Durango, Colorado.
Located at the five-star hideaway of Tall Timber Resort, Soaring Tree Top Adventure, boasts a 1.5 mile zip line course that will have you soaring above the pine trees and over the Animas River during a four-hour high-flyin’ tour. 
I arrived at Tree Top resort after an hour on the Durango Narrow Gauge Steam Railroad (the resort is only accessible via train or helicopter). It was the beginning of May and Colorado was experiencing a freak snowstorm. The trees looked amazingly pristine coated in snow, but I was apprehensive about soaring in a snowstorm. The Sky Rangers (zip line leaders) assured me that the course was safe, and thankfully they had extra winter apparel for me to use. Once attired, and looking like Ralphie’s little brother from A Christmas Story, I joined my group and went through some basic course and safety information.
Zip lining isn’t physically difficult. In fact, anyone over five years old is welcome to soar. The challenge is purely mental. You have to get over your fear of stepping off a platform 100 feet high and trust that the zip line equipment will function as designed. The Durango course was certified to be the safest zip line experience in the world. The cable is high-strength stainless steel and the harnesses are top of the line Petzl gear. After just a few platforms, most participants lose their fear and can be seen going on the line hands free or even upside down. The course has four river spans, including one that runs over 550 feet. Unlike other zip lines in the world, there is no need to use your hands on the wire to stop yourself at the end of a line—this course was engineered to use physics to stop you naturally.
Soaring reminded me a bit of hang gliding. Although you’re tethered to a rope, there is feeling of freedom and flying and being one with the Earth. Some of my favorite sections of the course were the ones that I did tandem zips with my husband John.
Soaring is a fun and unique way to experience the jaw-dropping Colorado scenery. The course is open from May-October.
