Along Northern California is the gorgeous Pacific coastline as well as redwood forests that go as far as Oregon. One of the best ways to experience NorCal is on a zipline enveloped by lush landscapes. Where in this part of Cali can you go zip lining?
Here are 8 places to zip line in Northern California:
- Sonoma Zipline Adventures
- Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch
- Mother Lode River Center
- Quarry Park Adventures
- Moaning Caverns Adventure Park
- Tree Top Sac
- Mount Hermon Adventures
- Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks
This article will be your guide to ziplining across Northern California. We’ll provide details like ziplining packages and pricing for each of the 8 ziplining spots above so you can select the best one!
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8 Great NorCal Ziplining Locations to Explore Today
Sonoma Zipline Adventures
In the redwood forests that surround Occidental is Sonoma Zipline Adventures. Explore several exciting ziplining courses that are two-and-a-half hours apiece.
The Tree Tops Tour is $119 on weekdays and $149 on weekends. You’ll achieve 40 mile-per-hour speeds as you ascend 250 feet over the forest floor. This is one of Sonoma Zipline Adventures’ speediest ziplines!
Sonoma Zipline Adventures offers six other zipline courses to try as part of the Tree Tops Tour, one of which is 1,500 feet long. You can also rappel and explore two sky bridges.
The Forest Flight tour costs $109 on weekdays and $129 on weekends. Of the seven zipline courses available on the tour, one reaches speeds of 30 MPH as you ride 200 feet above ground level.
The rappel is 60 feet high, there are two sky bridges, and oh, the spiral staircase you’ll climb to reach the zipline courses is 30 feet.
The third package from Sonoma Zipline Tours is their Night Flight Tour. That’s right, now you can zipline in the dark! This tour is only available on Fridays and Saturdays for $149 either night.
You’ll race along at 30 MPH across one of seven zipline courses, the longest of which is 800 feet. The NorCal starry night sky will never look better.
6250 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, CA 95465 | 888-494-7868 | [email protected]
Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch
Mariposa’s own Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch is a locally-owned ziplining company that welcomes zipliners of all ages.
Registrants must be between 60 and 250 pounds to be eligible for ziplining. The two-hour Yosemite tour includes six stages, all of which are led by a qualified guide. If your group is less than eight or 10 people, you’ll be paired with others and then outfitted in harnesses and helmets.
Once you’re ready to go, you’re transported to the NorCal mountains by car. After going over some safety procedures, you’ll ride the first zipline, which is slow and easy. It’s really meant to whet your appetite.
If you’re ready for more of a challenge, the second zipline course is taller and faster. By the time you get to the third and fourth ziplines, which are dual-lines, you might feel readier to race your friend or family member.
The fifth line is surrounded by trees while the sixth line is one of the steepest. Then you end the tour on the seventh zipline. Altogether, Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch includes 3,800 linear feet of zipline!
Before you go home for the day, be sure to check out Yosemite Ziplines’ rope courses. The kids can even pan for gold.
4808 Highway 140, Mariposa, CA 95338 | 209-742-4844 | [email protected]
Mother Lode River Center
As the name might have alluded, Lotus’ Mother Lode River Center does not solely offer ziplining, but also roping and whitewater rafting on the nearby American River.
You can still experience the beauty and wonder of the American River for yourself on a zipline but without getting wet. Mother Lode’s zipline course is designed for all skill levels. Riders should be eight years and older.
The ziplining season begins in April and lasts until October. You must have a group of 10 people to be eligible to ride, and each rider must weigh 60 to 240 pounds. The zipline course is 400 feet long and reaches speeds of over 20 MPH at practically the start.
The course takes two to five minutes to complete. On your way up to the zipline deck as well as when riding, you’ll see the South Fork American River and valley oaks and ponderosa pines all around you.
6280 Highway 49, Lotus, CA 95651 | 530-626-4287
Quarry Park Adventures
Quarry Park Adventures in Rocklin is a premier NorCal destination for all sorts of outdoor adventures. Select from rock climbing, free-falling, paddle boating, rappelling, or the esteemed ziplining.
The appropriately-named Big Gun Zip Lines take you 60 feet over Big Gun Quarry’s pit. You’ll speed along at more than 30 MPH on side-by-side ziplines so you and your friends or family can experience the thrills at the same time as you.
The Pick 2 Ticket costs $25 for each rider, which is very affordable, especially for those who are traveling to NorCal and want a cheap vacation activity. You can also select from a 2 Hour Quarry Access Ticket for $50 each or a 4 Hour Quarry Access Ticket for $75 each.
All zipline riders must weigh at least 70 pounds and no more than 250 pounds.
5373 Pacific Street, Rocklin, CA 95677 | 916-824-1680
Moaning Caverns Adventure Park
How about some ziplining fun any time of the year? Moaning Caverns Adventure Park in Vallecito is open all year long. Moaning Caverns were uncovered by man in the 1840s but have likely existed far longer than that.
The family-friendly Adventure Park is primarily known for its cave tours, so that’s something you might want to consider in addition to your ziplining fun.
You’ll get to zipline in the caves, which is truly awesome. Dual zip lines mean you don’t have to ride alone. Kids to adults can get in on the zipline fun, as the lines aren’t challenging or too fast (you are in a cave, after all).
If you still haven’t had enough after the Moaning Caverns cave tour and the ziplining, you and the kids can always throw axes or pan for gemstones. This is one Adventure Park that truly lives up to its name!
5350 Moaning Cave Road, Vallecito, CA 95251 | 209-736-2708
Tree Top Sac
In West Sacramento is Tree Top Sac, a ziplining adventure appropriate for riders of all ages.
When you schedule a zipline ride, the first 15 minutes will entail an introduction to all your gear and equipment. During this time, you’ll be outfitted in your gear. Then you’ll learn all the basics of zip lining at Tree Top Sac’s ground school.
Next, you get to climb the parkour course via a ladder. To even get to the ziplining course, you need to cross one of five parkours, which include balancing on a 20-foot slackline, walking a tight wire, passing over crossings, or getting over a wobbly bridge.
The ziplines will take you back to the forest floor at a moderate pace.
Daily passes are available. For kids ages seven to 13, the package costs $49. If your kids are ages seven to nine, then one adult must accompany at least two children. For kids ages 10 to 13, one adult must accompany five kids. All children must weigh at least 50 pounds and stand five feet, one inch tall.
For teen riders ages 14 to 17, the price is $54. Adult tickets are $59 each. The adult weight limit is 250 pounds.
No matter which daily package you select, you pay for a 30-minute introduction and then two hours of climbing and ziplining.
Season passes are available as well. One unlimited season pass costs $285, two unlimited season passes are $560, and three unlimited season passes cost $775. A family pass for four is $875.
1300 Lake Washington Boulevard, West Sacramento, CA 95691 | 916-893-1596 | [email protected]
Mount Hermon Adventures
Beginning as a Christian retreat center and expanding today to offer all sorts of exhilarating outdoor services across Felton, Mount Hermon Adventures is the home of Redwood Canopy Tours and Sequoia Aerial Adventures.
The Redwood Canopy Tours include six zip lines, the tallest of which is 150 feet. Thrill-seekers need not apply, but for relaxing family fun, this two-hour zipline tour is sure to satisfy. As you cross one of two suspension bridges, you can take in the true beauty of California’s redwoods.
It costs $99 a person. Mount Hermon asks that you be in a group of eight for the Redwood Canopy Tour. Kids must be 10 or older. All riders must be over 52 inches tall (four feet, four inches) and weigh between 75 and 250 pounds.
The Sequoia Aerial Adventures is for the real zipliners out there. On your way to the zipline course, you’ll cross timber and rope obstacles, with 40 elements in all. The two-hour tour takes you up to 80 feet in the air.
This package starts at $79 per rider. Mount Hermon asks that only groups of 10 register. Riders must be taller than 54 inches (four feet, six inches) and weigh 75 to 250 pounds.
For both Mount Hermon Adventures courses, you’ll check in 20 minutes ahead of your registered time. Then you’ll get the 411 on your gear and be equipped to climb and ride. A brief safety school training will teach you the basics of zip lining.
Soon you’ll be off to have a blast!
17 Conference Drive, Felton, CA 95018 | 831-430-4357 | [email protected]
Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks
At Tahoe Treetop Adventure Parks, you can customize your experience according to your skill level and your preference for heights.
At the Granlibakken Resort are 10 zipline courses in all. Two are for beginners, six are for intermediates, and two are for advanced zip liners. The zip line courses range in length from 30 feet to 200 feet.
All riders must be five years or older and weigh no more than 260 pounds.
The Aerial Adventure Park requires you to climb an inclined ramp or ascend vertically to reach the zip line. The range of challenges includes climbing walls, cargo nets, tightropes, swinging logs, wobbly bridges, and rope swings.
Be ready to climb and play for over two hours!
725 Granlibakken Road, Tahoe City, CA 96145 | 530-807-1004
What to Know ZipLining for the First Time
Ziplining is an incredible experience that everyone should try. But, if it’s your first time going, you are more than likely going to have some questions and possibly even some nerves. That is all normal. The first time I did a Zipline with my wife, we were in Catalina, California, and we both were full of excitement but also anxiety, especially my wife.
This is a new adventure for you. Let’s quickly go over some things to expect and how to prepare for your first time ziplining.
First, the Zipline will be fast, but not dangerously fast. If you want to go slower the first couple of times, sit straight up on the harness. The more you lean back, the faster you will go. Typically, riders will go around 20 to 40 mph, but some can reach up to 50 mph for the more advanced hiplines.
The second is stopping. Some places will have an automatic stopping system for you, so you don’t have to be concerned with this step. Other places will teach you how to break using your gloved hand on the Zipline itself. This was the scariest part for my wife. She was deathly afraid of not being able to brake and run straight into the tree. Be sure to listen to your instructor and watch for their cues carefully. Of all the times I’ve Ziplined, no one has ever run into the tree. They may have been tossed around a bit, but the intrusions are very good at what they do. Just listen to them.
Third, be sure to wear sunscreen and bug repellent, depending on where you are going. You will be in the sun for many hours, and once you start, it’s a long way back to any store. For women, your instructor will have you wear your hair in a low ponytail to keep it up and out of the way so your helmet fits snugly on your head.
Fourth, please pay attention to the weight limits, as they are there for your safety. The instructors should weigh everyone before taking you, but ensure you are within the limits before booking. Typically, companies will have a limit of at least 60 pounds to no more than 265-300 pounds.
Fifth, we always recommend eating a light meal before you leave. You don’t want your stomach to be rumbling the whole time, but you also don’t want to be so full that it comes back up as you abruptly stop at the end of a ride. You also have to ensure you have enough energy for the hiking in between ziplines. This goes for hydration, too.
Sixth, dress accordingly. You want to wear something stretchable where you can easily move around it. Clothes that are too baggy will be difficult for the harness to wrap around you, too, so tighter-fitting clothes are best. Be sure to empty all your pockets and secure glasses on your face.
The last thought I want to say is to take your instructor seriously and listen to them. They are there to teach you and keep you safe. If they see that you aren’t quite getting the hang of it after the first couple of easier ziplines, they may need you to stop the course and go back to the facility. This is for your safety. They don’t want anyone getting injured for whatever reason. Overall, if you listen and have confidence in yourself, you will have a great time!
Final Thoughts
When it comes to ziplining through Northern California, you have plenty of great options at your disposal. Ziplining is a fantastic way to get some exercise and foster family togetherness. Best of all, you’ll get to see NorCal in a whole new way! We hope this article inspires you to schedule a zip-lining trip today.