Ziplining in Alaska is for adventurers who crave heart-pounding outdoor action against a backdrop of wild and majestic scenery.
While you don’t need any prior experience to try ziplining, just a head for heights and a sense of adventure, all the courses in Alaska are different. Some are more gentle, and a chance to take in the scenery, while others are all about the need for speed and allow you to race side by side with other riders. Some include rappelling—and often, crossing a swinging suspension bridge is all part of the fun.
Ziplining in Alaska will get you out into nature, offering you the chance to experience the state’s dazzling flora, fauna, and landscapes. And if you’re lucky, you might even spot a bald eagle perched in a tree, or perhaps moose, deer, or even a bear or two foraging on the forest floor below.
The beautiful scenery, the adrenaline rush, and a sense of achievement make this thrilling activity an unforgettable element of any visit to Alaska.
ZipRider, Icy Strait Point
ZipRider in Icy Strait Point Photo by Werner Bayer on Flickr, licensed under CC0 1.0
The ZipRider at Icy Strait Point is a cool, exceptionally fast zipline track. The ride, with its steep incline, and billed as “the world’s largest ZipRider,” is situated in the heart of Alaska’s pristine wilderness near Hoonah, on Chichagof Island.
This airborne adventure is a must-do in Alaska if you want to fly through the sky while taking in awesome views of the dense forest below as you race down toward the water. With an impressive length of 5,330 feet and hitting speeds of up to 60 miles per hour, the Icy Strait Point ZipRider will offer you a mind-blowing adrenaline rush.
One of the best ziplines in the world, the ZipRider boasts six parallel cables, allowing six riders at a time to share the delightful side-by-side journey. Go with friends and family and see who reaches the bottom first.
Icy Strait Point is also a prime Alaskan wildlife habitat. Keep an eye out for humpback whales, orcas, bald eagles, and brown bears during your time on Chichagof Island.
Grizzly Falls Ziplining Expedition, Skagway
Grizzly Falls Ziplining Expedition, Skagway
Ziplining in Alaska can often be taken to the extreme. This is especially true for anyone who decides to tackle the Grizzly Falls Ziplining Expedition, located near Skagway.
Skagway is renowned for its setting amid mountains and forest, and its historical significance during the 19th century Klondike Gold Rush. This particular zipline course takes adrenaline lovers on a wild journey above waterfalls and through the verdant temperate rainforest.
As you travel from Skagway to the mountainside course, you’ll be treated to a picturesque coastal drive. You’ll journey from the shoreline to the historic settlement of Dyea (which played an important role during the Klondike Gold Rush), then hop aboard an off-road vehicle called a Unimog,, which will then drop you off at the course.
The course itself benefits from 11 ziplines and four suspension bridges that crisscross through the treetops, and delivering panoramic views across the pristine landscape and the glacier-fed waterfalls that rush below. The longest zip is an impressive 750 feet.
The Skagway region is rich in wildlife as well, with bald eagles, bears, moose, and various bird species thriving here. While zipping through the trees or crossing over suspension bridges, you might get to see a few of these creatures in their natural habitat.
Denali Park Zipline, Denali National Park
Denali Park Zipline, Denali National Park
Want a tremendous three-hour adventure among the treetops? Look no further than the Denali Park Zipline, situated in the captivating wilderness of Denali National Park.
This invigorating course features seven ziplines and six sky bridges, ensuring a heart-pounding journey through the wild, natural setting. First, you ride on side-by-side ATVs through the wilderness on your way to the Ascending Bridge Tower.
You’ll then traverse a series of small zigzagging suspension bridges that will elevate you above the forest canopy before you zip off through the greenery.
Denali National Park
Denali National Park and Preserve, covering over six million acres of pristine wilderness, will provide you with an amazing backdrop as you zoom above the trees.
On a clear day, you’ll be able to enjoy breathtaking views of the majestic Alaska Range, defined by the icy mass of iconic Denali. The highest peak in North America is easy to identify as it towers above the surrounding Alaskan mountains.
Moose
Visiting Denali National Park is one of the best things to do in Alaska, famed for its wildlife, from grizzly bears to wolves, moose, and caribou, to name a few. Once you’re on the ziplines, you may be able to spot eagles, moose, foxes, and more, adding an extra touch of natural wonder to your journey.
As with any location in Alaska, the weather can be unpredictable, so dress in layers for your zipline adventure, with closed-toe shoes and a light waterproof.
Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures, Seward
Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures in Seward serves up yet another highwire, roller-coaster-like outdoor Alaskan wilderness zipline, flying high through the Chugach National Forest. This course is located on the beautiful Kenai Peninsula, toward the northern terminus of Resurrection Bay.
The focal point here is Stoney Creek Canopy Adventures’ fun-filled zipline course. Equipped with harnesses and helmets, zipline recruits will receive instructions on proper zipline riding and braking techniques during their practice “ground school” runs.
Chugach National Forest
Once harnessed to a secure cable, you’ll traverse from one platform to another, high above the forest floor while you take in the dazzling views of the surrounding forest and mountains.
The ziplines vary in height and length, with the first line running 65 feet across, close to the ground. As you make your way through the course, the lines get longer, extending more than 1,000 feet, and higher off the ground.
You’ll fly over dense foliage before landing on a platform anchored to a towering Sitka spruce. After the “zipping” part of this thrilling course is finished, you’ll rappel 40 feet back down to terra firma.
The entire Alaskan adventure usually requires at least three hours to complete. During your time in the wilds, your zipline guides, in addition to monitoring your safety and comfort, will also provide you with insights into the region’s flora, fauna, and unique ecology.
Aerial Zipline and Rappel Adventure, Ketchikan
Ziplining is one of the best things to do in Ketchikan, and if you want to combine the excitement with rappelling, the Aerial Zipline and Rappel Adventure should be just the ticket.
Herring Cove
Nestled in Ketchikan, an area well known for its natural beauty and wildlife, this zipline adventure begins with a lovely coastal drive to Herring Cove before you hop on an all-terrain vehicle to climb up the hillside.
After your comprehensive safety training is finished, you’ll get to race through the tree canopy, past cedar, hemlock, and spruce trees. You’ll land on platforms high in the trees, clip off one line and onto another with the help of your guides, and then launch yourself down the next line.
Following your zipline entertainment, you can take on the thrills of rappelling—descending vertical surfaces on a rope—after you learn the proper techniques from your knowledgeable guides.
These zipline and rappelling tours can be tailored to different skill levels, ensuring accessibility for novices and seasoned daredevils alike.
Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness
If you’re looking for more action, you can opt for a rugged off-road ATV adventure cart ride through the leafy forests. You can also book a floatplane tour to the nearby Misty Fjords National Monument Wilderness to witness all of Alaska’s grandeur from an even higher vantage point.
Alpine Zipline Adventure (Tongass National Forest), Juneau
If you’re visiting Alaska’s state capital, Juneau, and contemplating a rip-roaring, hair-raising activity, you ought to consider giving the Juneau Alpine Zipline Adventure a whirl.
Tongass National Forest
This zipline adventure takes place near the primeval Tongass National Forest, which is diverse with Alaskan wildlife, including bears, bald eagles, and wolves, the rushing streams crammed with migrating salmon in spawning season.
Your excursion will likely begin with a scenic drive to the Eaglecrest Ski Area, on Douglas Island, a short jaunt across Gastineau Channel from Juneau, where your forest-based zipline course awaits.
During your treetop thrill ride, you’ll fly through the forest canopy, passing lofty western hemlock and Sitka spruce trees before landing on wooden platforms. With seven ziplines in all, some coming in at 800 feet in length, this course will provide you with a thrilling experience.
During the adventure, you can enjoy some refreshing blueberry tea while your guides share local knowledge about the surrounding biodiversity and bird and animal species that live in the area.
The trip also includes traversing a suspension bridge, which overlooks a salmon stream. Stop for a while and watch the silver flashes in the water as thousands of fish force their way upstream to spawn. If so inclined, you can try your hand at ax-throwing as well, a cathartic activity that’s sure to delight children and adults.
MICA Guides (Extreme) Alaska Zip Adventure, Near Anchorage
Ziplining in Alaska can be quite a leisurely experience, depending on the course. But if extreme thrills are what you’re seeking, there are two high-speed ziplines near Anchorage waiting to be tried.
Matanuska Glacier
Reachable by car via Glenn Highway from Anchorage and neighboring Alaskan towns, the area’s zipline attractions, which are all about velocity, are located near the 27-mile-long Matanuska Glacier. The rides here feature two main cables: “The Nitro” and “The G2.”
On The Nitro, you’ll ascend a 30-foot tower, then launch yourself on a heart-pounding flight down the 1,500-foot cable, soaring past the forest while enjoying the superb mountain and river views—if you have time to look, that is.
For The G2, you’ll be driven up to the apex of a 250-foot cliff, which also comes with great views, before you’re attached to one of the two dual 2,200-foot ziplines, then launched at speeds of 45 to 60 mph down the incline.
Matanuska Glacier
If you did manage to zip so fast that you missed out on the views, then why not consider booking a helicopter tour that will let you marvel at the beauty of Matanuska Glacier and nearby mountain peaks? As you soar over the ice, you’ll gain a new appreciation of the power of nature.
Rock Climbing, Rappelling, and Ziplining, Skagway
If you want to test your rock climbing skill as well as enjoy the thrill of ziplining, Skagway Rock Climbing, Rappelling and Ziplining could be the answer.
After a safety briefing, you’ll get to tackle a top-roped climbing route tailored to your particular mountaineering capabilities.
Next on the menu is a gripping, 70-foot rappel back down to the ground. Later, you’ll get to fly across five different ziplines, moving through the canopy while enjoying hands-free braking, along with divine views of Alaska’s wild rainforest.
After all of the rock climbing and treetop fun, you can warm up with a steaming cup of hot cocoa before heading back to town on the historic Klondike Highway.
Ziplining in Alaska
Discover the thrills of ziplining in Alaska amid the natural beauty of the state’s forests and mountains. Pair these exciting experiences with an Alaskan cruise with Celebrity Cruises, creating memories that will last a lifetime.
