Ziplines and Aerial Parks in the Berkshires, USA

Three New Aerial Courses Offer Canopy Tours in Western Massachusetts

Jul 25, 2009 Karen Berger

Three new aerial adventure parks opened in the Berkshires in 2009. Each is different; together, these canopy tours add to a wealth of family activities in the Berkshires.

2009 was the year of the zipline in the Berkshires of Western Massachusetts. An area already rich with summer activities ranging from classical music at Tanglewood to the Appalachian Trail, the Berkshires now adds three entirely different aerial adventure parks with canopy tours, zip lines, and ropes courses to the County's offerings for families and adventure seekers.

Catamount Ski Area's Aerial Adventure Park

First to open, in May 2009, was the Catamount Ski Area Aerial Adventure Park, located on the New York-Massachusetts border in South Berkshire County, about a two-and-a-half hour drive from New York City.

• What it offers: A four-acre aerial park with eight different courses combining a total of 115 ropes course and zipline elements. The courses are graded for different levels and ages.
• What's different about Catamount: The Catamount Aerial Park is the only one of the three to combine high ropes courses with the zip lines. The course is billed as the largest aerial adventure park in North America.
• Practicalities at Catamount: Ages 8 and up; younger children restricted to lower level courses, and must be supervised by an adult. Course tickets are good for three hours.

For more information, see the article on Catamount Ski Area's Aerial Adventure Park.

Zoar Outdoors Deerfield Valley Zip Line Canopy Tour

Zoar Outdoors is an adventure resort in Charlemont, Massachusetts n northern Franklin County. It is located just east of the Berkshires, south of the Vermont border, and about two and a half hours east of Boston..

• What it Offers: Zoar's Deerfield Valley Canopy Tour is a three-hour tour through the forest canopy (from registration to finish) including a practice course at the base, then nine zip lines, two sky bridges, and three rappels.
• What's different about Zoar's Deerfield Valley Canopy Tour: Zoar's activities also include white-water rafting, kayaking, canoeing, rock climbing, fly-fishing, and hiking, as well as overnight accommodations and meals. The Deerfield Valley Course is the only one of the three courses to be open year-round.
• Practicalities at Zoar Outdoor Resort. Minimum age is 10; children and teens under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The minimum weight is 70 pounds; the maximum is 250 pounds. Zoar will not allow pregnant women to zip.

For more information, see the article on Zoar Outdoors, Deerfield Valley Canopy Tours.

Berkshire East Canopy Tours

Berkshire East Ski Area is located a quick zip from Zoar, in the same tiny town just east of Berkshire County. The two facilities are entirely different: Berkshire East is a ski area, and Zoar is a multi-activity outdoor resort.

• What it offers: Two courses are offered, with a third under construction. The hour-long Base Area Course introduces beginners to ziplining with two ziplines, 400 feet and 500 feet long. The 3 1/2 - hour Mountaintop Course is an intermediate course, with ziplines, ranging in length from 250 feet to 800 feet.
• What's different about Berkshire East: Dual racing lines allow friends to zip line together (and even "race" each other). A passive gravity-controlled design makes braking with leather-gloved hands unnecessary. The third course, which is under construction, will be one of the highest and longest in North America. Called the "Valley Jumping Tour," it will jump one from mountaintop to another, 2,200 feet away.
• Practicalities at Berkshire East Canopy Tours: Minimum age is 8; minimum weight 70, maximum weight 275.

For more information, see the article on Berkshire East Canopy Tours.

All three areas provide harnesses, caribiners, pulleys, and other equipment. For safe zip lining, wear comfortable clothing that isn't too loose, and closed shoes, and tie long hair back.

The copyright of the article Ziplines and Aerial Parks in the Berkshires, USA in Volunteer & Eco Adventures is owned by Karen Berger. Permission to republish Ziplines and Aerial Parks in the Berkshires, USA in print or online must be granted by the author in writing.

Ziplining in the Berkshires