Take A Canopy Tour At The Gorge Zipline In North Carolina To See The Fall Colors Like Never Before

While many of us take to the ground or the Blue Ridge Parkway to view fall foliage, one option you might not have considered is taking flight above a sea of trees, mountains, and abundant colors that make this area radiant come October. As the tallest and steepest zipline in the country, The Gorge in Saluda is an action-packed four hour adventure that allows you to witness breathtaking views while getting in some much needed thrills or even conquering some fears. For fall foliage, it's unrivaled as the best fall canopy tour in North Carolina. Here's why:

The Gorge isn't your average zip line.

Through the course of 11 separate zip lines spanning 1.25-miles, you'll descend 1,100 vertical feet down Green River Gorge. You can reach speeds of up to 40 MPH while flying above the treetops. At times, it can be hard to catch your breath from the thrill and excitement, but after the first few runs it's easy to let the experience and scenery takeover.

The tree-based, aerial adventure, also includes three rappels and a gravity-defying skybridge.

On your journey, your guides lead the way while also inducing a sense of fun and adventure. They assist on two zip line guides per day, with the average trip spanning four hours from start to finish. Even if you're a bit nervous (like I was) they help make the adventure easy and fun with witty banter and even some words of encouragement. While the first few zip lines are almost a surreal experience, once you get the hang of it you realize just how amazing the experience is. It's truly one of the best things to do in fall in North Carolina!

You'll be soaring through old-growth forests and untouched wilderness.

Each of the eleven zip lines offer something different. One is the steepest of them all (and the guides encourage you to yell out something fun and hear it echo across the mountaintops). Another zip line is the longest of the eleven with scenery opening up to breathtaking vistas of Green River Gorge. This is undoubtedly the best place to see fall colors in North Carolina. Other lines bring you right up close-and-personal with nature, you'll feel as if your feet might brush up against the tops of trees. The rappels instill a sense of confidence, it looks tricky before you try it, but once you do one, they're kind of addicting.

Don't forget to smile for the camera.

While it's certainly a memorable trip, you can take home all the memories thanks to your guides who will be snapping pictures the whole time. Some are hilarious (faces of pure fear) others have their posing game down to a science. After your journey, you can congregate in the lobby and watch (and laugh) at the photos on the big screen then take them home!

The gorge is a perfect adventure for all ages and types

While there's obviously height and weight restrictions, the Gorge is open to all sorts of people. Traveling alone but wanting to stop-in and do something fun? You'll be placed with a group and ready to soar and maybe even make friends. Big groups, families, and special outings (like a bachelor or birthday party) are perfect for this type of group-based activity.

But let's not forget the main attraction...watching the fall leaves in full color.

While the Gorge is certainly stunning year-round, there's no way not to fall in love with this zip line experience this October. Autumn is indeed one of their busier seasons, but surprisingly enough, the Gorge is open year-round (weather permitting). It's safe to say a day trip of adventure needs to be booked ASAP as the fall schedule is already starting to fill up. The Gorge is certainly an experience to be had. While there's plenty of zip lines in North Carolina, you can't beat the views you'll get traveling above 14,000 acres of protected forest land.

I absolutely loved my time at The Gorge! I'm not going to lie, I was skeptical before doing it, even telling my group it might not happen (I'm scared of heights). Once I was there, the guides really ease you into the experience and help up your confidence. I felt such a sense of accomplishment after completing my journey, and now I have bragging rights that I've been on the fastest and steepest zip line in the country!

Have you done The Gorge before? If not, fall is the perfect time to go as it is the best fall canopy tour in North Carolina.

The Gorge Zipline Tour is open year-round. Tours cost $97/person, for groups of 8 or more, the price is $87/person. For more information see the official website here.

Another way to make the most of fall color, stop off at these ten stunning overlooks on the Blue Ridge Parkway.