The Tour Hiding In The Middle Of An Iowa Forest That You Need To Take
By Meg Archer|Published February 24, 2017
×
Meg Archer
Author
Meg Archer is an Editor & Newsletter Editor who has called Oregon home for nearly 30 years. She spent her childhood exploring the mountains, forests, and high desert of Central Oregon before relocating to Portland after a brief stint out-of-state for college. She holds an B.A. in English from Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo and a B.S. in Psychology from Portland State University. Meg has worked in writing, editing, and media-related fields for over 10 years and joined the team at OnlyInYourState in 2015. When she’s not writing or exploring the West Coast, Meg enjoys playing tabletop games, working on visual media projects, and can always be found in the front row at Portland Timbers matches.
Spring is right around the corner and we’re ready for some warm weather adventures! While we’re also gearing up for some great hikes and scenic trips, this unique adventure park will take you to a whole new level of fun… and we mean that quite literally.
Sky Tours Zipline in Dubuque offers an exciting experience featuring a 9-zipline course that lets you float through the forest canopy above the ruins of the historic Union Park. The 2017 season kicks off in March, so start planning your visit early!
The course is operated by the YMCA Union Park Camp and designed in an eco-friendly way to show off some of the most scenic spots throughout 100-acres of valleys, ravines, and bluffs.
The Zipline Tours are fun for everyone! Sky Tours built the course so that visitors of all ages, so gather up a group of friends (you can have up to 12 people in your party) to embark on this one-of-a-kind adventure.
Don’t be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone; the ziplines are super safe. You’ll be led through the course by two professionally trained and certified guides, and guests are double-clipped to heavy duty steel cables at all times. The lines are thoroughly inspected and tested daily to ensure the equipment is in tip-top shape before you even arrive.
The course is designed similarly to a golf course; the guided trip takes you from zipline to zipline, starting with the "Bunny Run" and progressing to "The Big One" as you explore.
Once you complete the initial safety orientation and are fitted with harnesses, helmets, and safety carabiners, you’ll head over to the "Bunny Run" will get you familiar with the course before you tackle the taller and longer ziplines.
The first few runs will send you soaring over a forested ravine and secluded valley before taking you to the Lookout Tower, which gives you a stunning 360 degree view from 45-feet above the valley floor at Horseshoe Hollow. Keep an eye out for wildlife! This area is home to beautiful Cooper’s Hawks, deer, and even the occasional Great Horned Owl!
When you reach Zip 7, it’s time to race! This double-zipline is built to send you down an 800-foot line side-by-side with your friends! You’ll get an awesome birds-eye-view of Zip 7 on Zip 8, as you criss-cross right over the top of the racing line!
Zip 9 is called "The Big One" for a reason: it’s the tallest zipline you’ll encounter on the course. At 75-feet tall, this incredible line is the grand finale to your adventure, offering a truly amazing view of the beautiful landscape surrounding you.
There are three short sections that must be traversed on foot, roughly equivalent to three flights of stairs, that guide you through some of the fascinating historical locations in Union Park. While you should carefully consider your mobility, particularly if you have serious neck and back problems or have recently had surgery, special arrangements can be arranged ahead of time to transport you during these walking sections if necessary.
The Sky Tour is designed to include a wide range of visitors, but there are a few basic restrictions in place for safety. Participants must be at least 10 years old and weigh between 70 and 270 pounds.
Children under 18 need to have a parent or guardian sign an additional waiver before embarking on the adventure. For your safety, zipping while pregnant is not allowed, as the harnesses clip in near the abdomen. If you are about to be a new mom, save this adventure to celebrate later!
Reservations for Sky Tours are required and you will schedule a specific start time for your group. The full 9-zipline tour takes about 2.5 hours and costs $65 per person on weekdays ($60 for YMCA members) and $72 per person on weekends ($67 for YMCA members), but there are also special group rates if you are planning to bring a larger group.
You can find more information about reserving your trip on the Sky Tours website.
We really can’t think of a better way to kick off the season than with this excellent adventure. Step outside of your comfort zone – you are braver than you think! There is nothing on Earth quite like the exhilarating feeling of flying, so this one-of-a-kind adventure definitely deserves a spot on your Bucket List!
Sky Tours is located at 11764 John F. Kennedy Road, Dubuque, Iowa.
OnlyInYourState may earn compensation through affiliate links in this article. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases.
