If your family is ready for a high-flying forest adventure right in Raleigh, I highly recommend checking out TreeRunner Raleigh Adventure Park. The main courses, designed for adults and kids over 7, are not for the faint of heart and are a great way for future ninja warriors to test their physical and psychological limits. There is also a Junior Park course that is located directly under the main course, open to children ages 4-7 years old with an adult chaperone. My kids are still not old enough for either course options, but I was excited to check it out with some brave friends. I’m not going to lie, this place pushed me more than a little bit outside of my comfort zone. At the end of our day, I was glad to have taken on the challenge and the day was a great bonding experience.
All adventurers start at a training area where the park staff help them into their harnesses and practice using the park’s specialized carabiner-and-line safety system. When the blowing breeze made the platforms feel like a real-life Rock-a-bye Baby scenario, I was very glad they spent so much time reviewing and checking proper fit for the rigging. It was also assuring that the carabiners are designed to always stay clipped to the safety lines, except with the use of a special key at the end of the courses once your feet are on the ground.
The main park area begins with a cargo net climb (good for a warm-up!) to a platform that serves as the starting point for each course. They are labelled by difficulty, as well as age-appropriateness (16+ only on the toughest courses). The self-guided courses are all composed of several in-air obstacles with some combination of climbing, balancing, and zipline-flying. Be warned that as the courses increase in difficulty, they become not only more physically challenging, but might make you face (and hopefully conquer) your fears. I did a medium course that was tough but fun until I froze on the last obstacle: the belay jump. For several minutes, my feet refused to leave the platform as I flashed-back to when I was a kid and strongly disliked the free-fall feeling of the drop from the tower rides at amusement parks and high dives at pools. With strong encouragement from my group and park staff, I pushed through and was glad to have made the leap of faith. (Well, once… I specifically avoided the other course that had a belay at the end). Luckily, if my feet were stuck for good, or for anyone who realizes mid-course that they are too far outside of their comfort zone, the park staff are equipped to retrieve people- judgement free! Plus, you can still make the most of your experience by going back to easier courses as much as as you like until your allotted time is up.
Know before you go:
-Buy tickets online ahead of time to make sure you can go at the specific time you want. You may also find a discount or special events online. While you’re there, double check the age and weight/height requirements for the course to make sure your little ones aren’t TOO little for the course.
-Wear workout pants and good, grippy sneakers or boots. You’ll be doing a lot of moving so you’ll want to be comfortable and not constricted. You’ll also want to make sure your feet can grip and stay firmly planted on any free-swinging steps and platforms.
-Wear gloves- either your own well-fitting gloves good for gripping (such as gardening gloves) or the work gloves they loan out. Trust me, your hands and fingers will thank you!
-Wear hats/earwarmers if it’s a cool day. Remember, the wind can be brutal when you’re high up.
-Stretch before you start, particularly your legs and upper arms. Particularly if you do the tougher courses.
-Plan to spend a few hours at the park. You’ll be having so much fun, you won’t want to leave. Enjoy your day!
TreeRunner Adventure Park is located at
12804 Norwood Rd, Raleigh, NC 27613
(919) 246-9518
https://treerunnerraleigh.com
