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Fly eight ziplines under a starry Southern Appalachian sky. Twilight Zip at Highlands Aerial Park turns the mountaintop into an evening playground with small groups, long runs like the 1,550-foot Squealing Mare, and expert guides to lead the way.
Fly eight ziplines under a starry Southern Appalachian sky. Twilight Zip at Highlands Aerial Park turns the mountaintop into an evening playground with small groups, long runs like the 1,550-foot Squealing Mare, and expert guides to lead the way.
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Operated by Highlands Aerial Park · Scaly Mountain, North Carolina
Twilight Zip flips the usual zipline script: at Highlands Aerial Park on Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, you fly through a darkened hardwood canopy beneath a sweep of stars. This guided night tour runs all eight ziplines and 17 aerial elements across 44 acres, including the 1,550-foot Squealing Mare—an extended, lunging run that reads differently once the sun falls below the ridge.
Two professional guides shepherd groups of up to six from platform to platform, briefing on safety, weighing each guest discreetly at check-in, and insisting on closed-toe, closed-heel footwear. The trail to the first platform moves over mulch, gravel, and a few stair sections; guests should be steady on uneven footing and able to climb with a harness. Twilight Zip is active—participants need full shoulder mobility and the ability to apply self-braking techniques; organizers screen for mobility, recent surgeries, and pregnancy, and enforce a 70–225 pound weight range and a 54-inch minimum height. Tours last about 1.5 to 2 hours, making them an achievable, high-adrenaline evening for families with older kids, friends, or mixed-skill groups.
Where Twilight Zip stands out is its mood shift: without daytime vistas to anchor you, the forest becomes a band of textured silhouettes and the sky becomes the main stage. On clear nights the constellations peek between treetops while the Squealing Mare delivers a long, whooping descent that hangs in memory like a bright note. The tour operates rain or shine but will pause for lightning, high winds, or conditions that affect visibility and safety. Guides provide instruction, harnesses, helmets, and personal clip-on bags for essential medication; cameras and phones are not permitted on the course, so plan to leave valuables locked in your vehicle or use the bins at check-in. Groups meet at the Highlands Aerial Park check-in—expect to arrive 15 minutes early, complete waivers, and come prepared to move.
Book a Twilight Zip night to experience a different edge of the Southern Appalachian foothills: the course compresses elevation, silence, and sky into eight quick, connected moments that feel bigger than their runtime. The operation’s small-group limit keeps each run personal—guides tailor pacing and instruction so novice brakemen learn safely and confident riders still find room for play. For local visitors and travelers staying in nearby Highlands or the town of Scaly Mountain, this is an easy, memorable night activity after a day of hiking or fishing. Accessibility notes are clear: uneven trails and stairs exist, and staff will discuss reasonable accommodations where they do not raise risk. Expect brisk mountain air, practical safety briefings, and a tidy, managed dose of speed. Reserve early for clear-sky nights; when the weather aligns, Twilight Zip rewrites how you remember a mountain. Bring warm layers and gloves.
moderate.
1.5–2 hours.
Able to walk on uneven trails, climb stairs, and manage a harness; comfortable with short bursts of speed and heights.
No. For safety and focus, cameras and phones are not permitted; bins are available at check-in and personal clip-on bags can hold essential medication.
Minimum age is 12, minimum height is 54 inches, and the weight range is 70–225 pounds; all guests are weighed discreetly at check-in.
Arrive 15 minutes before your tour, complete waivers, and wear closed-toe, closed-heel shoes plus warm, movable layers for mountain nights.
Tours run rain or shine but will be delayed, modified, or cancelled for lightning, high winds, or conditions that compromise visibility and safety.
The course sits in a natural forest with hilly trails, mulch, gravel, and stair sections; contact staff to discuss reasonable accommodations that don’t increase inherent risks.
Yes—tours cap at six guests but you can call Highlands Aerial Park to arrange a private night for your party.
Canopy touring is a recent addition to mountain recreation in the Southern Appalachian foothills; Highlands Aerial Park provides guided aerial access to the region’s hardwood forests after dusk.
Stay on marked trails, minimize flashlight use, and follow guide instructions to reduce disturbance to nocturnal wildlife and limit light pollution.
Highlands Aerial Park offers high-adrenaline zipline courses and guided outdoor experiences set in the Appalachian temperate rain forest. Located within a scenic 95-acre forest, the park operates a range of experiences including Half and Full Mountaintop Zipline Tours, Zippy’s Treetop Adventure, a family-friendly Golf and Zip package, a narrated UTV tour, and HAPpy Day Camp for children. Expert guides lead every tour, emphasizing safety with professional instruction, modern equipment, and clear briefings before each run. Visitors can choose the Full Mountaintop Tour with eight ziplines — including the towering Squealing Mare — or the more relaxed Half Tour. Zippy’s Treetop Adventure is designed for families, combining two ziplines, suspension bridges, a balance beam, and a floating platform for a tree-to-tree challenge suitable for multiple generations. The Golf and Zip package pairs scenic ziplines up to 250 feet high and 1,550 feet long with a round at Sky Valley Country Club. The UTV Tour provides a 60–90 minute guided trail ride featuring views of the 300' Upper Middle Creek Falls and stretches of the Appalachian Trail. HAPpy Day Camp runs as a four-day program for kids ages 6–9 and mixes outdoor skills, creative projects, and guided adventures. The park’s mix of certified guides, family options, and varied itineraries makes Highlands Aerial Park a reliable choice for visitors seeking safety-conscious, well-run outdoor adventure in the Southern Appalachians. Advanced reservations, flexible group options, and clear COVID-era safety protocols further strengthen guest confidence across seasonal operations. Staff hold multiple certifications and local rescue partnerships.
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