Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance should I book?

We recommend booking in advance, especially if you have a specific date or tour time you prefer. Buffalo Mountain Ziplines operates based on advance bookings rather than traditional walk-in hours. Guides are scheduled to come in based on bookings, which helps us control payroll and operating costs and keep our tour prices down.

Same-day bookings may be possible when a tour time already has bookings and space is available.

Some tour times may be listed as Call to Book rather than available for immediate online booking. This means we need to check before accepting a booking for that time. Reasons may include guide availability, weather concerns, minimum booking requirements, or use of the time as an overflow tour when other tour times fill or cannot accommodate a particular group size.

The best way to see current tour times and availability is to check our online booking calendar. If a time is marked Call to Book, call or text us at 540-200-5234. If we cannot open that tour time, we can also let you know what other times are available.

Buffalo Mountain Ziplines does not operate on a traditional walk-in basis. Our course is fully guided, and every tour requires two certified guides—a sending guide and a receiving guide. Self-guided participation is not permitted for safety reasons and because of the design of our course and the equipment we use. Our guides come in based on advance bookings. Scheduling guides based on bookings helps us control payroll costs and keep our tour prices down. Maintaining guides onsite throughout the day waiting for possible walk-in guests would require significantly higher tour prices.

Before the first tour of the day, guides also need time to travel to the course, open and prepare the facility, complete required pre-tour inspections of the course and equipment, set up and check radios and other equipment, and get themselves ready for the tour. We generally need at least 1½ hours of preparation time before adding an earlier tour to the day’s schedule.

For this reason, seeing someone at the office or knowing that guides will be arriving later does not mean we can quickly provide a tour. If you arrive without a booking and no one is onsite, check our online booking calendar to see whether there is availability later that day. If staff are onsite, we will be happy to let you know whether there is an upcoming tour with space available. If a tour already has bookings and available space, we may be able to accommodate you on short notice.

Our fully guided eight-line zipline tour typically takes about 1½ to 2 hours from your scheduled tour time. Tour length can vary depending on the number of guests in the group, the ages and experience of participants, and how much assistance or additional coaching guests need along the way.

Please arrive 30 minutes before your scheduled tour time. This allows time for check-in, pre-harnessing instructions, harnessing, equipment checks, and the required ground school safety and riding orientation so your group is ready to begin the course at the scheduled tour time.

The minimum age for our regular daytime zipline tours is 3 years old. Children ages 3–12 must be accompanied on the tour by a responsible adult. Participants ages 13–15 may zipline without an adult accompanying them on the tour, but a responsible adult must remain onsite. Exceptions may be made based on the participant’s individual maturity, zipline experience, and other circumstances.

Our Twilight, Night, and Full Moon Tours are for ages 8 and older.

There is no maximum age. Participation is based on whether the guest can meet the physical and safety requirements for the course. Guests with physical limitations, medical conditions, or other special needs should call or text us at 540-200-5234 before booking so we can discuss their individual abilities.

The maximum participant weight is 275 lbs. There is no minimum weight. All participants are weighed during check-in, with the scale display positioned so the weight is not visible to other guests, to verify that they are within the course weight limit.

Lighter participants, particularly young children, may need additional assistance on some ziplines. Guests under approximately 75 lbs. will generally ride tandem with a certified guide on our longest line because sufficient weight and momentum are needed to travel the length of the cable.

Children who are close to 75 lbs. may be permitted to ride the longest line solo if they are athletic, demonstrate good braking technique and proper riding position on the earlier ziplines, and there are no strong winds. The guides make this determination for each individual participant.

The ½-inch braided steel cable used on our course is rated to hold 14,400 lbs., so the 275-lb participant limit is not based on the strength of the cable. The individual weight limit is based on the design and safe operation of the course and how participant weight affects travel on the ziplines.

Heavier participants generally travel faster and carry more momentum. This can make it more challenging for the receiving guide to safely provide backup braking and control a participant’s arrival at the platform.

Weight also affects how much a zipline cable deflects, or sags, while a participant is riding. As participant weight increases, the cable may sag closer to the terrain or other obstacles below the line, reducing the available clearance. This is another factor considered when establishing our participant weight limit.

Our standard maximum participant weight is 275 lbs. In very limited circumstances, management may consider an exception based on the participant’s physical condition and other factors. Any exception must be approved in advance, and the participant must demonstrate safe riding form and effective braking on the earlier ziplines before being permitted to continue onto the longer and faster lines.

We strive to be as inclusive as possible while maintaining a safe experience for everyone. We assess each participant based on their individual abilities rather than focusing on a diagnosis or disability.

Because every situation is different, please call or text us at 540-200-5234 before booking so we can discuss the participant’s abilities and any accommodations that may be appropriate.

Participants generally need to be able to follow multi-step safety instructions, maintain required riding positions, tolerate the guide contact necessary for harnessing and safety checks, and safely use required equipment. Participants using the braking system must also have sufficient mobility and upper-body ability to raise at least one hand and apply the downward pressure necessary to brake.

Some physical or behavioral limitations may prevent safe participation. Our goal is to determine what a participant can safely do and whether reasonable accommodations can make participation possible.

Closed-toe shoes are required. No sandals.

Wear comfortable clothing appropriate for the weather and outdoor activity. Avoid loose clothing or accessories that could interfere with your harness or other equipment. Long hair should be secured. Items such as scarves, long necklaces, and dangling jewelry should be removed before harnessing. Hair clips, buns, and knots may interfere with the wearing and tightening of required helmets.

Keep in mind that the thick harness straps against bare skin can cause uncomfortable rubbing or chafing, especially in hot weather. We strongly recommend clothing that covers the areas where the harness straps typically rest—shoulders, thighs, chest, and waist or just above the waist. Tank tops, camisoles, spaghetti straps, halter or crop tops, and very short shorts may leave skin exposed beneath the harness.

Dress for conditions at our mountain location, which can be cooler than surrounding lower elevations. Layers are a good choice when temperatures are cool or variable, or when drizzle is possible.

You won’t need to bring much with you on the course. The tour lasts about 1½–2 hours, and even at the farthest points on the course you are only about a 15–20 minute walk from the office—and just a few minutes away when we drive you back at the end of the tour. We recommend bringing only what you are likely to need during that time.

We provide small mesh gear pouches that are limited to the following four personal items only: a cell phone, small water bottle, sunglasses, and a regular wallet without sharp edges or clips. Exceptions are made for medically necessary items such as an EpiPen or inhaler. Keys, key fobs, key rings, and other hard, sharp-edged, or snag-prone items are not permitted in the gear pouch because they can poke through, snag, or damage the mesh.

We recommend that keys, key fobs, and other hard objects—especially items that can crack, crush, or break—not be carried in clothing or against your body underneath the harness straps. Pressure from the harness can damage these items or cause discomfort or injury, particularly during a faster arrival or when the receiving guide provides backup braking. If you are wearing cargo shorts or pants with a lower pocket on the right leg, the harness leg strap will typically sit above that pocket. We do not recommend using a lower pocket on the left side because the brake can swing against your leg.

We provide a secure place in the office for keys, key fobs, and other personal items that cannot be taken on the course. You do not need to leave these items in your vehicle. When staff are not in the office, the office is locked and inaccessible to the public.

Backpacks, fanny packs, belt holsters, and other larger bags cannot be worn with the harness and should be left behind. Items also cannot be clipped or attached to clothing or pockets where they could interfere with the harness or other equipment.

Tobacco and vaping products are not permitted on the tour and must be left behind before starting the tour.

We encourage guests to bring a cell phone if they would like additional photos and videos of their experience. Our guides take group photos along the way and videos on select ziplines, but some of the best action shots come from guests taking turns recording one another as they arrive at the receiving platform.

Cell phones may be used for photos and videos while on platforms or on the ground but must be returned to the gear pouch and secured before riding. Phones and cameras may not be worn around the neck or across the chest, and selfie sticks are not permitted.

GoPro and similar action cameras may be used while ziplining only when securely mounted to the helmet. Our guides will review how to ride with a helmet-mounted camera, including head position both for safe riding and to help you capture the view rather than mostly recording your arms and equipment.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour time. Your scheduled tour time is when your group should be ready to begin the actual zipline course—not when check-in or the safety orientation begins.

Before your scheduled tour time, everyone in your group needs to complete check-in, have waivers verified, be weighed, take care of restroom and personal-item needs, receive pre-harnessing instructions, be fitted with a harness and helmet, have equipment double-checked, and complete the required ground school safety and riding orientation.

The entire group needs to be ready to begin the course at the scheduled tour time. Previous ziplining experience, including having ziplined with us before, does not eliminate any of these required preparations.

If you arrive late, we will do our best to accommodate you, but your tour may need to be abbreviated so that later tours can remain on schedule. If you arrive too late to participate, you are not eligible for a refund or voucher.

Larger groups may be asked to arrive earlier than 30 minutes. The lead booking contact will receive specific arrival instructions when additional time is needed.

Please arrive at least 30 minutes before your scheduled tour time. We begin by checking everyone in, verifying that waivers have been properly completed, and weighing each participant. The scale display is positioned so your weight is not visible to other guests.

Before harnessing, we make sure everyone has taken care of restroom needs, secured long hair, removed or stored items that cannot be taken on the course, and is otherwise ready to go. We then fit each participant with a full-body harness, helmet, brake, gloves, and gear pouch. A second guide double-checks the fit and setup of each participant’s equipment.

Next, your guides conduct the required ground school on our demonstration line outside the office. You’ll learn how the equipment works, proper riding position, braking technique, hand signals, and other safety procedures.

By your scheduled tour time, your group should be ready to begin the actual eight-line zipline course. Before sending you onto the first line, the sending guide reviews the important riding and braking basics with you individually. The tour begins with our gentle Bunny Hop and two additional acclimation lines before progressing to the longer and faster ziplines, including Holy Moly—our nearly half-mile-long zipline.

Your two certified guides assist you throughout the tour. The sending guide clips you onto each zipline and prepares you to ride, while the receiving guide provides braking signals, manages your arrival, and safely transitions you from the zipline to a stationary safety cable. Except when you are on the ground, you remain clipped to a cable with at least one safety connection at all times.

The eight-line course averages about 1½ hours, depending on group size. After the final zipline, we transport you back to the office in our safari vehicle, where your equipment is removed.

Our guides take photos and videos along the way and share them with you at no additional charge.

Zipline courses throughout the United States use a wide variety of course designs, safety systems, and equipment. Some are specifically designed for self-guided participation, while others are designed to operate as fully guided tours.

Buffalo Mountain Ziplines is a zipline canopy tour course designed and operated as a fully guided course and requires two certified guides—a sending guide and a receiving guide—to operate safely and in accordance with applicable industry standards and our course operating requirements. The sending guide handles safety connections, provides instructions, and safely sends each participant from the sending platform. The receiving guide directs braking and operates our backup braking system when needed to ensure a safe arrival.

Self-guided participation is therefore not permitted on our course. This doesn’t mean that self-guided zipline courses are unsafe; they simply use different course designs, safety systems, equipment, and operating procedures.

Adults and older children use a Brakehawk friction brake to control their speed as they approach the receiving platform. During the safety orientation, we demonstrate the proper braking technique. Then, when it is your turn to begin the course, the sending guide reviews the basics with you and has you practice the braking technique so you can demonstrate that you know how to brake correctly before starting.

The receiving guide signals you when to begin braking on each zipline. You are not solely responsible for stopping yourself. If you do not brake enough or begin braking too late, the receiving guide can use our guide-operated prusik braking system to stop you safely.

The Brakehawk is designed to make braking relatively simple, using a natural hand position and downward pressure on the brake. Our guides continue to work with you as you become familiar with how much braking pressure to use.

Young children who may not be able to understand or consistently follow braking instructions can ride using a pulley instead of the Brakehawk. Our ziplines are engineered so that lighter participants approach the receiving platform at lower speeds, allowing younger children to ride independently while the receiving guide safely controls their arrival. They hold onto the pulley strap rather than placing a hand above their head to brake.

We want every guest to have an opportunity to work through normal nervousness, and our guides are very experienced in providing encouragement and reassurance. However, we do not want to be part of traumatizing a child by forcing them to zipline when they are extremely frightened or panicking. If a child is crying uncontrollably, having a significant meltdown, or is too frightened to safely follow instructions, we will not allow them to continue, even if a parent wants them to participate. Once a child rides the first zipline, they cannot exit the course until after line 4, so it is especially important that they are willing and ready before they begin.

When a child is nervous, we ask parents to give our guides the opportunity to work directly with them. Our guides are trained and experienced in helping apprehensive guests and know how the course, equipment, and safety systems work. Allowing the guide to calmly explain what will happen, answer the child’s questions, and build trust with them is often more effective than having several people giving instructions or reassurance at the same time. We also ask parents not to pressure a frightened child to participate or make promises about what the guides or equipment will or won’t do. Our goal is to give the child a calm, supportive opportunity to decide whether they are ready to ride safely.

The Bunny Hop is the last opportunity to step off before entering the first section of the course. Once a participant rides the Bunny Hop, they must continue through the first four ziplines before reaching the next ground-level exit. We don’t want anyone to feel trapped or pressured into continuing, which is one reason our guides take extra time with nervous guests before they commit to that first line.

If a participant decides not to ride the Bunny Hop, a refund is not provided. By that point, we have already reserved their space on the tour, completed check-in, fitted and checked their equipment, conducted the required safety orientation, and spent additional tour time assisting them. At management’s discretion, an e-gift card credit may sometimes be offered toward a future tour, particularly when a nervous child may be more comfortable trying again when they are older or feeling more confident. This is a courtesy rather than part of our cancellation or refund policy.

Occasionally, a participant begins the course but decides after the first four lines that they have had enough. This most often happens with some of our older participants who wanted the experience of ziplining but become fatigued, feel dizzy, or simply decide that four lines were enough for them. Many are quite happy with what they accomplished—they got to experience ziplining, enjoyed the first part of the course, and can check it off their bucket list. The ground-level exit after line 4 gives them an opportunity to stop before continuing to the longer and faster ziplines. Participants who leave the tour at that point are not eligible for a refund or e-gift card credit.

When staffing and circumstances permit, we may be able to transport someone who has exited the course to viewing locations so they can continue following their family or group throughout the whole course as a spectator. This cannot be guaranteed and depends on available staffing and course operations logistics at the time.

Don’t let the forecast make the decision for you. Rain may appear in the forecast without any rain actually occurring at the zipline during your tour. Mountain weather can be very localized, and forecasts can change, sometimes significantly, even shortly before a tour. While rain is frequently in the forecast, only a handful of our tours each year actually experience precipitation while guests are on the course. We try to avoid any incoming precipitation by adjusting the timing of a tour slightly, particularly for passing downpours or thunderstorms.

We monitor weather conditions closely using professional radar and local weather information. If we have concerns about potentially severe weather that could affect your tour, we will contact you. We do not conduct tours in heavy fog, heavy or sustained rain, thunderstorms, high winds, or other weather conditions that make ziplining unsafe.

If Buffalo Mountain Ziplines cancels your tour because of weather conditions, you may reschedule or receive a full refund. Guests who choose not to participate because of weather when we are still safely operating are subject to our regular cancellation policy.

For more information, see our Weather Monitoring & Policy section on the Safety & Policies page.

Yes. Ziplining works especially well for groups because everyone progresses through the course together. We regularly accommodate families, birthday groups, scout and youth groups, church groups, corporate groups, graduation celebrations, family reunions, bachelor and bachelorette groups, girlfriend getaways, parks and recreation programs, and other organizations.

Groups of 10 or more automatically receive $10 off per person. Groups of up to 10 can book online. For larger groups, please call or text us at 540-200-5234 so we can help arrange the best tour schedule for your group.

Depending on the size and makeup of the group, we may be able to accommodate everyone as one larger group or divide the group into smaller groups with staggered start times. Tour size takes into consideration both the number of participants and the total weight that can safely be accommodated on platforms.

When groups are staggered, start times are separated by at least two ziplines. This ensures that two groups are not simultaneously using separate ziplines supported by the same post. Each staggered group has its own two certified guides.

For larger groups, we generally recommend an 11:00 a.m. tour time because it provides a longer interval before our 1:30 p.m. tour. We also ask larger groups to complete all waivers in advance and may request that you arrive earlier than our standard 30-minute arrival time. The lead booking contact will receive specific arrival and preparation guidelines.

We also have a wooded picnic area near the office with five picnic tables, each seating at least six people, as well as an assortment of lawn games. This provides space for larger groups, birthday gatherings, and family events before or after their zipline tour.

Yes. Family and friends who are not participating are welcome to wait in the covered seating area on the patio outside our office. We also have a wooded picnic area near the office with five picnic tables, each seating at least six people, along with an assortment of lawn games.

Spectators can easily watch and take photos or videos of the first two ziplines from the covered seating area. These are shorter, slower lines and are conveniently located near the office.

If spectators would like to follow participants farther along the course, they can walk to additional viewing areas. We recommend skipping line 3 and using that time to walk ahead to lines 4 and 5. Line 4 is where the faster portion of the course begins, and line 5 is Holy Moly—our nearly half-mile-long zipline, making these particularly good locations for action photos and videos. Our receiving guide takes a short video of each participant on line 3, so spectators won’t miss that part of the experience.

After Holy Moly, participants continue into the valley below for the final three ziplines, and spectators are not able to follow them through that portion of the course.

The picnic area also provides space for larger groups, birthday gatherings, and families who would like to spend some additional time together before or after their tour.

Yes, and dogs must be kept on a leash and under control at all times while on the property. Pet dogs are not permitted inside the office or on the main patio seating area due to insurance restrictions. Trained service dogs are permitted in these guest areas in accordance with ADA requirements but cannot enter the harnessing area, where guides need unobstructed access around each participant to properly fit and check their equipment.

Dogs cannot accompany participants on the zipline course, but we have a dog runner line near the office that can accommodate up to three dogs with advance booking.

Dogs using the dog runner line must be friendly, weigh 125 lbs. or less, wear a secure collar, and be able to remain safely tethered without aggressive pulling, wrapping themselves around the line, or experiencing significant separation anxiety. Dogs must also have a current rabies vaccination. Our staff cannot supervise dogs while their owners are ziplining. If a dog cannot safely remain on the dog runner line or needs to be removed during the tour, someone in your party must remain with the dog.

Dogs must remain under control while in any common areas. A pet dog may be required to leave a common area if it is jumping on or interfering with other guests, is excessively barking to the point that it interferes with our safety orientation or other operations, or otherwise cannot be kept under control by its owner.

The dog runner line can be added when booking online. Guests bringing a dog must arrive at least 40 minutes before their scheduled tour time. Dog runner arrangements, including completing the dog runner agreement and waiver and getting the dog safely situated on the runner line, must be completed before the regular 30-minute tour check-in period begins.

The dog runner line is located along the treeline and has a water bowl available. Depending on the time of day, portions of the area may receive afternoon sun.

For everyone’s safety, Buffalo Mountain Ziplines may refuse or discontinue use of the dog runner line if a dog’s behavior makes its use unsafe.