Highlands Aerial Park

What Highlands Aerial Park does

Highlands Aerial Park is a privately held adventure tourism operator headquartered in Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, that runs a multi-activity outdoor experience park across approximately 95 acres at 3,000 feet elevation on the Highlands Plateau. Its core offering is a signature Mountain Zipline tour (4-line half or 8-line full, starting at $89) with 17 aerial elements and lines up to 250 feet high and 1,550 feet long, complemented by Zippy's Treetop Adventure (ages 4+, starting at $44), a guided Scenic UTV Tour ($69+), the Dual Tree Climb and Giant Mountain Swing add-ons ($19 each), a free self-guided Hidden Falls Nature Trail, and on-site group camping for up to 120 guests.

The technical foundation centers on professional-grade safety architecture rather than digital technology: closed-circuit cabling, continuous belay systems, redundant braking with expert guides at every zipline station, and an in-house lightning detection system integrated with NOAA data for operational safety calls. There is no proprietary software stack; the company uses FareHarbor as its embedded booking, scheduling, and payment platform across individual tickets, group events, gift cards, and the co-marketed Golf & Zip package with Sky Valley Country Club ($199/person).

Revenue is generated primarily through direct-to-consumer ticket sales, supplemented by group and corporate retreats (10% discount plus a free photo package for groups of 6+), gift cards, bundled packages, and on-site camping. The primary customer segment is multi-generational families seeking activities that accommodate ages 4 through senior adults, with secondary segments in corporate team building, social celebrations, and outdoor organizations. The business is founder/owner-operated under CEO Kurt Damron and Founder George Powell, with an 11-50 employee seasonal workforce and no disclosed institutional funding, parent company, or geographic expansion beyond the single Scaly Mountain site.

Name

Highlands Aerial Park

Legal name

Highlands Aerial Park

Website

https://highlandsaerialpark.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2012

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Highlands Aerial Park operates a 95-acre multi-adventure outdoor park in Scaly Mountain, North Carolina, offering zipline tours, aerial challenge courses, UTV tours, and group camping for families, corporate retreats, and social gatherings through a direct-to-consumer FareHarbor booking model.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Outdoor Adventure Tourism and Recreation

NAICS

Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Aerial Adventure Parks (Multi-Element Courses) (THAAACAC)

akta.pro secondary industry

Adventure & Aerial Parks (Ropes Courses, Zipline Parks, Climbing Parks) (THAJAEAI)

Keywords

• Zipline tours
• Aerial adventure park
• Outdoor recreation services
• Guided adventure experiences
• Corporate team building retreats

Headquarters

HQ city

Scaly Mountain

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Adventure Activity Tickets: One-time ticket sales for zipline tours, adventure courses, UTV tours, and add-on activities. Individual pricing per activity with group discounts available for parties of 6 or more (10% discount plus free photo package).
2. Package Bundles: Combined offerings such as Golf & Zip packages at $199/person pairing Sky Valley Country Club golf with full mountaintop zipline tour.
3. Gift Cards: Digital gift cards sold through FareHarbor that can be applied to any zipline tours or add-on adventures.
4. Group Event Rentals: Private tours, corporate retreats, birthday parties, and group events with custom itineraries. Groups of 8+ receive 10% discount and complimentary photo package. Onsite mountain camping available for groups up to 120.
5. Group Photo Package: Professional photo documentation of group adventures, included free for groups of 6 or more, also available as standalone purchase.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Highlands Aerial Park operates a 95-acre multi-adventure outdoor recreation park at 3,000 feet on the Highlands Plateau in Scaly Mountain, NC, selling guided mountaintop zipline tours (Mountain Zipline), a family aerial challenge course (Zippy's Treetop Adventure), guided Scenic UTV Tours, vertical adventure add-ons (Dual Tree Climb, Giant Mountain Swing), a self-guided Hidden Falls Nature Trail, gift cards, and bundled packages including Golf & Zip with Sky Valley Country Club. The company also books group events, corporate retreats, and on-site primitive camping for up to 120 guests.

Product overview

Highlands Aerial Park is a multi-adventure outdoor recreational park operating at 3,000 feet along the Highlands Plateau in Scaly Mountain, NC. The park offers a portfolio of adventure activities centered around a core zipline and aerial course system, supplemented by guided tours, climbing activities, and nature experiences. The flagship product is the Mountain Zipline tour (available as 4-line half-tour or 8-line full tour), complemented by Zippy's Treetop Adventure for families with young children, the Scenic UTV Tour for non-aerial exploration, and the Hidden Falls Nature Trail for self-guided hiking. Add-on experiences include the Dual Tree Climb and Giant Mountain Swing for vertical thrills. The park also offers bundled packages (Golf & Zipline), gift cards, group/event services, and primitive camping for up to 120 guests. The architecture is best described as a single unified adventure park with multiple distinct activity products that can be booked separately or combined into packages.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Golf & Zip: Combined golf and zipline package with Sky Valley Country Club
• Zippy's Treetop Adventure
• Mountain Zipline

Products and services

• Mountain Zipline Tour The flagship guided zipline tour through temperate rainforest canopy on the Highlands Plateau at 3,000 feet elevation, available as a 4-line Half Tour (1 hour, 9 aerial elements, ziplines up to 45' high and 400' long) or 8-line Full Tour (1.5–2 hours, 17 aerial elements, ziplines up to 250' high and 1,550' long). Open to ages 8+, 70–250 lbs, 54" minimum height; starting at $89 per person with a 72-hour cancellation window.
• Zippy's Treetop Adventure Family aerial challenge course featuring 7 obstacles including 3 suspension bridges, 2 ziplines, 2 aerial challenges, a floating platform, balance beam, and rope swing, built on a continuous belay safety system. Designed for ages 4+, maximum 200 lbs; approximately 1 hour and starting at $44 per person.
• Scenic UTV Tour Guided off-road exploration of the 95-acre property in 4-seater UTVs, stopping at 10 scenic points including private waterfalls and overlooks with views of the Appalachian Trail and Albert Mountain. Suitable for ages 5+ with professional guide driving; approximately 1.5 hours, starting at $69 per person.
• Dual Tree Climb Two-person vertical climbing challenge where participants race 40 feet into the canopy using professional rock-climbing handholds, then descend on an auto-belay system. Minimum 25 lbs, maximum 310 lbs; starting at $19 per person for two climbs when added to a tour, walk-in availability on first-come, first-served basis.
• Giant Mountain Swing High-altitude swing experience where participants are pulled 40 feet up into the forest canopy and then released into an 80-foot swing arc through the trees. Requires 48" minimum height and under 275 lbs; starting at $19 when added to a tour, with standalone on-site bookings available.
• Hidden Falls Nature Trail Self-guided hiking trail through 40 acres of temperate rainforest descending from the Tree House to the headwaters of High Holly Creek, featuring a specialized bog bridge, a 150-foot suspension bridge over the gorge, massive boulder formations, and a sliding waterfall once used in moonshine operations. Free admission with digital waiver required.
• Golf & Zipline Package Combined adventure package pairing 18 holes of golf (with cart) at Sky Valley Country Club with the full 8-line Mountain Zipline tour (17 aerial elements, ziplines up to 250' high and 1,550' long). Priced at $199 per person; transferable and usable on different days; ages 8+, 70–250 lbs, 54" minimum height.
• Gift Cards Digital gift cards redeemable for any Highlands Aerial Park zipline tour or add-on adventure, including Mountain Zipline, Zippy's Treetop Adventure, UTV Tours, Dual Tree Climb, and Giant Mountain Swing. Sold online through the FareHarbor booking system.
• Mountain Camping (Group Primitive Camping) On-site primitive group camping on the 95-acre property for groups of up to 120 people, with options for a scenic green pasture site near a pond and apple orchard (with fire pit and gas grill) or a 50-acre forest site. Park team assists with logistics coordination for overnight and weekend stays.
• Corporate & Team Building Events Custom corporate retreat packages including professional gear, expert guides, meeting spaces, and a Fire Pit Deck for team-bonding activities that push groups out of their comfort zones. Groups of 6+ receive a 10% discount and complimentary full photo package; private tour buyouts for up to 10 participants available all-inclusive.

Quantifiable outcome

• 4.9/5 average rating from 2,147+ reviews on Zippy's Treetop Adventure
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers5 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration1 record

Feature4 records

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Sky Valley Country ClubminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-marketing partnership offering the Golf & Zip package at $199/person. Combines 18 holes of golf at the award-winning Sky Valley Country Club with the full mountaintop zipline tour (8 ziplines, 17 aerial elements). Package is transferrable and can be used on different days. This partnership targets golf enthusiasts seeking additional mountain adventure experiences.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Go Ape: National aerial adventure and treetop ropes course franchise with multiple US locations; competes in the same aerial adventure category with a multi-site, scaled-marketing approach that contrasts with Highlands Aerial Park's single-site model.
• Navitat Canopy Adventures: Operates guided canopy zipline and aerial adventure tours in the North Carolina mountains region, directly competing with Highlands Aerial Park for the same Blue Ridge tourist and family segment with a similar multi-element aerial course format.
• Treetop Quest: Operator of aerial adventure and treetop obstacle courses across the Southeastern US, including locations in Georgia and the Carolinas; offers a comparable ropes course / zipline mix targeted at families and groups in the same regional market.
• Shepherd of the Hills Adventure Park: Branson, MO-based attraction featuring canopy zipline tours and aerial adventures, offering a directly comparable multi-element zipline product aimed at family travelers in a destination tourism market.
• French Broad Ziplines: Western North Carolina zipline operator near Asheville offering guided canopy tours; targets the same family and outdoor adventure traveler segment in the same broader regional tourism corridor as Highlands Aerial Park.
• Banning Mills: Georgia-based aerial adventure destination combining ziplines, climbing, and on-site lodging; a comparable integrated adventure park model offering similar multi-activity experiences plus accommodations for overnight guests.
• The Gorge Zipline: Zipline operator based in Saluda, NC in close geographic proximity to Scaly Mountain; offers canopy tours and aerial experiences to overlapping Blue Ridge Mountain tourism traffic and competes head-to-head for western NC visitors.

Regional players

• Koloa Zipline: Hawaiian zipline operator on Kauai offering guided canopy tours; comparable in category and experience design to Highlands Aerial Park but serves a different geographic tourism market with limited direct overlap.

Broad incumbents

• Nantahala Outdoor Center (NOC): Large, established western North Carolina outdoor recreation outfitter offering rafting, zipline, and multi-sport adventures; competes for the same regional tourist but operates a broader adventure portfolio at greater scale than Highlands Aerial Park.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCkZ9ryKQZnee-chBejqCP7Q?view_as=subscriber
• Facebookfacebook.com/HighlandsAerialPark
• Instagraminstagram.com/highlandsaerialpark
• Xx.com/highlandsaerial
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/highlands-aerial-park

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Highlands Aerial Park