Things are getting a little shaky up here. The wooden planks below my feet wobble and the cables sway the farther I walk. Away. From that nice, solid steel platform securely anchored to the rocky rim of South Cheyenne Cañon. That canyon drops away deeper and deeper the farther I go, feeling more and more like a vertiginous abyss. I’m headed toward a midway platform hanging on to the side of a granite wall — with nothing below it but open air. From there it only gets worse — or better depending on your comfort with heights and sense of adventure. This is the crux of the Fins Course at Soaring Adventure, the Broadmoor zip lines in Colorado Springs that crisscross the canyon high above Seven Falls.
And this section in particular is what makes Soaring Adventure one of the best zip lines in Colorado — and much farther. The Fins course made the Top 10 list of Best Experiences in the World in the TripAdvisor 2021 Traveler’s Choice awards. Before I even finish, I can see why this is a must-do adventure for the bucket list.
I’ve reached this point by flying across zip lines all morning, but our journey began earlier at the Broadmoor Outfitters office across from the Golden Bee. After check-in and a 20-minute van ride up Old Stage Road, we arrive at basecamp to put on our gear and get some instruction at ground school. Our guides explain the process, and we each take a short practice zip about a foot off the ground.
We start on the five zip lines of the Woods Course, by climbing a steep staircase to a platform in the trees. There are eight in our group: a family of four from New York, a mother and son from California, me and my 16-year-old son. We’re all fairly quiet to begin. Maybe it’s group dynamics. Maybe we’re all a little nervous about hanging from cables high above the ground.
“Just trust the signals,” says our mustachioed lead guide, Devin. He has an easy, swaying style as he launches off the platforms like Spider-Man to lead the way through the course, grinning back at us and high-fiving tree limbs as he goes. He makes it look easy. When Devin gives the signal, we apply pressure on the zip line cable with a gloved hand to slow ourselves for landing. It proves to be even simpler than it sounds, thanks to a backup brake at the end of each zip line.
Birdie brings up the rear with a calm, peaceful demeanor that is reassuring before hanging our lives from a cable. Both guides seem to effortlessly ask questions, crack jokes and carry on conversation while clipping us on and off of platform anchors and zip line cables. Soon our group is chatting with each other and our guides as we go, building confidence the farther we zip
The first few zip lines are in the trees, only about 30 feet high, but the course progresses as we go. After following one short trail up a rocky crag, we peer over the edge of the canyon. The babble of Cripple Creek about 150 feet below echoes off the rocks. It’s an unusually foggy morning, and low clouds shroud and swirl around Mount Muscoco and Mount Cutler, mostly hiding them from our view. But the ethereal mist adds to the sense of flying. We are in the clouds. The full sensation of flying really kicks in as we sail back and forth across the canyon with enough open air beneath us to hold rows of skyscrapers.
The Woods course finishes on a zip line named Gold Rush. It’s 1,508 feet long and takes nearly 40 seconds to cross. That’s a long time when you’re gliding on a cable. It finishes on the south rim of Cheyenne Canon, where I realize it has felt like we’ve been in our own private wilderness. Here we join the trail with other people who have hiked up from Seven Falls to take in the views of the upper canyon.
After a 10-minute hike, we’re ready to get back to the skies on the Fins Course for the next level of high-exposure zip lining. It’s here at that crux that my son grabs the cable rails and laughs nervously for the first time all day. I feel the nerves too. I have done many zip lines in Colorado and beyond, enough to feel pretty comfortable harnessed into the steel zip lines. But walking on these wobbly suspension bridges adds a new level of adrenaline — call it a sense of scary-safe that makes zip lining so fun. These bridges and the platform they lead to have me deep-breathing to lower my speeding heart rate and calm my amygdala which seems to think some flight-or-flight response is required. Forget “Trust the signals.” “Trust the gear” is my mantra in the moment.
The zip line here is named Millionaire’s View for good reason. Looking down is dizzying, but the views up and down the canyon are amazing. They get even better as I muster some extra courage and step off of this launchpad into open space, more than 500 feet above the canyon floor. I can’t help but grin — and hoot and holler to the ant-like people below on the road to Seven Falls.
Next comes our longest zip line, the GOAT. That’s GOAT as in Greatest of All Time, but it could equally be inspired by the surefooted mountain goats of Colorado. On this perch, I can touch the granite face of a sheer cliff. But we don’t stay here for long. Instead, we soar 1,746 feet and hit 50 mph, while the canyon ridges ebb and flow below. There’s an especially exhilarating moment as we cross over one of the canyon ridge’s. One second the ground is about 15 feet below us; the next millisecond it drops away about 200 feet below. The rushing waters of Seven Falls provide the backdrop as we reach the landing platform, and there is a beautiful birds-eye view of the upper falls from this vantage point.
Our Soaring Adventure ends with a 200-foot controlled rappel into South Cheyenne Cañon, near the base of Seven Falls. Some of our group take the shuttle van directly back to the Broadmoor Outfitters basecamp. We opt to stay a little longer to explore Seven Falls and grab some top-flight food at Restaurant 1858. After all, when you’re soaring on adrenaline, why land too soon?
Pro Tips for the Broadmoor Zip Lines
Here are a few things to know before you go on the Broadmoor Soaring Adventure zip lines in Colorado Springs.
Choose your course.
If you’re intimidated by heights, take the Woods Course. Your comfort level will still be tested, but with more gradual buildup and less extreme exposure. For the highest and longest zip lines, plus suspension bridges, opt for the Fins Course. For the ultimate adventure, choose the Woods-Fins Combo. The full 10 zip lines will let you ease into the aerial experience and reach the most vertiginous heights.
Plan a half day or more.
A single course takes about three hours. The combo course takes about four. Tours are available from 9 a.m to 3 p.m. on the hour and half hour. If you do the Fins or Combo courses, you’ll finish in Seven Falls. We recommend spending some time at the waterfalls or Restaurant 1858 before heading back to Broadmoor Outfitters. Get our tips in How to Make the Most of Your Visit to Seven Falls.
Check the specs.
Zip liners must weigh at least 90 pounds, but less than 250 pounds. You must wear closed-toe shoes. Shorts are OK, but you want them long enough to extend below the harness straps.
Go year round.
We all love bluebird Colorado skies. Fortunately we get them all year round. Just don’t let cooler weather deter you. The Broadmoor Outfitters offers zip line tours year round. Our summer zip line day was misty and cloudy, which made for refreshingly cooler temperatures and a unique element of adventure. Our guide Birdie told me snowy days in Cheyenne Canon have made for some of her favorite trips. Just check for different winter hours.
Get more details and reservations at broadmoor.com/adventures/soaring-adventure.
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