I had heard that Castle Rock Zip Line Tours was planning to add a ropes course to its area in Philip S. Miller Park. Talk about an understatement! The Epic Sky Trek has four levels with more than 100 challenges. The higher you go, the harder they get.
My boys both take parkour classes and are pretty fearless. They dream of competing on American Ninja Warrior when they are old enough to participate (hopefully the TV show will still be around for at least another decade). They have a seemingly endless supply of energy. And they love to test their skills against their parents — especially if they think they'll be better than us (which they were). The Epic Sky Trek is the perfect fit for our family.
My fear of heights left me feeling more than a little nervous about tackling this course, but once I learned how everything works, I felt very safe ... and knew that my kids were too. You're attached to the structure with two lines that use "smart link" technology so that you can't unhook both lines at the same time; you have to lock one in before being able to unhook the other. From the platform itself to my safety harness and helmet, all of the equipment was solid and sturdy and in excellent condition.
I can't quite find the words to explain how exhilarating our experience was, or how powerful I felt as I pushed myself beyond what I thought I could do, or how much fun we had doing this as a family, or how proud I was of my kids. I can tell you that we plan to go back — again and again and again!
On our first visit, it started to get very hot so we decided to cut our time short. We were pleasantly surprised to learn that we could take advantage of the "rain check" option. Castle Rock Zip Line Tours has an intense focus on customer service, so if there is a reason you are not comfortable fulfilling your time in a single day, they will gladly welcome them back in the near future to finish exploring the Sky Trek. Additionally, whenever lightning comes within an unsafe distance of the park they will suspend operations until it is safe, so you can also claim your rain check during any "lightning breaks."
SPECIAL OFFER!
The Epic Sky Trek is $49 per person for a four-hour adventure (Castle Rock residents pay just $29 per person; call for details). Now through September 30, 2016, you can save 10% on the Epic Sky Trek or the Zip Line Tour with the promo code MACKID.
FAMILY SEASON PASS SPECIAL!
Season household passes may be purchased at the Sky Trek office for $299 per household ($249 for Castle Rock residents). The pass is good for any household member, any day the Epic Sky Trek is open to the public through December 31, 2016. Current hours are 10:00 AM-6:00 PM daily, although that is subject to change due to demand and reduced daylight hours.
There is no minimum height requirement to explore the Epic Sky Trek; you just have to be at least 4 years old. Most 4- to 7-year-olds can have a blast on the kids course (first level) with the help of an adult, or someone tall enough to move their safety clips from one obstacle to the next. Most kids 8 years and up can facilitate themselves through the kids course and, depending on their physical maturity, can even join their parents on the adult course (upper levels).
