WATAUGA COUNTY, N.C. — Brandon Mateulonus, visiting Sky Valley Zip Tours from Florida, is enjoying a two-hour experience that brings people high into the mountains.

What You Need To Know

  • Sky Valley Zip Tours boast zip lines, off-road courses and more

  • Sky Valley Zip Tours is located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of western North Carolina

  • The attraction was originally built to create activities for people with disabililties

“It’s just a fun way to get outside in the nature, have a little exhilarating excitement,” Mateulonus said.

The trails in Watauga County have a history of outdoor activities of their own. For more than 60 years, this was the sight of Camp Sky Ranch, a camp for children with disabilities.

“My grandfather bought this property in 1946 after having a spinal cord injury that he recovered from, but he wondered what children did for recreation. That’s where this all came from. They moved here from Winston-Salem and built a summer camp,” Camp Sky Ranch President Jack Sharp said.

Sharp said that’s why the place means so much to him. Thirteen years ago they turned it into a zip-line facility, but they have since added electric ATVs to get back to having activities for people with disabilities.

“I don’t think we hit the nail fully in the head yet,” Sharp said.“I don’t think we hit the nail fully in the head yet,” Sharp said.

For now, he said, the big draw is their zip lines.

Operations Manager for Sky Valley Zip Tours Steven Moiez said they wanted people to truly experience the mountains.

“We got a couple zip lines before we get to swinging bridge, and then from swinging bridge, two zip lines bring you back home. Greased lightning and home run are fast,” Moiez said.

He is from Chapel Hill and said when he moved to the mountains he worked in outdoor activities like a fishing guide. Now, he said, he gets to show people the wonders of the high country.

Workers at Sky Valley Zip Tours believe there is much more to come.