ArborTrek Adventure Course

A guide clips you onto the cable, counts you down, and the forest floor drops away below your feet. ArborTrek Canopy Adventures is set in a wooded valley below Smugglers’ Notch in Jeffersonville, Vermont, where the guided Zip Line Canopy Tour links eight zip lines with two sky bridges and a pair of rappels from the trees. Small groups travel with two guides who handle the gear and coaching, and who share plenty about the wildlife and local lore along the way. If you’d rather climb than glide, the Treetop Obstacle Course packs rope bridges, nets, and swinging challenges rated from easy to extreme, with a junior option for younger adventurers.

From late spring through fall, ArborTrek is about a 15 to 20 minute drive from Topnotch on Route 108 through Smugglers’ Notch, a winding pass between rock cliffs that’s worth the trip on its own. The Notch closes in winter, so the cold-season route goes around through Morrisville and takes closer to 50 minutes. Visit ArborTrek’s website for current schedules and booking details, and after a few hours in the treetops, come back to Topnotch for a soak in the indoor jacuzzi or a treatment at the spa. Your legs will thank you.