Ziplining, or canopy touring as the operators call it, is riding a wheeled trolley down a tensioned steel cable between elevated platforms while clipped in with a harness. Two commercial canopy-tour operators run year-round within driving distance of San Francisco, and there's a third out toward Yosemite whose status is murky right now. Here's what each one charges and requires.
Bay Area zipline operators
| Operator | Drive from SF | Price from | Ziplines | Phone |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sonoma Zipline Adventures | Occidental, ~90 min | $119 | 7 | 1-888-494-7868 |
| Mount Hermon Adventures Redwood Canopy Tour | Felton, ~1 hr from San Jose | $116 | 7 | 831-430-4357 |
| Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch | Mariposa, ~3.5 hr | Not published | 7 | 209-742-4844 |
Prices and numbers were checked against each operator in June 2026. Lowest published per-person price shown; book ahead and confirm before you drive.
Sonoma Zipline Adventures
6250 Bohemian Highway, Occidental, CA 95465. About 90 minutes north of San Francisco, in second-growth redwoods near the Russian River. Run as a 501(c)(3) non-profit.
The Tree Tops Tour is the big one: seven ziplines, two sky bridges, and a 45-foot rappel descent at the end. The longest line runs 1,500 feet, the full course is 2,907 feet, and at the highest point you're 250 feet above the forest floor. Top recorded speed is 40 mph. Figure about 2.5 hours, and expect to climb roughly 100 stairs to get up into the course. $119 to $149 per person depending on date.
The Forest Flight Tour is the original course they ran before Tree Tops was built. Multiple ziplines and sky bridges, a spiral staircase, and a rappel descent. Also about 2.5 hours.
They also run the Forest Flight course at sunset or after dark and call it the Night Flight Tour.
Tours go out year-round, rain or shine; they only cancel for high winds, lightning, or intense rain. Minimum age is 10 and the weight range is 70 to 250 pounds. You have to be willing to climb a 30-foot spiral staircase and rappel down at the end of the tour. Riders under 16 need a parent or adult with them. Closed-toe shoes are required (sneakers or hiking boots are typical), glasses go on a retention strap, and skirts and dresses aren't allowed. Cancellation policy: refundable minus a $20-per-person fee with at least 7 days notice; inside 7 days you pay a $25-per-person reschedule fee and there's no refund. Phone: 1-888-494-7868.
Mount Hermon Adventures Redwood Canopy Tour
17 Conference Drive, Felton, CA 95018. About an hour south of San Jose in the Santa Cruz Mountains.
The Redwood Canopy Tour is seven ziplines reaching 150 feet above the forest floor, about 2 hours start to finish. Groups go out with up to 8 riders and 2 guides. Parties of 9 or more book through the group events line.
The per-person price depends on the season and the day of the week:
- September 1 through April 30: $116 weekday, $126 weekend.
- May 1 through May 31: $136 weekday, $146 weekend.
- June 1 through August 31: $146 weekday, $156 weekend.
They run year-round, rain or shine. Minimum age 10, minimum height 52 inches (4 feet 4 inches), weight between 75 and 250 pounds. The same operator runs Sequoia Aerial Adventures at the same location; that's a separate ropes course with different elements and requirements, not the zipline tour. Phone: 831-430-4357.
If you're only doing one, book Sonoma's Tree Tops Tour for the height; you're 250 feet up there versus 150 at Mount Hermon. From the South Bay, Mount Hermon is the much shorter drive.
Yosemite Ziplines and Adventure Ranch
4808 Highway 140, Mariposa, CA. About 3.5 hours east of the Bay Area, so it's a long haul for a day trip. The listings disagree on whether it's open as of late 2025: Yelp marks the business closed, while the operator's social pages say open by reservation. The tour as historically published was seven ziplines totalling 3,800 feet over about 2 hours, with a weight range of 60 to 250 pounds and no posted age minimum, for groups of 8 to 10. Call (209) 742-4844 and confirm before you build a trip around this one.
How the gear works
Your harness clips to a wheeled trolley that rolls along a tensioned steel cable strung between two elevated platforms. Both Bay Area operators put each rider on two trolleys (a primary plus a redundant backup) and use an automatic braking system at the landing platform. You never brake by hand.
A canopy tour is a series of these cable runs linked by short walks or sky bridges, and the time math surprises people: a full Bay Area tour covers six or seven lines over two to two and a half hours, but the actual time on the cable adds up to just a few minutes, with the rest spent on platforms, walking between launches, and sitting through the safety briefing.
What to wear and bring
- Closed-toe shoes that stay on your foot. No sandals or flip-flops at either Bay Area operator.
- Pants, jeans, or knee-length shorts, since the harness sits across your hips and thighs.
- A long-sleeve layer. The redwood canopy runs about 10 to 15 degrees Fahrenheit cooler than the surrounding valleys.
- A retention strap for your glasses, if you wear them.
- A hair tie if your hair is long.
Both operators provide the harness, helmet, gloves, and trolley. You can't take loose handheld items (phones, keys, wallets) on the line; everything gets stored at the base. Both rent helmet cameras if you want your own footage.
Ziplining vs tandem paragliding
We get asked about this a lot, since people shopping for one usually find the other. A canopy tour is a string of short cable rides spread across two to two and a half hours; each ride lasts a few seconds to about a minute, and you don't steer. A tandem paragliding flight is one continuous flight under a fabric wing, typically 15 to 45 minutes in the air, with smooth turns, launching from 1,000 to 2,000 feet above the landing site. A paraglider can cover several miles and climb or descend along the way. Neither requires any prior experience, and they're different enough that plenty of people end up doing both.
Frequently asked questions
What is ziplining?
Where can I go ziplining near San Francisco?
How much does ziplining cost in the Bay Area?
What is the minimum age?
What are the weight limits?
How long is a tour?
Do I need any prior experience?
Do tours run in the rain?
What should I wear?
Can I bring a phone or camera on the line?
What is the difference between ziplining and tandem paragliding?
Want to actually fly?
We run tandem paragliding flights over the Pacific, $189 per person, ages 14 and up, no experience needed. We fly 7 days a week, noon to sunset, 15 minutes from San Francisco.
Book a Tandem Flight OnlineMore Bay Area adventure guides
Prices and details change. Call the operator before you drive.
Hero photo: Costaricapro, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.