As fall approaches and the leaves begin to change color, it is a good idea to do different activities that would not be as fun during any other season. Some of these activities could be ziplining through the multi-colored trees, or just visiting a mountain and partaking in numerous recreations there.

 The Gorge is the perfect place to go ziplining in North Carolina. Just four hours away in the city of Saluda is an adventure known as “America’s steepest, fastest zipline canopy tour,” according to their website. The Gorge is a unique experience because you can soar right over a beautiful gorge, a valley between hills or mountains. With eleven ziplines spanning one mile and descending from heights of 1,100 vertical feet, this is the perfect vacation for you and your family or friends. The prices are reasonable, staying below one hundred dollars, and the trip is well worth the drive. Another ziplining location is the zipline tours offered by French Broad Rafting and Ziplines. Just outside of Asheville, this company is just a little closer to Raleigh than The Gorge, while the prices and deals are significantly better. Priced at $89, the French Broad Rafting and Ziplining company seems a better choice compared to the $97 per person offered by The Gorge. Even though the French Broad Rafting and Ziplining company seems to be the better choice, these two locations offer different experiences and should both be given a visit sometime this fall.

 Scared of heights? Grandfather Mountain in Linville, North Carolina, has America’s highest suspension bridge, the Mile High Swinging Bridge which is over a mile high above an eighty foot chasm. The bridge offers the perfect view of Grandfather Mountain from a new perspective. Isabella Wishart, a junior at MHS, says that “the view was spectacular from the swinging bridge; you could see so many mountain tops and tons of trees. For those with a fear of heights, it is a little frightening, but it was very fun and nerve racking in a positive way.” This mountain includes a number of activities for nature lovers to explore and gain experiences from. Whether you are having a picnic under the color changing leaves and then burning it off on a hike, or observing animals in their natural habitat, this is the area to visit. There are eleven trails, varying from a leisurely stroll to a rigorous hike that takes adventurous people all throughout the mountain to gaze upon the beauty of nature. “I climbed all the way to the top of the mountain, and once there I could feel extreme wind, it was so intense that I thought I was going to blow over,” shares junior Owen Perez. The wildlife habitats also offer an insight into the bigger animals that are not easily seen on a daily basis, such as black bears and cougars. Viewing areas built respectfully into the habitat of these animals allow a safe environment to study them.

 Fall is the perfect season to get out of your house and enjoy nature, such as the leaves changing and the fresh, crisp air. Whether it is souring through forests attached to a harness, or making a trek up a mountain, something should be done. This season is the last chance to get a taste of warm weather before it is time to start bundling up for the cold, so have a good time while it lasts.