If flying through the dark hanging from a cable isn’t on your bucket list, you should reconsider.
Zip-lining underground is unbeatable, one of my guides told me. “Your depth perception isn’t as good. It’s a little disorienting,” she says. “You get an extra thrill from not knowing where the ground is.”
The Mega Zips, as it’s called, strings through a 100-acre former limestone mine in the middle of Kentucky’s largest city. Passages stretch beneath the 10-lane Watterson Expressway and even under the Louisville Zoo.
What’s now known as the Mega Cavern produced limestone for more than 40 years until the 1970s, before being largely forgotten. Decades later, new owners envisioned it as a recreational site and opened the world’s only completely underground zip line.
Following a brief introduction to zipping, each member of our group donned a helmet with a miner’s head lamp and a body harness equipped with 2 heavy-duty lanyards. After a short walk through the mine, we reached the first of 6 zips.
For nearly 2½ hours, we worked our way across the mine, crossing open pits and walkways far below. Our guide led us across 2 swinging suspension bridges, adding drama by playing the Raiders of the Lost Ark theme through a Bluetooth speaker.
The final section, a dual racing zip line leaving from the tallest platform, paired me against Brad, a father visiting with his family from Iowa. Our guide counted down our start, but unnerved by the height, I hesitated for a fraction of a second before leaping into the race.
I couldn’t make up for the late start and watched the red light on Brad’s helmet zipping ahead of me the entire way. But I still was grinning ear to ear. I finished the course wanting more.
Zip-liners must be at least 7 years old, weighing between 55 and 285 pounds. Those younger than 15 must be accompanied by an adult. Prices vary; check the website.