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Brandy Metzger
Hawksnest
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Brandy Metzger
snow tubing
What was originally Hawksnest Golf and Ski Resort is now Hawksnest Snow Tubing. It has been transformed into the largest snow tubing operation on the East Coast.
Hawksnest, located in the town of Seven Devils in western NC, has been around for over 20 years. However, the recreational resort has gone through some major changes over the past several years. What was originally Hawksnest Golf and Ski Resort is now Hawksnest Snow Tubing. It has been transformed into the largest snow tubing operation on the East Coast. On a recent trip to Hawksnest, my family and I discovered why it is such a popular winter destination.
Upon arrival, we were greeted at the ticket window by friendly staff and were able to get our tickets for snow tubing quickly. Weekday ticket prices are $25 per person for one session (2 hours) or $32 per person for 2 sessions. Weekend and holiday tickets are $30 per session. We chose a 2 hour session which was the perfect amount of time for our 5 year old.
We enjoyed the 4 different areas for snow tubing at Hawksnest. Two of these have "magic carpet" conveyer lifts that bring guests back to the top of the run from the bottom. The other two require a little hiking up a hill with the tube to get back to the top of the run. The "hike" was not too bad (even for our 5 year old) and we found that these areas with no "magic carpets" were less crowded.
The 4 areas combined offer 20 different tubing lanes that range in length from 400 to 1000 feet. With so many lanes to choose from, the wait to go down the hill was never more than a few minutes. Staff members are posted at the two larger areas to keep the snow tubing traffic moving by calling out which lanes can go.
Unlike skiing, there is a feeling of safety with snow tubing. The lanes are set up in such a way that the tubes do not cross over from one lane to the next. Also, the slopes are elevated enough to get a good "rush" at the beginning but level off at the end of the run for a slow finish.
Hawksnest snow tubing is usually open from mid November to mid-March depending on the weather.
In addition to snow tubing, Hawksnest also offers zipline tours. They have a total of 20 zip lines including 4 mega zips. Two are over 2000 feet long and the other two are over 1500 feet long. With 4 miles of zipline riding with heights over 200 feet and speeds up to 50 mph. guests enjoy the thrill of the ride and the panoramic views of the NC mountains.
Hawksnest has adventures for all ages at affordable prices. For more information and special March rates check out their website.
