Driving through the natural beauty of Western North Carolina is amazing, but have you ever wanted a different view? At Navitat Canopy Tours, you can enjoy nature from the perspective of a squirrel or perhaps a bird as you soar through the air from tree to tree sometimes 200 feet above ground going up to 35 miles per hour.

Just 20 minutes north of Asheville in Barnardsville, this world-class ziplining operation is located on 240 acres of hardwood forest known as Moody Cove. Owned by the McDarris family since the mid-1800s, the land is leased to Navitat as a way to conserve the amazingly biodiverse property.

For those interested in the natural aspect, two trained guides regularly inform tour participants about the flora and fauna along the course—guides such as Olen Christianson and Derek Del Buono, who discuss buckeyes and bloodroot and told of the perils of the hemlock population due to invasive insects. In addition to all the safety training, the guides are educated in the area’s natural offerings so that they can pass that information onto zipliners for an ecological experience.

Many tourists each year enjoy the part of a canopy tour that involves brief hikes, scenic views, and a day spent in nature’s bounty. For others, it’s the thrill of zipping through the air, seemingly unencumbered by gravity, that pulls them into such an adventure.

For those who enjoy life in the trees, you’ll be happy to know that Navitat’s tour does use an entirely tree-based design. Innovative installation methods are used to be minimally intrusive to the trees, still allowing them to grow. John Walker of Bonsai Design Inc. teamed with Navitat CEO and Managing Partner Ken Stamps and others to create the course.

“John had been doing great canopy tour designs, so when we decided to launch Navitat, we wanted to have him as a partner because we knew he was the best,” Ken says. “That’s something we want to be known for—being the best. There are lots of ziplining outfits out there, but we want to be the best canopy tours in the country. We want the best properties, the best guides, and the best safety standards.”

John Robinson, Emily Zamonis, and Katie Zamonis were three young professionals visiting Western North Carolina from Orlando in May. They included Navitat as part of an overall outdoor adventure that included camping, rafting, and hiking. “We just wanted to get away from Orlando for a while and get somewhere cooler with lots of trees and outdoors opportunities,” John said. The three thoroughly enjoyed their canopy tour. “It was so much fun,” Katie said.

Ken says that’s a common sentiment. In its first season of operation (2010), Navitat saw 16,000 visitors. Ken estimated that up to 70 percent came from outside the metro area.

“There are very few places like Asheville,” Ken says. “It is known for its diversity of offerings. It has tremendous outdoor opportunities. It has culture, art, and great food. When we were looking for a place to locate, we knew this was a great place to be and that people from all over the country would be interested in visiting here.”

But locals provide steady business, too. Some come out to experience a canopy tour for the first time. Others take advantage of a discounted rate for locals and come more regularly. And a few look at it as a way to entertain guests who may be visiting.

“Saturdays, Sundays, and Tuesdays are our busiest days,” Ken says. “Tuesday is obviously due to the local crowds.” Western North Carolina residents receive a discount on Tuesday tours. Adult price is $68, youth price is $60. Discounts are also available for groups (10 percent off for eight or more) and active military families (10 percent off).

This year Navitat has partnered with Asheville’s LaZoom Comedy Tours for $99 Zip and Zoom packages that include a daytime canopy tour and a seat on the LaZoom Comedy Tour’s big purple bus.

Those considering booking a tour now have even more opportunities now that night tours are being offered. “We wanted to get one year under our belt before we started offering the night tours,” Ken says. “But so far this year, they’ve proved very popular. It’s a whole different experience than ziplining during the day.

Tours go out at roughly 8:20, 8:40, and 9 p.m. For this season, the night tours are only offered Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.

If you plan to zip, you need to be aware of a few things. Some light hiking is involved, so you need to be in moderate to good health and be able to walk a mile. You must weigh between 90 and 250 pounds. And you must have the strength to pull yourself along the cable or slow yourself down if necessary. Oh, and if you’re afraid of heights, this might not be the nature adventure for you.

A standard trip offers 10 zips, the longest of which is 1,100 feet. You experience a couple rappels and sky bridges in a tour lasting somewhere around 3 to 3.5 hours, depending on the size of the group.

And while the company intends to grow and open new canopy tours across the country—a new one opens July 1 in San Bernadino County, California—Asheville is the place that will always be home. “This will be our flagship,” Ken says. “This will be our training ground. We’ve already been embraced so much by the community. We love it here and want to do our best for Western North Carolina.”

Navitat is located at 242 Poverty Branch Road in Barnardsville. Tours run daily April 1 through the end of November. Reservations are required. Daytime tour price is $89 per adult, and $79 per youth under age 18. “Navitat at Night” tours will be offered Thursday, Friday, and Saturday evenings at dusk. Nighttime tour price is $109 per person. Visit online or call 828.626.3700 to book a tour.