Hawksnest Snow Tubing and Zipline Park Offers Year-Round Scenic Thrills for the Whole Family
By Julie Matthews
Look no further than Hawksnest Adventures for thrilling outdoor recreation while in the Blue Ridge Mountains. For six decades, the family-run business has been hosting exhilarating excursions in North Carolina’s High Country, initially with snow tubing and then expanding activities to include ziplining and, most recently, whitewater rafting.
“It’s an especially interesting time for the company right now,” says Owner Lenny Cottom. “We recently reached our 60-year anniversary and added whitewater rafting, and in 2025 we are building a new lodge and opening a coaster ride. Our business is growing and changing with the times.”
Lenny’s father, Leonard, purchased the business in 1991 when he purchased a ski area and golf course in Seven Devils, just outside of Boone, and transformed it into a snow tubing park. Today Hawksnest is the largest snow tubing park on the East Coast. With four tubing areas and 30 lanes, the park offers affordable fun during the winter season for the entire family (ages three and up) no matter the skill level. The company has added zipline canopy tours, running spring through fall. Spanning across the transitioned former golf course, two tours are available featuring more than 4 miles of ziplines and 20 cables running at heights over 200 feet off the ground. In 2024, the company started offering whitewater rafting trips, led by its expert guides, on the Nolichucky River.
Family-owned and operated, Hawksnest Adventures (the newly branded company name encompassing Hawksnest Snow Tubing, Hawksnest Zipline and Hawksnest Whitewater Rafting) is truly a family business, with Lenny’s sister helping run the business, his wife handling customer service and his two daughters also working on the team, with his eldest daughter holding a management role. And while strong family and community support have always been a key element of the business operation, this has been particularly apparent with the effects of Hurricane Helene, when the company’s lodge and other property structures suffered significant damage due to the storm.
Along with the construction of a new lodge, plans are underway for a new Alpine coaster to be constructed beginning in spring of 2025 with the anticipated completion in the fall. Paying homage to the old ski days of past, plans call for the coaster to snake through the woods where the old ski runs are located on the grounds of the current campus. “We’re very excited about adding the Alpine Coaster attraction to bridge the activities we offer for a stronger year-round operation,” says Lenny.
Whether exploring the beautiful region on the snow, in the air or along the water, Hawksnest Adventures wants to help foster fun thrills and special memories for anybody seeking an adventure.
Wanna Go?
hawksnesttubing.com
hawksnestzipline.com
Off Hwy. 105 between Boone and Banner Elk
828.963.6561
