Kids and parents can zoom through the woods and stroll some “treetop trails” high above the forest floor in a cool West Bloomfield zip line and ropes park.
TreeRunner West Bloomfield Adventure Park is one of two TreeRunner parks in Michigan (The other is located out in Grand Rapids) and is set on about five acres of land behind the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit.
Climbers of all ages, from kids and teens to grown-ups, can get active out in nature at this unique park, located at 6600 W. Maple Road. There’s a variety of tree platforms at varying heights, all connected by “crossings” – which are either “challenge bridges” or zip lines. A series of crossings are called a “treetop trail.” And there are 10 color-coded trails ranging from beginner (purple, yellow and green) to advanced (black diamond and double-black diamond). Plus, there’s a “Junior Park” for kids ages 3-7 to try their hand at smaller and lower-to-the-ground courses ($21).
Safety is a key priority. The entire time, you’re strapped into a harness that are secured to safety cables, and the experience kicks off with a 30 to 40-minute harnessing and orientation. After that, it’ll take you about half an hour to 45 minutes to complete each course.
And it’s all designed with care for the trees, too: Cables and wedges affix all those platforms (vs. nails or bolts) to the trunks. And professional arborists are even involved in maintaining the trees’ health, the company notes.
On special dates throughout the season, the park also offers glow nights, which feature LED sequence lighting, lasers and other displays in the trees set to music. Be sure to ask about group and party options, too.
Tickets – which are $48/ages 12-plus, $43/ages 10-11, $38/ages 7-9 and $1/ages 5-6 with adult – get you three hours of climb time. Reservations are recommended, though they do accept walk-ins on a first-come, first-served basis.
2018 hours are as follows, but always check ahead in case there have been any changes or updates:
- Summer season, June 14-Sept. 3, 2018: 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays-Thursdays, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays
- Fall season, Sept. 4-Nov. 4, 2018: 3 p.m.- 10 p.m. Fridays, 9 a.m.-10 p.m. Saturdays, 9 a.m.-8 p.m. Sundays Mondays-Thursdays open for group appointments only
Always check ahead of your visit to make sure prices and times are still the same as those listed here. To learn more, from type of clothing you should wear to food available on-site, check out the FAQ section on TreeRunner Adventure Park’s website. The park is located at the Jewish Community Center of Metropolitan Detroit, at 6600 W. Maple Road. Call 248-419-1550 to learn more.
Photo by Anthony Wellman
This post was originally published in 2014 and is updated regularly.