Trinity Forest Adventure Park, Dallas

Trinity Forest Adventure Park was unlike anything I have ever imagined!   We were invited out to the park for a review, and of course my kids and husband, who love zip lining, were very excited to go!  On the other hand, I have never been zip lining, and I’m not as fearless as my family.  They are the coaster junkies and adrenaline seekers.  It’s not that I don’t like heights, I just don’t like the feeling of falling.  However, this is my summer of stepping outside of my box and challenging myself, and I wasn’t going to miss this opportunity!

Here’s my story, and a few Mommy Tips to help you have a great adventure, too!

  1. Mommy Tips for before you go

The adventure park is open from 10am – 5pm, and you get a 3 hour adventure.  You don’t want to waste any of your time, so be prepared when you get there.

• Be sure everyone goes to the restroom before you check in, there isn’t one close by.
• Tight fitting, close-toed shoes are required (no crocs).
• Apply sunscreen and bug repellent.
• Eat for energy, but don’t overeat.  The harness fits tightly, so you don’t want to be squishing your food.
• Wear comfortable clothing and longer shorts so the harness isn’t rubbing on your skin.
• Bring a water bottle.  They have cold water so you can refill it.
• The minimum age is 6.  Younger children will need someone to stay with them on the ground.  There are picnic tables in the shade where they can wait.

2.  Getting in your harness 

• The first thing you do is get in your harness.
• Pull back long hair and tuck it up so there is no chance of it getting caught in your line – ouch!
• You will be wearing a helmet.
• Avoid wearing jewelry that could get hung in the lines or your hair.

3.  Da’ Rules

After everyone in our group was fitted in their harness, helmet and gloves, we were walked through the rules, and the different courses were explained to us.

4.  Ground School

Once we finished the rules, we were ready for Ground School.  There are a couple of obstacles, called elements, on the ground, so you can get a feel for what it’s like when you aren’t on the ground.  You also learn and practice how your clip and key work.

5.  The Clip

The clip is what keeps you from falling.  It is attached to your harness, and you keep it attached at all times to a line up on the course.  It’s terrific because you really can’t accidentally unattach yourself when you are up on the course.

And that ‘s great, because it all seems so easy when you are on the ground, but once you get up there it’s not as easy to remember.

6.  The key

The key is what unlocks you from one line and into another.  One side of the clip is always locked, and you must use the key to lock into the next line.

7. Go!

Once we graduated Ground School, things moved really fast.  My husband stayed with my older son and daughter, since they could do more of the courses than Leo, my youngest, would be able to do.  I was happy to stay on the easier courses, which are closer to the ground.  If you call 10-20 ft. close to the ground.

A quick word about the park staff.  They are amazing!  They are SO helpful, and patient.  VERY patient!  They know that you might get scared, or confused or just make a mistake, and they are ready to not just help, but keep you calm, too.

8.  He’s Off

My little Leo has never known fear, and as soon as we reached our course, and was locked in, he took off.  He mentioned once or twice that it was getting harder, but he didn’t have a problem at all.  Again, the staff walked under us, talking to us and making sure we were okay.  Only one person is allowed on an “element” at a time, which meant he had to cross over and hook onto the next line, before I could go.  I was worried about him, but he wasn’t worried at all.  Again, there was no way he could accidentally unhook, so he wasn’t in danger.

I could hear my husband and older kids yelling “Hi” every now and then, but I didn’t get many pictures of them.  I’m surprised any of my pictures were in focus, I was shaking so much!

9.  The First Step

When it came to my turn, well, that first step was hard!  I stood there for more than a few minutes thinking that I just couldn’t do it, but I knew Leo wouldn’t get to go if I backed down, and somehow I eventually found the nerve to take that first step.  And it was the hardest.

10.  It gets easier

The first step was the hardest.  The first platform we reached, which I gripped onto for dear life, and trying to remember how the clip and key work was hard.  I doubt it I could have remembered my name!  But with each element we crossed, it got easier.

11.  Conquering my fear

By the third element, I was feeling much more brave.  It’s an amazing feeling to conquer a fear.

That feeling is one of the top reason I would recommend the Trinity Forest Adventure Park for kids!  Sure, it’s fun and thrilling, but most of all I think it would do wonders for any child’s self-esteem!

12.   Go at your own pace

My husband and kids finished their first course by the time we finished our fourth element.  They have never been afraid of anything in their life, and absolutely loved it!

Trinity Forest A.P. limits the number of people on the courses, so that you aren’t spending your 3 hours waiting for the person in front of you.  Reservations are required.

13.  Zip Lining

Most of the obstacles in the courses don’t require zipping, but each course has a few lines to zip down.  When “zipping”, you have to add a pulley onto your line, which is also attached to your harness.  The pulley slides you along with the help of gravity.  On our first zip, which was short, was easy peasy for Leo,  who has been zip lining before.

But I had never been on a zip line before, and again, I just didn’t know how to take that first “step”, especially when there is no step, you just push off and GO!  A man and his daughter were walking under us, and he must have seen the panic in my face, because he told me that it helped him to just “sit down” in the harness, and gravity would do the rest!  Know what?  He was right!   I just sat down, zipped down the line, and pretty much loved it!

Our last obstacle of the yellow course was a much longer zip and I was really looking forward both to the long zip and being back on the ground soon.  Leo went first, then I locked myself in, sat down and instead of zipping down to the next platform, I went about 8′ and stopped, suspended about 10 feet in the air!  I had forgot to put on my pulley!  One of the staff (Have I mentioned how NICE and PATIENT they are?) had to zip up to me, lift me up and onto my pulley and help me slide down.  I was so embarrassed but he was terrific about it!

And the thing is, while I was hanging there, knowing that this was as bad as it could get, it really took away the rest of my fear.  That was really the turning point for me.  After that, I was okay.

14.  Green Course

We finished the yellow course, and I tried to convince Leo that we should do it again, but of course, he wanted to do one of the green courses!  So, we headed back up, and one the way one of the staffers told me he was proud of me.  I was proud of me, too.

15.  We did it! 

The Green Course held many more obstacles, but it was even more fun.  I lost my fear of even standing on the platforms while locking in and out of the lines (Again, you are ALWAYS locked in to one line).  My daughter joined us and with her help, we were able to move along much more quickly!  It quit being a challenge, and just became fun!  At the end of the day, I couldn’t even remember WHY I was afraid to take that first step!

16.  More Mommy Tips

Pack an ice chest with drinks, no glass or alcohol, and some snacks for energy!

Parking is FREE.

Trinity Park Adventure Park is sharing a $10.00 off coupon with my readers, through US Family Guide.  Please click HERE to go to that coupon.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Trinity Forest Adventure Park  

1820 Dowdy Ferry Rd, Dallas 

Click HERE to visit their website.    

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Keep Having Fun in the Texas Sun! 

Michelle 

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