Published March 21 2014
Zip Tour grand opening April 5 and 6
Starting April 5, you can fly through the trees on the new Bellevue Zip Tour at Eastgate Park.
The new park feature includes a series of zip lines and bridges amidst a second-growth forest of Douglas fir and broadleaf maple trees, plus spectacular views of the downtown Bellevue skyline and North Cascades. In all, there are 6.5 zip lines (the half-line is an exit zip to get riders back to the ground) ranging from 76 to 450 feet in length. The highest zip line is 80 feet off the ground.
A grand opening is scheduled for Saturday and Sunday, April 5 and 6, with tours scheduled every 45 minutes between 9 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Advance reservations are being accepted now. Limited spots will be available each day.
In addition to plenty of "zipping," the event will feature giveaways and a chance to win prizes. Overflow parking and shuttle service is available at Eastgate Elementary School 10 a.m.-4 p.m., both days.
The zip tour is located on the south side of Newport Way, immediately west of the South Bellevue Community Center, next to the center's existing Bellevue Challenge Course. It is open to the general public, and is available to individuals and groups through a fee-based reservation system.
Zip lining is an outdoor activity during which a rider wears a harness securely connected via a carabineer and pulley system to a cable suspended high above the ground. The rider then glides along the cable for a unique aerial trail experience. Participants are supervised at all times by well-qualified professional guides, and the course undergoes regular safety inspections.
Riders must be at least 9 years old and weigh between 60 and 275 pounds. Youth, ages 9 to 13, must be accompanied by an adult. Each adult can accompany up to two children. Each tour can accommodate up to 10 riders, plus two, certified guides and takes approximately two to two-and-a-half hours to complete.
The cost is $44 for youth (ages 9 - 17) and $69 for adults (18+), with limited scholarships available. Advanced reservation is required, but individual drop-ins may be accepted on a space available basis.
Northwest Teambuilding is the Certified Course Operator. They will operate the Bellevue Zip Tour through October with varying schedules by season:
- April through June: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays;
- June through August: open daily;
- September through October: Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays.
The expansion to the city's outdoor Challenge Course was made possible after the city purchased a 14-acre parcel next to the South Bellevue Community Center in September 2012. The $903,000 purchase was made possible entirely by King County Levy proceeds ($451,500) and funding from King County Conservation Futures ($451,500). The zip tour project construction cost was $200,000.
The Challenge Course was identified as a priority through Bellevue Youth Link in the late '90s and was developed as part of the Eastgate Park Master Plan. Since the course was built in 2006, it has served an average of 1,000 participants per year, including clubs, classes, organizations and workplaces that book the course for recreation and team-building exercises.
For course reservations, register online and enter "Bellevue Zip Tour" in the search box.
For more information about South Bellevue Community Center, Eastgate Park or the Bellevue Challenge Course, call 425-452-4240 or email sbcc@bellevuewa.gov.
For more information about the zip tour construction, contact Scott Vander Hyden- project coordinator, at 425-452-4169 or svanderhyden@bellevuewa.gov.