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    Monkey Trunks High Ropes Course is a Hit with Teens

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    Monkey Trunks Discovery Zone

    Monkey Trunks Discovery Course

         As part of our whirlwind family with teens review weekend in the Mount Washington Valley of New Hampshire, we had the good fortune to spend a few hours at Monkey Trunks on Route 16 in Chocorua, NH.  If you’ve got teens or tweens (or moms and dads) that are looking for a challenge and an adrenaline rush this is the place to go.  Located about a half hour drive south of North Conway, Monkey Trunks will test your limits in a safe, supervised and incredibly fun setting.  Our teen gave it an A+ and says she has to go back! 

         Set on a former farm, the site features the amazing 3-level 25 foot tall Discovery high ropes course, complete with zip line and 40-foot drop zone.   Nearby, the 65 foot high Jungle Course offers dozens of challenges even higher in the air.  A low ropes Mini Monkey course is suitable for toddlers and pre-schoolers or anyone else who isn’t big on heights.

         We were impressed with the emphasis on safety.  All participants view a training film and are carefully fitted with their harness and safety ropes.  Ground school, which involves the participant demonstrating they understand the basics at a height of 18 inches is required for everyone.

    Aloft in the Monkey Trunks Discovery Zone

    Aloft in the Monkey Trunks Discovery Course

         For those 12 and under, a continuous transfer safety rope system is used in the Discovery  and Mini Monkey Courses to ensure that they never become detached from the safety cables.  Continuous transfer systems are the only type used in the higher Jungle Course.   Those 13 and older can opt for the manual transfer system in the Discovery Course if parents and safety staff are confident the teen can follow the safety protocol, which requires verbal and visual confirmation with staff every time a line is disconnected from the system and transferred to a new cable.  Safety staff are aloft in the Discovery and Mini Monkey areas at all times and monitoring the Jungle Zone from the ground.  

    Getting ready for the big drop!

    Getting ready for the big drop!

         Once safety and ground  training were over, it didn’t take our teen very long to start acting like a monkey.  The rope bridges, swinging walkways, overhand Tarzan style ropes,  zipline, giant rope swing and drop zone were all right up her alley.  She’s the kind of teen that loves a physical and mental challenge.  Using the manual transfer system she was able to scamper all over the Discovery Course to test her limits. 
         She did it all!  Although the first time was a little scary, she came back several times for the 25 foot drop on the giant swing and even jumped screaming off the 40-foot drop zone — but came up smiling every time.  She also opted to explore the 65 foot high Jungle Course that includes 27 different high altitude obstacles including a walk across dangling tires, inching along a tightrope and scaling a life size spider web amid the treetops.  If you are successful the descent is another 40 foot drop.

    All smiles!

    All smiles at Monkey Trunks

              Our teen has the stamina and loves the adrenaline rush enough that she could have stayed all day (a $99 day pass is available for kids like her).  However, we were really impressed at the range of adults, kids, teens and tweens that were testing their skills high overhead.  The 2-hour $45 daily pass is a good bet for many and provides access to both the Discovery and Jungle Zones.  Mini Monkey access for 2 hours is $35.  Weekly passes for $199 are available if you are staying in the area for a while and have teens with a lot of energy to burn!
         Although we could have participated, or just tried out the Mini Monkey low ropes course, mom and dad opted to be spectators for this event.  We took advantage of the front row view under umbrella tables in the spectator area.  Spectators are also allowed in the top of the 40 foot tall Drop Zone tower if you want to climb the stairs.  This is a great vantage point for taking ariel photos.

    Walking the tightrope 25 ft up
    Walking the tightrope 25 ft up

         Monkey Trunks is owned and operated by the Ives family.  Entering its third year, it is clear the initial emphasis has been on building a large, safe and challenging facility and providing solid safety gear and supervision.  The nicely renovated farmhouse includes offices, modern clean bathrooms, some vending machines, free WiFi and a comfortable indoor waiting room. The barn area serves as the main gear storage area and safety training zone.  The grounds are still rustic and there is room for a few more creature comforts like a snack bar, a little more spectator shade, and paved parking as the business grows.  If you plan to stay all day bring a cooler with lunch as there are no restaurants nearby. 

         Monkey Trunks does a great job balancing physical and mental challenges with safety.  Its a great outdoor family activity that will have your teens and tweens clamouring for more.

         Our complimentary pass to Monkey Trunks was arranged by the Mount Washington Valley Chamber of Commerce.  Our accepting the pass  in no way obligated us to provide a positive review.   All opinions in this article are totally our own.   For links to more information about our visit to New Hamphsire’s Mount Washington Valley, check out our Mount Washington Valley Top 10 – Summer Edition article.

    North Conway Family Vacation

    Giant Prismatic Spring at Midway Geyser Basin

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         Midway Geyser Basin is a small area with big appeal.  It houses the Giant Prismatic Spring which is the largest thermal spring at Yellowstone and the largest feature at the Midway Geyser Basin.  It measures roughly 350 by 250 feet and its temperature runs between 150 and 180 degrees.  

    Steam Rises over Giant Prismatic Spring

    Steam Rises over Giant Prismatic Spring

         The Spring is known for brilliant bands of bright red, green and yellow rings around a deep blue bullseye.  The various colored rings are due to different types of bacteria thriving at different temperature bands that form as the water deepens in the pool.   Colors vary somewhat by season.  The rings tend to be orange and red in summer and lean more toward dark green in the cooler winter months  At its deepest point Giant Prismatic Spring  is about 120 feet deep.   More than 500 gallons of hot water run out of the spring every minute to help fuel the Firehole River.

    Boiling run off helps fill the Firehole River

    Boiling run off helps fill the Firehole River

         This is a good stop to combine with your trip to Firehole Falls for some swimming!   This is another in our series on  Top 10 Activities for families on vacation with teens and tweens at Yellowstone

    Mud Volcano Area Boils and Bubbles

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         The sulfer smell filling the air announces you have arrived at the Yellowstone Mud Volcano area even before you check the map.  The 3/4 mile trail follows a steep uphill loop, mainly on boardwalks, that provides an up close and  personal view of steaming mud volcanos and noisy fumaroles.   This is a very active thermal area with features boiling muddy pools sporting names like Dragon’s Mouth and the Black Dragon’s Caldron. 

    Black Dragon's Cauldron

    Black Dragon's Cauldron

         Due to the extreme heat and acidic nature of the terrain it is important to stay on the trails.  Past eruptions have detroyed nearby trees, leaving dead skeletons.   Sulfer combined with iron creates a stark landscape with mud pots painted reddish,  gray and brown.   The plants that survive take on odd colors in this challenging landscape.

    Mud Volcano Area

    We were amazed any plant life could grow in the Yellowstone Mud Volcano area

          The Mud Volcano area is a great stop where you almost always get to see buffalo as well.  When we were there a herd was in residence in the field across the road and a few meadered the trails in the area itself.  Apparently they are not bothered by the smell!  This is another in our series on Top 10 activities for families on vacation with teens and tweens at Yellowstone

         We also submitted this post to the Delicious Baby Photo Friday roundup.  Stop by there if you want to see other great family travel pics!

    Beaver Pond Loop Trail – Pack a Lunch

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        The Yellowstone Beaver Pond Loop trail offers a lovely 5-mile day hike that starts and ends near the Liberty Cap at the Mammoth Hot Springs Terraces.   The trail starts by climbing about 350 feet over the first half mile as it runs through the forests of the Clematis Gulch.  It then crosses rolling meadows and re-enters forests that many of the Park’s elk, bear, deer and other mammals call home.  We saw few people or animals on our trip on a warm day late in the summer when most of the animals were probably resting.  We really enjoyed the chance to be out on our own.  The trail starts in Wyoming but passes through Montana, allowing the kids to claim they had been to Montana if only for a few minutes.

    On the Trail to Beavey Pond

    We didn't see any bears but enjoyed the trail to Beaver Pond

         We packed a lunch and ate it in the shade near the first beaver pond.  There are several ponds in the area.  You can turnaround after the first one or continue on to complete the full loop along the shore of several ponds before going back through the meadows and woods, ending up back at the parking area.

    Yellowstone Beaver Pond

    Take a lunch to eat along the way on the Yellowstone Beaver Pond Loop Trail

         The loop trail also passes by a petrified tree but the fact that is stands next to a heavily used parking lot and is aggressively fenced to protect it from looting caused them to lose interest quickly.   This is another in our series on our Top 10 vacation activities for families visiting Yellowstone with tweens and teens.   And if you are looking for more Yellowstone day hike ideas check out the books recommended below.  Happy hiking!

    Yellowstone National Park Things To Do

    Wildlife at Yellowstone Captures Teen’s and Tween’s Attention

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         Wherever you go in Yellowstone you are surrounded by wildlife.  Yellowstone is a year round home to over 3,000 bison (aka buffalo) and houses as many as 30,000 elk in the summer although their numbers drop off some in the winter.  We never saw the more elusive bears or wolves, but no matter how many times we chanced upon the buffalo and elk we had to stop and admire them.

    Buffalo frequently cause traffic jams

    Buffalo are frequently seen in Yellowstone

          During the summer, the buffalo are most likely to hang out in the Hayden and Lamar Valleys, but as the weather cools in late August some will make their way up to the geyser areas where conditions are warmer in during Yellowstone’s long winter.  On our visit we saw some of the first arrivals in the Old Faithful area.   Park staff rush to keep spectators at a safe distance but the buffalo are show stoppers and they always have the right of way.

    Buffalo can weigh over 2000 pounds so stay back a safe distance

    Buffalo arriving at his winter home near the Old Faithful Inn

         Elk tend to stay in the Northern areas of the park. They particularly like the lush green grass parade grounds maintained around Fort Yellowstone and the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel.   It is common to see them on the lawn when you look out your window first thing in the morning.

    More elk at Yellowstone

    Elk at rest near the Mammoth Hot Springs Hotel

         The fact that you can never predict when or where you will the majestic animals of Yellowstone lends an ongoing sense of wonder to the trip.  We saw many other animals while we were in the park, including a wiley coyote, eagles and more.

    Coyote at Yellowstone

    A lone coyote stops for a drink at Yellowstone

         This is another in our ongoing series about our Top 10 Activities for families on vacation at Yellowstone with teens and tweens

         If you like travel photos, you might be interested to know that we submitted this post to the DeliciousBaby Photo Friday listing where you can see lots of other great travel pictures.

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