Zip lines, a mountain coaster, Lehigh River rapids, tandem skydiving, guided ATV tours, paintball, race weekends and a sunrise balloon flight. Ten Poconos adrenaline activities, sorted by type, with what to confirm before you book.
The Poconos have more adrenaline than their lake-and-trail reputation suggests: a mountain coaster, zip lines up to 30 mph, whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River, tandem skydiving, guided ATV tours, paintball and NASCAR race weekends. This guide covers ten places, sorted by type of thrill, with the season for each and what to confirm with the operator before you book.
Key Takeaways
- I.Zip lines and ropes courses are the easiest way to mix thrill levels: Camelback's park suits thrill-seekers and first-timers, and Pocono TreeVentures has a course for ages 4 to 7.
- II.Rafting on the Lehigh River runs spring through fall, and trip difficulty depends on the dam release schedule, so confirm with the outfitter.
- III.Skydiving and balloon flights depend on weather, so build in a flexible day.
- IV.Age, weight, height and health limits differ by operator and aren't listed here, so confirm before you pay.
The ten activities at a glance
| Activity | Type | Season | Town |
|---|---|---|---|
| Camelback Mountain Adventures | Mountain coaster, zip lines, ropes courses | Spring to fall | Tannersville |
| Pocono TreeVentures | Ropes courses and racing zip lines | Year round (select courses) | East Stroudsburg |
| Pocono Mountain Zipline | Zip line | Not listed | Nesquehoning |
| Pocono Whitewater | Guided rafting | Spring to fall | Jim Thorpe |
| Whitewater Rafting Adventures | Guided rafting | April to October | Nesquehoning |
| Pegasus Skydive Center | Tandem skydiving | Spring to fall | Saylorsburg |
| Pocono ATVs at Memorytown | Guided ATV and UTV tours | Spring to fall | Mount Pocono |
| Skirmish Paintball | Paintball | Weekends, spring to fall | Jim Thorpe |
| Pocono Raceway | NASCAR race weekends, track tours | Race weekends, May to July | Long Pond |
| Balloon Chase Adventures | Hot air balloon flights | Year round, weather permitting | Moscow |
Each place is listed under its nearest destination guide by drive time, such as Lake Naomi or Mauch Chunk Lake. Check the distance before you plan a multi-stop day.
Zip lines, ropes courses and a mountain coaster
Camelback Mountain Adventures at Camelback Resort in Tannersville has the Downhill Mountain Coaster, zip lines and aerial ropes courses. The coaster, a self-controlled sled-style ride down the mountainside, is the most popular attraction and suitable for a wide age range, while the aerial courses scale from beginner platforms to challenging high-ropes routes. It's a half-day stop for a group with mixed appetites for adrenaline, since guests pick which attractions to try. It's seasonal, spring through fall.
Pocono TreeVentures in East Stroudsburg is an independent aerial park with eight courses and more than 90 elements from beginner to expert, plus 1,000-foot dual racing zip lines that reach speeds up to 30 mph. Courses are color-coded so visitors choose their own comfort level, there's a KidVentures course for ages 4 to 7, and select courses run year round. It tends to run less crowded than the Camelback option.
Pocono Mountain Zipline in Nesquehoning sends riders more than 900 feet, 8 stories high, at speeds up to 30 mph. It's the only zip line in the Jim Thorpe area, about 5 miles from downtown. No season is listed here, so check its schedule.
Pennsylvania's Department of Agriculture runs an amusement ride safety program that registers more than 800 ride owners and 10,000 rides and attractions annually (PA Department of Agriculture, retrieved October 6, 2026). The page doesn't say which zip lines or ropes courses it covers, so ask each operator about its inspections.
Whitewater rafting on the Lehigh River
Two outfitters run guided Lehigh River trips. Pocono Whitewater, at 1519 PA-903 in Jim Thorpe, offers a family-friendly stretch of calmer rapids and more technical runs for experienced paddlers, and summer trips end with a riverside barbecue and bonfire. Whitewater Rafting Adventures in Nesquehoning, five miles from downtown Jim Thorpe, offers "mild to wild" trips from April through October.
The river's flow depends on scheduled dam releases upstream, so trip length and difficulty vary by season, and the outfitter can match a group to the right trip. Class III on the standard river scale means "moderate, irregular waves which may be difficult to avoid and which can swamp an open canoe," according to the National Park Service, with complex maneuvers sometimes required and swimming injuries rare (NPS, Grading Whitewater, retrieved October 6, 2026). That's a general definition, not a rating of any one Pocono trip. DCNR describes this stretch of the Lehigh as Class III whitewater and says river flow is controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers at Francis E. Walter Dam (DCNR, Lehigh Gorge State Park guide, retrieved October 6, 2026). For more on the river, flow thresholds and the Lehigh Gorge, see our Lehigh Gorge State Park guide.
Early-season trips can mean cold water. The Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission warns that cold-water shock causes an involuntary gasp, hyperventilation and a reduced ability to control breathing and swim (PFBC, Cold Weather Life Jacket, retrieved October 6, 2026). Its life jacket requirement runs from November 1 through April 30 for small boats, canoes, kayaks and paddleboards, and the page doesn't say whether it covers commercial guided rafts. Ask your outfitter what flotation and gear it requires.
Skydiving
Pegasus Skydive Center in Saylorsburg offers tandem skydiving, and it's a USPA-affiliated drop zone. First-time jumpers go tandem with a certified instructor, with a freefall from altitude followed by a several-minute parachute descent. It's seasonal, spring through fall, and wind and weather can affect scheduling, so groups planning a jump for a specific date should build in some flexibility.
The United States Parachute Association (USPA) says its members reported 3.47 million skydives in 2025 and there were 16 civilian skydiving fatalities in the United States that year, a rate of 0.46 deaths per 100,000 jumps (USPA, How Safe is Skydiving?, retrieved October 6, 2026). Those figures cover all skydiving, not tandem jumps alone. USPA also says that on a tandem jump you're harnessed to an instructor and share a parachute, that drop zones set their own weight, height, age and fitness requirements, and that in most cases you must be at least 18 (USPA, Your First Skydive, retrieved October 6, 2026). Confirm the requirements with the drop zone before you book.
Guided ATV tours
Pocono ATVs at Memorytown in Mount Pocono runs a 200-acre off-road park with guided ATV and UTV tours through wooded trails. Every tour starts with a safety briefing and a fitted helmet, no prior off-roading experience is required, and multi-passenger UTVs are available for guests who'd rather ride along than drive. It's seasonal, spring through fall.
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), in its all-terrain vehicle guidance, advises always wearing a helmet, eye protection, boots, gloves, long pants and a long-sleeved shirt, and says riders younger than 16 should use only age-appropriate youth models (CPSC, ATV Safety Information Center, retrieved October 6, 2026). It also advises against carrying more passengers than there are seats, and notes that most vehicles are designed for one rider. Ask the operator which vehicles and ages its tours accept.
Motorsports and a paintball field
Pocono Raceway in Long Pond is a 2.5-mile tri-oval known as "The Tricky Triangle". It hosts NASCAR Cup Series race weekends each summer, typically from May to July, with camping, vendors and concerts around the racing. Off weekends, it offers track tours and driving experiences, so non-race visitors can get a taste of the track at speed. Check the track's schedule for dates.
Skirmish Paintball in Jim Thorpe is a wooded property with more than 50 themed fields, from wooded bunkers to mock village scenarios, so a full-day group visit rarely repeats a setting. It's open weekends from spring through fall, takes group and private bookings, and offers equipment rental and packages, so a group can show up without gear.
A calmer kind of thrill: balloon flights
Balloon Chase Adventures flies sunrise and sunset hot air balloon flights from a launch site in Moscow, with two- and four-passenger balloons. Flights typically last about an hour in the air, drifting over the ridgelines and lakes, and end with a traditional champagne toast on landing. They run year round, weather permitting, and flights sometimes need to be rescheduled, so book with a flexible day or two around the date.
How to choose
- A group with mixed thrill levels: Camelback's park or Pocono TreeVentures, where guests pick which attractions or courses to try.
- A group game: Skirmish Paintball, which takes group and private bookings and rents equipment.
- First-timers who want a big experience: a guided Lehigh River raft trip, a guided ATV tour, or a tandem skydive with a certified instructor.
- Speed without leaving the ground: the Pocono Mountain Zipline or TreeVentures' racing zip lines, both up to 30 mph.
- Watching speed: Pocono Raceway on a race weekend.
- Adrenaline for people who want the view: a sunrise or sunset balloon flight.
- Year-round options: Pocono TreeVentures (select courses) and Balloon Chase Adventures (weather permitting).
Planning and safety
Weather rules some of these out. The National Weather Service says there's no safe place outside when thunderstorms are in the area, and to wait 30 minutes after the last thunder or lightning before going back out (NWS, Lightning Safety, retrieved October 6, 2026). Skydiving and balloon flights depend on weather, and rafting depends on river flow. Before you book anything, confirm:
- Minimum and maximum age, weight and height, and any health restrictions.
- Waivers and what to wear.
- The cancellation and weather policy.
- Current hours and season aren't listed in detail here, so check before you go.
Prices and eligibility rules aren't listed here for these places, so check with each one directly.
Frequently asked questions
What are the best adrenaline activities in the Poconos?
We list zip lines and a mountain coaster at Camelback, racing zip lines at Pocono TreeVentures, Lehigh River rafting, tandem skydiving in Saylorsburg, guided ATV tours, paintball and NASCAR race weekends, plus a calmer balloon flight.
Can beginners try these activities?
Several are set up for first-timers: Camelback's park suits first-timers, tandem jumps pair you with a certified instructor, ATV tours need no prior experience, and rafting outfitters match groups to trips. Confirm age and fitness limits with the operator.
What's open in winter?
Pocono TreeVentures has select courses open year round and Balloon Chase Adventures flies year round, weather permitting. Most of the others are seasonal, spring through fall.
Is tandem skydiving safe?
USPA doesn't publish a tandem-only rate in the sources we checked. For all skydiving in 2025, it reports 16 civilian fatalities among 3.47 million jumps, or 0.46 per 100,000 jumps. Ask the drop zone about its USPA affiliation and its requirements before you book.
How far apart are these places?
Each place is listed under its nearest destination guide by drive time. They span Tannersville, East Stroudsburg, Jim Thorpe, Saylorsburg, Mount Pocono, Long Pond and Moscow, so check each distance before you plan a day.
Keep planning
Each activity above is listed under one of these lake destinations, and each page lists more places to eat and explore: Mauch Chunk Lake, Lake Naomi, Big Boulder Lake, Promised Land Lake, Tobyhanna Lake and Gouldsboro Lake.
Last updated October 6, 2026. Details come from Pocono Reserve research. Hours, seasons and rules change, so confirm with each operator before you go. Cover photo: Thekohser, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
Sources
- USPA, How Safe is Skydiving? and Your First Skydive; CPSC, ATV Safety Information Center; NPS, Grading Whitewater. Retrieved October 6, 2026.
- Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission, Cold Weather Life Jacket; PA Department of Agriculture, Amusement Rides and Attractions; NWS, Lightning Safety. Retrieved October 6, 2026.