Gunstock's summer adventure park opens next weekend

Gunstock's Adventure Park caters to thrill-seeking visitors of varying degrees. (Courtesy photo)

GILFORD -- Gunstock Mountain Resort's award-winning Adventure Park and 250-site campground are scheduled to open for the season on May 25.

Gunstock's Adventure Park includes scenic chairlift rides, a mountain coaster, zipline tours and aerial treetop challenge courses. Early season hours of operation will be 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. on weekends-only through June 23, then operating until 4 p.m. every Thursday through Sunday until early September. Gunstock's campground will be operating daily from May 24 through October 20.

"People who only know Gunstock as a winter-sports resort are often surprised to discover that we're a favorite summer attraction too," said Gunstock Resort President and General Manager Tom Day. "Gunstock is loved by Lakes Region visitors and residents alike. Accolades earned again this year include New Hampshire Magazine's Readers' Poll that named Gunstock a Best of NH winner, declaring it the best Summer Outdoor Attraction in the Lakes Region."

Gunstock's Adventure Park caters to thrill-seeking visitors of varying degrees. On the softer side of adventure there's a scenic chairlift ride on the Panorama chairlift. Each chair is like a flying park bench that accommodates a maximum of four passengers. The chair, equipped with a safety restraining bar, is securely fixed to an overhead cable for a smooth ride to the mountain top. At the summit, guests can wander around on their own, enjoy the amazing views of Lake Winnipesaukee and the beautiful White Mountains beyond, then make the return trip whenever they like. Gunstock's scenic chairlift ride offers a distinctive and memorable outdoor experience for every visitor.

Also ranking among the resort's tamer adventures, Gunstock's Mountain Coaster is a roller-coaster-like ride on an open toboggan that can accommodate a single passenger or two riders. Anticipation builds as the cart climbs uphill, and eventually yields to gravity for an exciting ride through curves and bank turns that follow the mountain's natural contours, varied with steep sections in combination with twisters and camelbacks. Independent speed control by operating the brake lever allows the driver to determine their own rate of speed throughout the descent.

For greater thrills, Gunstocks' popular ZipTour and Aerial Treetop Adventure fit the bill. Visitors soar above the trees from peak to peak, and peak to base, traveling over a combined 1.6 miles on one of the longest zipline tours in the continental United States. This hour-and-a-half-plus excursion is a journey through nature with an adrenaline rush. Participants can control their speed using a brake or let it rip and approach a speed of 70 mph.

Constructed among the trees, Gunstock's Aerial Treetop Adventure is New England's largest aerial obstacle course. A total of 81 varied challenges are securely suspended within the trees in eight high ropes courses, including the Explorer Course just for kids. Some examples of the features include log ladders, swinging bridges, seesaws, and, of course, ziplines. Participants are fitted with safety harnesses and provided with belay system training at the start of their treetop quest.

When searching for refreshment between adventures, guests can select Gunstock's newest restaurant, Barrell Bar & Grille, located in the Stockade Lodge. With air-conditioned comfort indoors and outdoor seating on the newly expanded deck, The Barrel offers a lunch experience to suit all visitors. For quick grab-and-go options there's The Snack Shack.

Camping season at Gunstock is scheduled to begin with this summer's first campers checking in on May 24. The Gunstock Campground places guests in the heart of New Hampshire's Lakes Region, close to the shores of Lake Winnipesaukee and nestled into the base of the Belknap Mountains. Wooded and open field sites with fire rings and picnic tables serve as home base for guests who enjoy overnight accommodations in a natural setting with easy access to amenities: a camp store, playground, a heated swimming pool, dog park, bath houses, hiking and biking trails, a stocked fishing pond, and Gunstock's Adventure Park. Gunstock campers receive a discount on Adventure Park activities during their stay.

Visit gunstock.com or call 603-293-4341 for more information or to book a visit to Gunstock Mountain Resort this summer.