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At the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola, Adventure Ridge is Vail’s summer answer to a family mountain day: a scenic lift ride, a coaster threading through the trees, and enough choice that one person can chase thrills while another simply takes in the view. Vail now calls the program Epic Discovery at Adventure Ridge; the older name still helps when searching, but it is the same Lionshead mountaintop hub. For hours, location and photos, see our Epic Discovery listing.
Start in Lionshead
Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) leaves from Lionshead Village and arrives at Vail’s Mountaintop Adventure Center. Scenic tickets work on Eagle Bahn and Gondola One, so the day can begin in Lionshead or Vail Village. For summer 2026, Vail lists Epic Discovery hours of 10 a.m.–4 p.m., daily June 19–September 7 and Friday–Sunday September 11–27. Operations, weather holds, and availability can change, so check Vail’s live Epic Discovery page before you build the day around it.
Choose your pace once you are up there
| Activity | Why it is useful to know |
|---|---|
| Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster | A 3,400-foot forest ride for the group member who wants a little speed. |
| Adventure Pass activities | Paramount Peak Climbing Wall, Bungee Trampoline, Marmot Mini Kids Tubing, Little Eagle Kids Zipline, and Gore Creek Mini Golf. |
| Eagle’s Nest Tubing | A separate summer attraction; confirm ticketing and availability before heading up. |
| Nature Discovery Center | A Walking Mountains nature stop at Eagle’s Nest—an easy quieter counterpoint to the rides. |
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Height, weight, footwear, weather, and ticket rules determine who can do what. Settle those details before buying passes, especially with younger children; Vail keeps them on its official activity-information page.
Before you buy: match the pass to your group
The practical details matter more than the brochure names. Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster and Eagle’s Nest Tubing are separate from the Adventure Pass, and each activity has its own height, weight, age, and footwear requirements. Pick up passes at the Lionshead Ticket Office, then use Vail’s official activity-information page to check the children in your group before committing to a particular mix of rides.
Make it work for a mixed-age group
Kids 12 and under ride free with an adult or senior scenic-ride purchase, according to Vail’s current summer page. That makes this an unusually flexible outing: ride-focused kids can take on the activity hub while grandparents or less-adventurous travelers enjoy the gondola, Eagle’s Nest, and the mountain air. Closed-toe, closed-heel shoes are the sensible default. For other guided tours around Vail, see Viator’s Vail experiences.
Food, winter, and the base village
There are on-mountain food options at Eagle’s Nest, best treated as a convenient pause rather than a reason to skip checking the day’s hours. In winter, the old Adventure Ridge name should not be read as a promise of the former evening activity program; consult Vail’s current winter activities page for the experiences actually operating during your stay.
Leave time for Lionshead Village before or after the gondola—rentals, lunch, and a car-free stroll are close to the lift. VailVacay’s Epic Discovery listing adds a broader overview. The best version of this day is not an overstuffed schedule: choose what fits your group, leave room for the view, and let the mountain set the pace.
