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Epic Discovery

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 Vail, 81657

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About

Epic Discovery is Vail Mountain's summer activity park at Eagle's Nest, 10,350 feet up at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) from Lionshead. There is no road to it, so the gondola ride is part of the outing. At the top, the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster runs 3,400 feet down through the trees, tubing lanes and a climbing wall sit beside a bungee trampoline, and the youngest guests get their own tubing hill and zipline.

It suits families with children of mixed ages, and anyone who wants a day on the mountain without a long hike or a bike. The spot it occupies is still known as Adventure Ridge. It is a summer operation, open daily from June through Labor Day weekend, then Friday to Sunday in September.

The attractions

The Forest Flyer is the headline: riders sit in their own sled and control the speed, fast or slow enough to look around. Eagle's Nest Tubing runs 550-foot lanes with a magic-carpet lift back up, and the Paramount Peak climbing wall is 35 feet high. Little ones have the Marmot Mini Kids Tubing hill and the 10-foot-high Little Eagle Kids Zipline. Back at the bottom of the gondola, Gore Creek Mini Golf rounds out the day.

Tickets and the gondola

You need a scenic gondola ticket or an Adventure Pass to get up. The Adventure Pass includes the gondola, three Forest Flyer rides and a day of unlimited use of the other attractions you meet the age, height and weight rules for, with an optional lunch add-on. Buy online or at the Lionshead ticket office at the gondola base. Prices change by season, so check before you go.

Weather and what to wear

Every activity requires closed-toe shoes without heel straps. It is usually at least 10 degrees cooler at the top than in the village, and the sun is strong at this altitude, so bring layers, a rain jacket and sunscreen. Activities keep running in rain but stop for lightning, and afternoon storms can pause the gondola too; mornings are usually calmer.

Also at Eagle's Nest

The Eagle Bahn Gondola is wheelchair-accessible, so the whole group can reach the top even if not everyone joins the activities. Next door, the Nature Discovery Center yurt runs free naturalist-led hikes, and lunch is easy: Eagle's Nest Marketplace, Talon's Grill, Simba's Café and the bar at Bistro 14 share the summit. Hiking and biking trails start from here too.

Sources: Discover Vail: Epic Discovery, Vail Mountain: Epic Discovery. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Epic Discovery
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Epic Discovery, Eagle's Nest, Vail Mountain (top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola)
Vail, 81657

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About Epic Discovery

Quick answer: Epic Discovery is a business at Epic Discovery, Eagle's Nest, Vail Mountain (top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola), Vail, CO 81657. Vail Mountain's summer activity park at Eagle's Nest: Forest Flyer coaster, tubing, climbing wall and kids' zipline, reached by gondola from Lionshead.

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Epic Discovery is Vail Mountain's summer activity park at Eagle's Nest, 10,350 feet up at the top of the Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) from Lionshead. There is no road to it, so the gondola ride is part of the outing. At the top, the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster runs 3,400 feet down through the trees, tubing lanes and a climbing wall sit beside a bungee trampoline, and the youngest guests get their own tubing hill and zipline.

It suits families with children of mixed ages, and anyone who wants a day on the mountain without a long hike or a bike. The spot it occupies is still known as Adventure Ridge. It is a summer operation, open daily from June through Labor Day weekend, then Friday to Sunday in September.

The attractions

The Forest Flyer is the headline: riders sit in their own sled and control the speed, fast or slow enough to look around. Eagle's Nest Tubing runs 550-foot lanes with a magic-carpet lift back up, and the Paramount Peak climbing wall is 35 feet high. Little ones have the Marmot Mini Kids Tubing hill and the 10-foot-high Little Eagle Kids Zipline. Back at the bottom of the gondola, Gore Creek Mini Golf rounds out the day.

Tickets and the gondola

You need a scenic gondola ticket or an Adventure Pass to get up. The Adventure Pass includes the gondola, three Forest Flyer rides and a day of unlimited use of the other attractions you meet the age, height and weight rules for, with an optional lunch add-on. Buy online or at the Lionshead ticket office at the gondola base. Prices change by season, so check before you go.

Weather and what to wear

Every activity requires closed-toe shoes without heel straps. It is usually at least 10 degrees cooler at the top than in the village, and the sun is strong at this altitude, so bring layers, a rain jacket and sunscreen. Activities keep running in rain but stop for lightning, and afternoon storms can pause the gondola too; mornings are usually calmer.

Also at Eagle's Nest

The Eagle Bahn Gondola is wheelchair-accessible, so the whole group can reach the top even if not everyone joins the activities. Next door, the Nature Discovery Center yurt runs free naturalist-led hikes, and lunch is easy: Eagle's Nest Marketplace, Talon's Grill, Simba's Café and the bar at Bistro 14 share the summit. Hiking and biking trails start from here too.

Sources: Discover Vail: Epic Discovery, Vail Mountain: Epic Discovery. Checked September 23, 2026.

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Amenities at Epic Discovery

  • Gondola access only
  • Family-friendly
  • Kids activities
  • Climbing wall
  • Summer tubing
  • Mini golf
  • Wheelchair-accessible gondola
  • Summit dining

Frequently Asked Questions

When is Epic Discovery open?
In summer only. For 2026: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily from Friday, June 19 through Monday, September 7 (Labor Day), then Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays from September 11 through Sunday, September 27. The gondolas run 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. It does not operate in winter. Check vail.com for the current season's dates before you go.
How do you get to Epic Discovery?
Ride the Eagle Bahn Gondola (#19) from Lionshead Village to Eagle's Nest at the top of Vail Mountain, about 10,350 feet up. There is no road and you cannot drive there. A scenic gondola ticket also works on Gondola One from Vail Village.
Do I need a gondola ticket, and do kids ride free?
Yes, a ticket is required to ride up: either a scenic gondola ticket or the products you buy for the activities. With a scenic ticket, one child aged 12 or under rides free with each adult or senior scenic-ride purchase. Buy on vail.com or at the Lionshead or Vail Village ticket offices; online tickets are picked up at a ticket office.
What does the Adventure Pass include?
One day of the five pass activities, for anyone meeting each activity's age, height and weight rules: the Paramount Peak Climbing Wall, the Bungee Trampoline, Marmot Mini Kids Tubing, the Little Eagle Kids Zipline and Gore Creek Mini Golf (the mini golf is at the gondola base in Lionshead). Prices are date-based and shown on vail.com at purchase.
Is the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster included in the Adventure Pass?
No. The Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster and Eagle's Nest Tubing are sold separately from the Adventure Pass. Budget for them on top of the pass if the coaster is the point of the trip; it is for most families.
What are the Forest Flyer requirements?
Drivers must be at least 54 inches tall. A passenger must be 38 to 54 inches tall and at least 3 years old, riding with a driver aged 16 or older; if a child qualifies as a passenger but not as a driver, Vail provides a free ride-along ticket for a companion 16 or older to drive. Maximum combined weight per sled is 330 pounds, and enclosed footwear with no heel straps is required, as it is for every Epic Discovery activity. (Confirm current figures on Vail's requirements page before you travel.)
Is Epic Discovery good for young children?
Yes, it is built for them. Marmot Mini Kids Tubing (30-100 lb, age 3 and up) and the Little Eagle Kids Zipline (30-100 lb, age 3 and up) are sized for small children, the bungee trampoline takes 30-180 lb, and Gore Creek Mini Golf suits all ages. Young passengers can also ride the Forest Flyer with an older driver under the ride-along rule in question 6.
What is there to do at Epic Discovery?
At Eagle's Nest: the Forest Flyer Mountain Coaster (3,400 feet of rider-controlled track), Eagle's Nest Tubing (550-foot lanes with a lift back up), the 35-foot Paramount Peak climbing wall, a bungee trampoline, Marmot Mini Kids Tubing and the Little Eagle Kids Zipline. At the base in Lionshead: Gore Creek Mini Golf. The Nature Discovery Center yurt at the top adds free exhibits and naturalist-led hikes, and Eagle's Nest has food and a large deck.
What should I wear, and what happens in bad weather?
Fully enclosed shoes with no heel straps are required for all activities; bring layers, a rain jacket and sunscreen, as the top is usually at least 10 degrees cooler than the village and the sun is strong at 10,350 feet. Activities keep running in rain but close for lightning, and the gondola can pause too, so mornings, which are usually calmer, are the safer bet in storm season.
Is Epic Discovery the same as Adventure Ridge, and does it run in winter?
It is the same place: Vail brands the program "Epic Discovery at Adventure Ridge," at Eagle's Nest, and both names are still used. The summer program does not run in winter; the mountaintop switches to skiing, and winter tubing and ski biking at Adventure Ridge are separate winter products sold by Vail Mountain.

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