A rope course consists of several poles or trees with platforms that are connected by various elements (rope bridges, beams, etc.). Participants navigate their way through a predetermined and well secured route and climb, swing, jump or ride a zip line from one platform to the next. Between the platforms, they must cope with a variety of obstacles and elements. In the great outdoors, visitors to the rope park can improve their fitness, agility, and sense of balance in an exciting way.

The courses in rope parks can be differentiated according to various criteria, such as the height of the elements, the difficulty of the course, and suitability for children (restrictions based on age and/or height). Based on the criterion of element height, the courses can be divided into high rope and low rope courses. Most rope parks offer a mixture of different courses. If the elements are installed between trees, this is called a forest rope course or climbing forest.

History

The first rope course was built in France in 1875 and served mainly as a physical challenge for participants. During the Second World War, rope courses were used by the American and British military as obstacle courses to train physical fitness. In 1941, German reformist educator Kurt Hahn used rope courses as an experiential learning element in the Outward Bound schools he founded. In the mid-1960s, rope courses caught on as a central element of outdoor seminars in the United States. Based on this success, numerous experiential learning rope courses also emerged in Europe. In the mid-2000s, rope course concepts predominantly aimed at tourists, such as climbing forests and adventure parks, began to dominate.

Rope courses in Switzerland

Swiss tourism discovered the attractive opportunity presented by rope parks, especially in mountainous areas, to create new attractions. Today, there are more than 50 rope parks in Switzerland, the majority of which is a member in the Swiss Rope Parks Association. This umbrella organisation was founded in 2006 and provides the parks a platform for training, advertising and exchanging experience.