|
NIAGARA — Niagara Falls has become the latest natural wonder to add a zip line.
The high-speed elevated cable rides have evolved from a novel way to explore jungle canopies, to almost necessary additions to lure tourists in the 21st century to established destinations.
Tourists can ride above the tree line at New River Gorge in West Virginia, over California’s Catalina Island, above lush Hawaiian landscapes and in view of Denali in Alaska.
It’s a trend that’s exposed a rift between those who approach nature like contemplative monks, and others who require an extreme, Indiana Jones-style experience.
Critics argue the towering structures and screaming riders diminish nature’s grandeur. Proponents see them as a way to keep people interested in iconic spaces in the 21st century. AP