Amongst all the extreme sports, Paragliding holds its own special place – it is simply free flying with the aid of simple-shaped craft parachutes. As a sport, it is categorized as a flight sport, or an aero sport. It was founded in the early eighties by climbers and mountaineers in the Alps looking for easier ways to come down the peaks they had climbed, and they figured to using old sports parachutes.
Paragliding is one of the newest air sports, and one of the easiest. It has been intensely developing and expanding in the last fifteen years both as a sport and an outdoor activity for pleasure. There are no complicated procedures, laws, periods of long and hard training, or anything of the sort that kills the joy and freedom of flying. All you need is good will and free time, and you can experience amazing adventures, travel around the world, and challenge yourself – all while gazing over the amazing scenery you’re flying over.
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Here is our list of the top 15 places you can go to practice paragliding in North America:
When you visit Sedona, pray that is isn’t the raining, so you can breathe the fresh air in the desert – the smells of juniper flowers, red clay, limestone, and wildflowers. This is a top destination in Arizona during that time. It has also become an extremely popular destination for flying enthusiasts and adventure-seekers: the amazing above view of all the rocks and the sand and the feeling of flying over a wasteland leave quite a solemn feeling.
You can see an equal amount of paragliders and hangliders flying around during season, although the former will tell you that their glider dominates the air of Sedonia.
This spot is located in Arizona and it offersanamazing and breathtaking view from above – you can see the sand and rocks and surprisingly, you have the sense of peace and serenity while doing so. If you are looking for a unique place to do so, then Sedona will be your perfect go-to.
This wonderful place is a favorite for paragliders from Las Vegas and all over the world. The ridge runs about one mile long, and it is made mostly of soft sand and rocks. There are many different places you can go to start your flight where you’ll also have the appropriate amount of elevation for take-off.
A 4X4 truck is recommended to get to the top of the ridge.
If you live in Las Vegas, you know that this spot has become every paragliders’ favorite place. Finding a take-off point is quite easy and the ridge is pretty long (about a mile) with soft rocks and sand. If you are planning to explore the ridge, it is advisable to use the 4x4 trucks.
You must go to Glenwood Springs if you want to see and experience a fantastic and spectacular bird’s eye view while flying. It also has perfect spots for landing, where you will slide smoothly on the ground. Once you take a vacation there and experience what it’s like to fly in such a place, you will definitely want to return for more!
Paragliding down from such hights might seem scary at first, but once you gather up the courage, you’ll be rewarded with an amazing view. You will definitely have a great time if you choose Glenwood Springs as a vacation spot for paragliding!
Not only you can enjoy the beauty and spectacular view from above,butyou can also enjoy the perfect landing spots. A lot of people often come back for their holidays once they enjoy a fantastic experience.
This Paragliding spot is situated near the town of Goodsprings. This is a great place for desert thermal-flying. You can have very long flights there, with a set flight record of 62 miles. When the weather is good, you can fly for around 15 minutes before finally landing on the soft desert floor.
There are two different start spots make for a really easy take-off, but you should be careful. The best time for paragliding is usually from spring to fall, but if you want to have the most fun, you should consider going flying in the morning during the summer.
This spot is more ideal for desert thermal flying, where you can enjoy long flights, especially when the weather is good. The area has two starting points – both are easy but you need to be careful too. The perfect paragliding time is between spring and fall, with morning summers to be the best.
When you’re done exploring Salt Lake City, drive on over to the point of the Mountain, where the real paragliding pleasure begins. Pick a starting spot depending on your level of skill and the weather, and enjoy your flight.
This place doesn’t really have dizzying heights, but it’s a great place for beginners to learn the ropes while enjoying nice flights during the sunset.
Locatedin Salt Lake City, you can drive to this area to enjoy the paragliding activity. It isn’t exactly a super high spot but the area is great especially for beginners while still marveling the view. If you are looking for the most popular paragliding places in North America without fuss or hassle, you should drop by at this place.
Sun Valley is a very popular ski resort in the United States. However, in addition to being a great skiing spot, Sun Valley is also a great place to paraglide. On the mountain slopes of Bald Mountain, you can enjoy fresh air while admiring the magnificent view of the scenery from the mountain tops.
While this is a place mainly for experienced paragliders, the less experienced fliers can also choose to go with tandem flights. For these and many more reasons, Sun Valley is one of the most popular tourist destination in the United States.
This area is actually more popular as the ski resorts. However, it turns out to be a great paragliding place too. You can go to Bald Mountain slopes to enjoy the breathtaking view. This spot is more suitable for advanced and professional pilots. The beginners should have a tandem fly.
This is no questioning Hawaii’s most well-known dreamlike landscape ― the azure waters of the Pacific, the lush green mountaintops, and the amazing Hawaiian volcanos. And what better way to view it than by taking the aerial route? Hawaii’s mountains provide the perfect launching spots for paragliding, and if you are planning to fly tandem, there are several operators in Maui, Honolulu, and Oahu with a good fleet of gliders and many experienced personnel.
The Waipoli Flight Park on the slopes of Mt. Haleakala is a great launch spot that provides for some amazing views overlooking Maui.
Hawaii is no doubt ideal for all kinds of sports, including paragliding. Thanks to the landscape, you can enjoy the aerial route, enjoying the green lush mountains, impressive volcanoes, and the azure Pacific waters. Hawaii Mountains are ideal for the launching spots, such as Waipoli Flight Park located on Mount Haleakala slopes.
The Tiger Mountain in the United States is an excellent spot for beginner paragliders, and it’s where people go to hover over Issakua like a bird. On clear weather with a fair wind, you can continuously fly for for quite a long time. On the hill above the launching platform you can watch all the paragliders take off into a beautiful dance, and enjoy the great scenery of the Issakua Alps and Lake Sammamish, with Bellevue just over the horizon.
You will definitely feel like going for a flight once you catch a glimpse of this scenery.
If you are a beginner pilot, then this would be your ideal spot. Not only you can enjoy the view,butyou can also hover the Issakua Alps area as well as Lake Sammamish. If the weather is nice withafair wind, the fly can take a longer time. It is worth to try – and once you start, you will be addicted. No wonder if it becomes one of the most popular paragliding places in North America.
Canada is a great country for paragliding because of its amazing mountains and its wild and untouched nature. If you are a beginner, you should first try the tandem flight starting at Mount 7, a favorite site for all people without experience.
As a special offer, you can also go Heli-paragliding, which allows you to take-off from some otherwise unsuitable peaks and you can choose to fly in tandem or solo.
Canada consists of mountainous areas – which are great for paragliding. Not to mention that the untouched nature will add extra appeal. The spot also has a special offer of Heli-paragliding. You can go with the chopper to the unsuitable peaks and fly from there – either solo or tandem.
Puebla seems like it exists solely for the intense thrill of flying that it provides. Even if you don’t have experience flying, you don’t need to worry. There are professional gliders you can fly with, who fly in tandem with you and take care of everything. Imagine soaring through the air while you paraglide from the hill and rise up, higher and higher!
With complete security, you can feel the adrenaline of your first flight very safely, and that adrenaline quickly becomes ecstasy, a feeling of peace, of solemnity, and profound happiness that makes you feel alive and one with nature. It is definitely an unforgettable experience!
Not only the area is exciting and thrilling,butthe spot is always filled and cramped with professional gliders. If you are new to this, they can teach you – you can even fly tandem with them. It’s no wonder if beginner pilots who try the sports in this spot become addicted. Because of the secured and safe nature, most beginner pilots are always coming back for more!
Currently, this part of Mexico has become a Mecca of paragliding in the country. The ideal flight conditions have also earned it a high spot as one of the best places to glide in North America. In recent years, it has hosted several important world events and paragliding Championships
It is located in a kind of step between the high mountains and the lowlands of Michoacán and Guerrero. The unique mountainous landscape, which is covered with forests and the picturesque village with all of its narrow streets and whitewashed houses with red roofs, as well as the magic Miguel Aleman Dam, make this a quite exotic tourist attraction.
This spot is currently viewed as the paragliding Mecca. The good geography and the ideal conditions are responsible for its popularity. Several paragliding championships and other crucial world events have been held there. The location is between the mountains and (Guerrero and Michoacán) lowlands. Because of the unique landscape, it is no wonder if this place has become one of the most popular paragliding places in North America – even in the world.
This Paragliding destionation has been the scene of all sorts major competitions, and has twice been the host to the PWC (Paragliding World Cup). It offers service restaurants and all the necessary things to enjoy your time flying all day.
The flight zone is located just before reaching the village, indicated by the marking of the Zero Gravity Club. On this site both beginners and experienced pilots can fly, and there are various routes for cross-country flying around the mountains, all the way to Lake Chapala. The best time to fly here is during spring and summer.
This is place has been a popular spot for all kinds of competitions. It is also the host for Paragliding World Cup (PWC) even twice. It has restaurants and other types of entertainment. The flight area is marked by the Zero Gravity Club where experienced and beginner pilots can soar to the sky. The area is also good because it has different routes for mountain cross country flying toward Lake Chapala. You should come here in spring and summer to get the best flying experience.
This is one of the richest regions in Mexico for adventure activities and ecotourism, which, of course, involves flying and paragliding. Here, you can enjoy the beautiful mountain scenery while flying while admiring the spectacles of Tierra Blanca and Cerro del Pinal of the Zamorano, peaks that that reach a height of 3.360 meters.
The flying site is found in the Canyon del Salto, in the recreational center of the same name. It has an excellent take-off platform and good flying conditions for learning. The more experienced pilots can easily perform cross-country flight through San Jose Iturbide and San Miguel de Allende. The best season to fly is from late spring to autumn, when the winds are most favorable.
This area is super popular for its ecotourism and adventurous activity in Mexico. Besides paragliding, you can also find other flying activities. From the high altitude above, you can enjoy the beauty of Cerro del Pinal and Tierra Blanca, located in Zamorano, the peak. The site can be found in Canyon del Salto within the recreational center. The area is popular because the takeoff platform is just perfect and the flying condition is mostly good. The best time to paraglide is from the end of spring to the beginning of fall. It’s not really surprising to see this spot included in the list of the most popular paragliding places in North America
Around Orizaba, there are several takeoffs and flying sites. The most popular for paragliders is located in the mountains of the Sierra de Chicahuaxtla, in the hill of San Juan, where more than ten years ago the Flight Unlimited club organized the “Festival of the Air”, which brought together the best paraglider pilots in the country.
The takeoff platform is located on the “hill of the antennas”, at an altitude of 1,200 m. In this area you can fly all year round.
In this area, you should be able to find several sites for takeoffs and flying. Of course, there is always one popular spot among the others, and it is located inthe Sierra de Chicahuactla Mountains within San Juan Hill. In the same spot, the Flight Unlimited Club set up the ‘Air Festival’ 10 years ago where the best and professional paragliders from every corner of the country will gather around. If you choose to fly from this area, you need to go to Antennas Hill, the takeoff spot which is located 1,200 meters above the sea level. The good thing about this place is that you can fly every time – it is for all year round.
If you are planning to visit Jackson Hole, you are surely doing so for the paragliding, the sport that has been gaining more and more traction in the area. You can flight through the Valley from dizzying heights. The flight lasts around 15 to 20 minutes. The extraordinary view of the valley is something that you won’t forget for the rest of your life.
The area consists of valleys, which will make the flying easier and more fun. The dizzying heights are often considered challenging for most paragliding lovers. One thing they love from this place is the spectacular view – it is simply memorable! The flight generally last around 15 minutes – 20 minutes top. If you want to, go there and check why it is considered one of the most popular paragliding places in North America.
And what are your favourite paragliding spots in North America? Share your thoughts in a comment below!
In the end, flying is a matter of choice and preference. Some people are scared to fly while some can’t live without flying. These spots are considered ideal and perfect for all types of paragliders in terms of unique landscape, safety, and signature style. If you are new to this, you don’t need to go to the extreme. Simply choose the easy and accessible spots only and see whether flying suits you or not. Once you are set that flying is your passion, you can explore each of these most popular paragliding places in North America.
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